Effects of Long-Term Tai Chi Practice on Balance and H-Reflex Characteristics

2011 ◽  
Vol 39 (02) ◽  
pp. 251-260 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongwei Guan ◽  
David M. Koceja
Keyword(s):  
Tai Chi ◽  
Postural Sway ◽  
Standing Position ◽  
H Reflex ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Eyes Closed ◽  
Eyes Open ◽  
Left And Right

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of long-term Tai Chi practice on postural balance and H-reflex. Sixteen healthy volunteers, eight with three or more years of experience in Tai Chi training (Tai Chi Group-TCG), and eight with no experience in Tai Chi training (Control Group-CG) participated in the study. Postural sways were measured under four experimental conditions: (1) Standing still with eyes open (EO); (2) Standing still with eyes closed (EC); (3) Standing and turning head to left and right with eyes open (EOT); and (4) Standing and turning head to left and right with eyes closed (ECT). Paired reflex depression (PRD) of the soleus muscle was measured under two conditions: supine and standing. Less significant postural sway was observed in the TCG than in the CG under four conditions including EO, EC, EOT, and ECT (p < 0.01). The TCG demonstrated 14.1%, 30.6%, 33.3% and 22.7% less postural sway, respectively. Significant PRD change from a supine to standing position was observed between TCG and CG (p < 0.05). A significant correlation between PRD change (from supine to standing) and years of Tai Chi practice was observed (r = 0.80, p < 0.05). The findings of this study support the positive effects of Tai Chi exercise on balance control under different conditions. Long-term Tai Chi exercisers also demonstrated different reflex modulation from a supine to standing position, and long-term Tai Chi practice may lead to a change of PRD modulation as neuroadaptation.

scholarly journals Short-term balance training and acute effects on postural sway in balance-deficient older adults: a randomized controlled trial

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Niklas Sörlén ◽  
Andreas Hult ◽  
Peter Nordström ◽  
Anna Nordström ◽  
Jonas Johansson
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Postural Sway ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Eyes Closed ◽  
Balance Exercise

Abstract Background We aimed to determine the effectiveness of 4 weeks of balance exercise compared with no intervention on objectively measured postural sway. Methods This was a single-center parallel randomized controlled, open label, trial. A six-sided dice was used for allocation at a 1:1-ratio between exercise and control. The trial was performed at a university hospital clinic in Sweden and recruited community-dwelling older adults with documented postural instability. The intervention consisted of progressively challenging balance exercise three times per week, during 4 weeks, with follow-up at week five. Main outcome measures were objective postural sway length during eyes open and eyes closed conditions. Results Sixty-five participants aged 70 years (balance exercise n = 32; no intervention n = 33) were randomized. 14 participants were excluded from analysis because of early dropout before follow-up at week five, leaving 51 (n = 22; n = 29) participants for analysis. No significant differences were detected between the groups in any of the postural sway outcomes. Within-group analyses showed significant improvements in hand grip strength for the intervention group, while Timed Up & Go improvements were comparable between groups but only statistically significant in the control group. Conclusions Performing balance exercise over a four-week intervention period did not acutely improve postural sway in balance-deficient older adults. The lower limit in duration and frequency to achieve positive effects remains unclear. Trial registration Clinical trials NCT03227666, July 24, 2017, retrospectively registered.

scholarly journals Effect of a “T-Band” Kick Training Protocol on Postural Sway

1998 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 122-127 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew G. Baker ◽  
William G. Webright ◽  
David H. Perrin
Keyword(s):  
Postural Sway ◽  
Stability Index ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Eyes Closed ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Proprioceptive Training ◽  
Eyes Open ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
Experimental Group ◽  
Training Protocol

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a resistive tubing kick training protocol on postural sway in uninjured collegiate wrestlers. An experimental group (n= 10) performed a progressive resistive tubing kick training protocol three times per week for 6 weeks. A control group (n= 9) performed no resistive tubing training during the 6 weeks. Postural sway (stability index) was assessed before and after the 6-week training period. ANOVAs demonstrated no significant interactions, although significant main effects were found for group and eye condition. The experimental group demonstrated less postural sway than the control group regardless of training, and postural sway was greater with the eyes closed than with the eyes open. Resistive tubing kick training does not significantly improve postural sway in healthy collegiate wrestlers. Further research should examine the potential benefits of proprioceptive training using a greater intensity of training and/or using subjects who have a greater potential for improvement.

