Does Tai Chi improve plantar sensory ability? A pilot study.
BACKGROUND
Aging adversely affects balance and increases the propensity to slip and fall. Loss of plantar sensation due to diabetic peripheral neuropathy and other diseases has been shown to further increase this propensity to fall. The ancient Chinese art of Tai Chi has been previously shown as a method to improve balance in healthy elderly adults.


METHODS
The aim of this study was to determine if Tai Chi intervention improved both balance and plantar sensory perception in healthy elderly adults and elderly adults with diabetes and plantar sensory loss. Elderly subjects (mean +/- SD age = 73.1 +/- 5.9 years, n = 18) were tested for plantar sensory ability and several balance metrics before Tai Chi training and again after 6 months of weekly sessions. Participants were grouped by initial sensory perception scores (as measured by a vibrometer) in order to make inferences on the effects of Tai Chi on sensory perception.


RESULTS
Plantar sensation results show all participants showed significant improvement in sensory ability with the 6 months of Tai Chi training. All groups also had a general improvement in all balance measures, with the greatest improvement seen in those subjects with large sensory losses. Hemoglobin A1C measurements also decreased as a result of the intervention.


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrates the effectiveness of Tai Chi training as a method of improving plantar sensation and balance in elderly adults and elderly adults with diabetes with a large plantar sensation loss.
Richerson
Samantha
S
Biomedical Engineering Program, Milwaukee School of Engineering, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202, USA. richerss@msoe.edu
Rosendale
Kyle
K
D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D005528:Foot / Q000294:innervation* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D020886:Somatosensory Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D026302:Tai Ji / Q000379:methods*
D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin