Effects of 16-week Tai Chi intervention on postural stability and proprioception of knee and ankle in older people

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Abstract
Sir—A decline in proprioception with ageing has been found to be associated with an increased propensity in elderly individuals to fall [1]. As a traditional Chinese exercise, Tai Chi (TC) has demonstrated its beneficial effects on health, particularly on the maintenance of balance control in older people [2]. Among the factors that relate to balance control, studies have demonstrated the beneficial effects of TC on muscle strength and fitness; the impacts of TC on proprioception has not been well documented [3, 4]. To more clearly understand the benefits of TC on postural stability, information about the impacts of regular TC exercise on proprioception is needed. Hence we designed the present study to examine the effects of a 16-week TC training programme on postural stability and proprioceptive function in elderly subjects.