Body balance in standing position in people after cerebral stroke on the basis of posturographic examinations

Physiotherapy ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kamila Jasińska
Keyword(s):  
Sagittal Plane ◽  
Frontal Plane ◽  
Standing Position ◽  
Centre Of Pressure ◽  
Body Balance ◽  
Eyes Closed ◽  
Affected Side ◽  
Eyes Open ◽  
Left And Right ◽  
The Mean

AbstractA stroke has a number of direct effects on body balance. Despite the progress in medical science, it continues to be one of the major causes of disability in adults.The objective of the study was to evaluate the body balance in people after stroke depending on the side of hemiparesis.The study included 30 patients with left and right-sided hemiparesis. The mean age of the patients was 66 years. The tests were conducted on the R50300 Cosmogamma balance platform, in a standing position. Each patient was examined twice: with and without vision, in a standing position. The statistical analysis was carried out using the STATISTICA software.The results revealed statistical differences in the maximum lateral sways of the Centre of Pressure (COP) with the eyes open, the maximum front-back sways of the Centre of Pressure with the eyes closed, and the mean COP values in the frontal plane with and without vision in individuals with right and left-sided hemiparesis. Patients with left and right-sided hemiparesis were found to underload the affected side, regardless of whether they were tested with or without vision. Moreover, patients with right-sided hemiparesis who were tested with their eyes open had greater difficulty maintaining body balance in the frontal plane than those with left-sided hemiparesis, and patients with right-sided hemiparesis who were examined with their eyes closed had greater difficulty maintaining body balance in the sagittal plane than those with left-sided hemiparesis.During the posturographic examination, individuals with left and right-sided hemiparesis displayed underloading of the affected side, both when tested with their eyes open and closed. When tested with vision, patients with right-sided hemiparesis had greater difficulty maintaining body balance in the frontal plane than those with left-sided hemiparesis. When tested without vision, patients with right-sided hemiparesis had greater difficulty maintaining body balance in the sagittal plane than those with left-sided hemiparesis.

Effects of Balance Training on Postural Stability

2002 ◽  
Vol 46 (13) ◽  
pp. 1237-1240
Author(s):  
Jennifer M. Schmit ◽  
Deanna I. Rejacques ◽  
Michael A. Riley
Keyword(s):  
Postural Control ◽  
Postural Sway ◽  
Balance Training ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Significant Group ◽  
Eyes Closed ◽  
Eyes Open ◽  
Group 2 ◽  
Main Effects ◽  
The Relationship

The present study is designed to address the relationship between postural sway and balance training. We compared postural sway in a group of trained dancers to a group of physically fit, untrained participants (control group) in order to assess enhanced postural control with balance training, particularly under challenging balance conditions. We varied the difficulty of postural control by using two surface conditions (rigid surface, foam surface) and two visual conditions (eyes open, eyes closed), factorially combined. The data were evaluated using 1-between (group) × 2-within (vision and surface) analyses of variance (ANOVA). The three dependent variables were the standard deviation of the COP time series in the anterior-posterior (AP) and medial-lateral (ML) axes, and the COP path length. Significant main effects were found for surface and vision and the surface*vision interaction in all conditions. Significant group differences were found in the AP and ML axes. The results of this study indicate that balance training enhances the control of posture. Thus, it may be useful to provide balance training to workers who must operate under conditions that threaten balance.

scholarly journals Head Stabilization During Standing in People with Persisting Symptoms after Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter C. Fino ◽  
Tiphanie E Raffegeau ◽  
Lucy Parrington ◽  
Robert J Peterka ◽  
Laurie A. King
Keyword(s):  
Traumatic Brain Injury ◽  
Brain Injury ◽  
Mild Traumatic Brain Injury ◽  
Inertial Sensors ◽  
Postural Sway ◽  
Frontal Plane ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Lumbar Region ◽  
Eyes Closed ◽  
Eyes Open

ABSTRACTIncreased postural sway is often observed in people with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), but our understanding of how individuals with mTBI control their head during stance is limited. The purpose of this study was to determine if people with mTBI exhibit increased sway at the head compared with healthy controls. People with persisting symptoms after mTBI (n = 59, 41 women) and control participants (n = 63, 38 women) stood quietly for one minute in four conditions: eyes open on a firm surface (EO-firm), eyes closed on a firm surface (EC-firm), eyes open on a foam pad (EO-foam), and eyes closed on foam (EC-foam). Inertial sensors at the head, sternum, and lumbar region collected tri-axial accelerations. Root-mean-square (RMS) accelerations in anteroposterior (AP) and mediolateral (ML) directions. Sway ratios between the head and sternum, head and lumbar, and sternum and lumbar region, were compared between groups. Temporal coupling of anti-phase motion between the upper and lower body angular accelerations was assessed with magnitude squared coherence and cross-spectral phase angles. People with mTBI demonstrated greater sway than controls across conditions and directions. During foam-surface conditions, the control group, but not the mTBI group, reduced ML sway at their head and trunk relative to their lumbar by increasing the expression of an anti-phase hip strategy within the frontal plane. These results are consistent with suggestions of inflexible or inappropriate postural control in people with mTBI.

scholarly journals Does Regular Dancing Improve Static Balance?

