Mobile UPI  |   About UPI  |   UPI en Español  |   UPI Arabic  |   UPIU  |   My Account
Search:
Go

Study: Tai Chi helps balance

|
|
 
  
Published: Oct. 6, 2009 at 1:08 AM

SAN DIEGO, Oct. 6 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers say Tai Chi, a form of Chinese martial arts, may help treat patients with balance issues -- vestibular symptoms.

Dr. Paul Lee of the New York Eye and Ear Institute evaluated the utility of Tai Chi in managing patients with vestibular symptoms, who have failed conventional vestibular therapy. Lee and colleagues used the activities-specific balance confidence scale and dynamic gait index survey -- both prior to therapy and at the conclusion of an eight-week course.

The questionnaire involved 21 rehabilitation program outpatients so far -- 18 females and 3 males -- from April 2008 to March 2009, Lee says.

Patients reported subjective improvements in their vestibular symptoms, the study says.

The researchers theorize the technique may be effective because Tai Chi promotes coordination through relaxation, rather than muscular coordination.

The findings were presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Otoloaryngology -- Head and Neck Surgery foundation held in San Diego.

© 2009 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Any reproduction, republication, redistribution and/or modification of any UPI content is expressly prohibited without UPI's prior written consent.

Order reprints
  
Join the conversation
Most Popular Collections
High Fashion in Paris 2011: The year in space The best kisses
Additional Health News Stories
1 of 20
"TIME" premiere in Japan
View Caption
fark
Top 3 things not to wear when escaping from prison: #3 - Heart monitor, #2 - Hospital gown, #1 -...
When your friend gives you a ride to work instead of your girlfriend, does your girlfriend a) say...
Twitter troll learns the hard way that you shouldn't call the Queen of England a "benefits scrounger"...
Man returns to house to find squatters with drugs, grenades, and since this is Florida and not New...
Wolfman family in India seeks help for their rare genetic affliction, hopes to enlist the aid of...
Problem: 87 percent of your schools are failing by your own criteria. Solution: Make scoring 75...