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (10) ◽  
pp. 5056
Author(s):  
Przemysław Stawicki ◽  
Agnieszka Wareńczak ◽  
Przemysław Lisiński
Keyword(s):  
Sagittal Plane ◽  
Frontal Plane ◽  
Standing Position ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Static Balance ◽  
Mean Velocity ◽  
Foot Placement ◽  
Eyes Closed ◽  
Eyes Open ◽  
Closed Position

The aim of the study was to compare the static balance of dancers and non-dancers in a bipedal and unipedal stance. Twenty-three female dancers (mean age: 21.3 ± 1.7) and 24 age and sex-matched subjects (mean age 22.3 ± 1.0) participated in this study. A force platform was used to assess balance. The tests on the balance platform were performed in several positions with different foot placement, such as normal standing (NS) eyes open and eyes closed positions, semi-tandem position (ST), tandem position (TP), and one-leg standing (1L) eyes open and eyes closed position. Significant differences in balance between the dancers and the control group, especially in the tandem position and one-leg standing position with eyes closed were found. We observed higher results for the velocity of the COP in the frontal plane in the TP with a dominant limb in front (p = 0.04) and higher results for the velocity of the COP in the frontal plane (p = 0.01) and in the sagittal plane (p < 0.01) in the TP with a dominant limb in front in the control group. We also observed significant differences between groups in the mean velocity of COP sway in the sagittal plane in the 1 L position with eyes closed (p = 0.04). We concluded that dancing regularly for several years improves static balance.

scholarly journals EEG Data Quality: Determinants and Impact in a Multicenter Study of Children, Adolescents, and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 214
Author(s):  
Anna Kaiser ◽  
Pascal-M. Aggensteiner ◽  
Martin Holtmann ◽  
Andreas Fallgatter ◽  
Marcel Romanos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Data Quality ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Linear Models ◽  
Spectral Power ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Continuous Performance Task ◽  
Related Data ◽  
Eyes Closed ◽  
Eeg Data ◽  
Eyes Open

Electroencephalography (EEG) represents a widely established method for assessing altered and typically developing brain function. However, systematic studies on EEG data quality, its correlates, and consequences are scarce. To address this research gap, the current study focused on the percentage of artifact-free segments after standard EEG pre-processing as a data quality index. We analyzed participant-related and methodological influences, and validity by replicating landmark EEG effects. Further, effects of data quality on spectral power analyses beyond participant-related characteristics were explored. EEG data from a multicenter ADHD-cohort (age range 6 to 45 years), and a non-ADHD school-age control group were analyzed (ntotal = 305). Resting-state data during eyes open, and eyes closed conditions, and task-related data during a cued Continuous Performance Task (CPT) were collected. After pre-processing, general linear models, and stepwise regression models were fitted to the data. We found that EEG data quality was strongly related to demographic characteristics, but not to methodological factors. We were able to replicate maturational, task, and ADHD effects reported in the EEG literature, establishing a link with EEG-landmark effects. Furthermore, we showed that poor data quality significantly increases spectral power beyond effects of maturation and symptom severity. Taken together, the current results indicate that with a careful design and systematic quality control, informative large-scale multicenter trials characterizing neurophysiological mechanisms in neurodevelopmental disorders across the lifespan are feasible. Nevertheless, results are restricted to the limitations reported. Future work will clarify predictive value.

scholarly journals Postural Responses to Sudden Horizontal Perturbations in Tai Chi Practitioners

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 2692
Author(s):  
Jernej Sever ◽  
Jan Babič ◽  
Žiga Kozinc ◽  
Nejc Šarabon
Keyword(s):  
Tai Chi ◽  
Center Of Pressure ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Vertical Movement ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Age Difference ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Postural Responses ◽  
Force Increase ◽  
Load Release

Tai Chi has been shown to elicit numerous positive effects on health and well-being. In this study, we examined reactive postural control after sudden unloading horizontal perturbations, which resembled situations encountered during Tai Chi. The study involved 20 participants, 10 in the Tai Chi group (age: 37.4 ± 7.8 years), who had been regularly training the push-hand technique for at least 7 years, and 10 in the control group, consisting of healthy adults (age: 28.8 ± 5.0). Perturbations were applied at three different positions (hips, shoulders, and arms) via the load-release paradigm. Twenty measurements were carried out for each perturbation position. We measured peak vertical and horizontal forces on the ground (expressed percentage of body mass (%BM)), peak center of pressure displacement and peak horizontal and vertical velocities at the knee, hip and shoulder joints. The Tai Chi group exhibited smaller increases in vertical ground reaction forces when perturbations were applied at the hips (11.5 ± 2.1 vs. 19.6 ± 5.5 %BW; p = 0.002) and the arms (14.1 ± 4.2 vs. 23.2 ± 8.4 %BW; p = 0.005). They also responded with higher horizontal force increase after hip perturbation (16.2 ± 3.2 vs. 13.1 ± 2.5 %BW; p < 0.001). Similar findings were found when observing various outcomes related to velocities of vertical movement. The Tai Chi group also showed lower speeds of backward movement of the knee (p = 0.005–0.009) after hip (0.49 ± 0.13 vs. 0.85 ± 0.14 m/s; p = 0.005) and arm perturbations (0.97 ± 0.18 vs. 1.71 ± 0.29 m/s; p = 0.005). Center of pressure displacements were similar between groups. Our study demonstrated that engaging in Tai Chi could be beneficial to reactive postural responses after sudden perturbations in a horizontal direction; however, future interventional studies are needed to directly confirm this. Moreover, because of the age difference between the groups, some confounding effects of age cannot be ruled out.

scholarly journals Altering Visual Feedback Conditions Impacts Postural Sway Performance in Children After Controlling for Body Mass Index and Habitual Physical Activity

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 267-279 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Duncan ◽  
Elizabeth Bryant ◽  
Mike Price ◽  
Samuel Oxford ◽  
Emma Eyre ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Body Mass Index ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Visual Feedback ◽  
Postural Sway ◽  
Habitual Physical Activity ◽  
Eyes Closed ◽  
Computerized Posturography ◽  
Eyes Open ◽  
Anterior Posterior

This study examined postural sway in children in eyes open (EO) and eyes closed (EC) conditions, controlling for body mass index (BMI) and physical activity (PA). Sixty two children (aged 8–11years) underwent sway assessment using computerized posturography from which 95% ellipse sway area, anterior/posterior (AP) sway, medial/lateral (ML) sway displacement and sway velocity were assessed. Six trials were performed alternatively in EO and EC. BMI (kg/m2) was determined from height and mass. PA was determined using sealed pedometry. AP amplitude (p = .038), ML amplitude (p = .001), 95% ellipse (p = .0001), and sway velocity (p = .012) were higher in EC compared with EO conditions. BMI and PA were not significant as covariates. None of the sway variables were significantly related to PA. However, sway velocity during EO (p = .0001) and EC (p = .0001) was significantly related to BMI. These results indicate that sway is poorer when vision is removed, that BMI influences sway velocity, but that pedometer-assessed PA was not associated with postural sway.

scholarly journals Maximal stability limits in adolescents with Tourette syndrome

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 013-022
Author(s):  
Blanchet Mariève ◽  
Prince François ◽  
Lemay Martin ◽  
Chouinard Sylvain ◽  
Messier Julie
Keyword(s):  
Postural Control ◽  
Tourette Syndrome ◽  
Center Of Pressure ◽  
Phase 1 ◽  
Sensory Information ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Eyes Closed ◽  
Highly Sensitive ◽  
Eyes Open ◽  
Stability Limits

We explored if adolescents with Gilles de la Tourette syndrome (GTS) had functional postural control impairments and how these deficits are linked to a disturbance in the processing and integration of sensory information. We evaluated the displacements of the center of pressure (COP) during maximal leaning in four directions (forward, backward, rightward, leftward) and under three sensory conditions (eyes open, eyes closed, eyes closed standing on foam). GTS adolescents showed deficits in postural stability and in lateral postural adjustments but they had similar maximal COP excursion than the control group. The postural performance of the GTS group was poorer in the eyes open condition (time to phase 1 onset, max-mean COP). Moreover, they displayed a poorer ability to maintain the maximum leaning position under the eyes open condition during mediolateral leaning tasks. By contrast, during forward leaning, they showed larger min-max ranges than control subjects while standing on the foam with the eyes closed. Together, these findings support the idea that GTS produces subclinical postural control deficits. Importantly, our results suggest that postural control disorders in GTS are highly sensitive to voluntary postural leaning tasks which have high demand for multimodal sensory integration.

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