title: Effect of 1-year regular Tai Chi on neuromuscular reaction in elderly women: a randomized controlled study.
abstract: This study assessed the effect of 1-year regular Tai Chi (TC) on neuromuscular reaction in elderly women. A total of 41 elderly women (55 years-68 years) completed the study. The TC group (n = 21) performed the 24-form TC, while the control group (C, n = 20) was instructed to read newspapers or watch television when the TC group practised. Electromyogram measurements were conducted before and after intervention. After a year-long intervention, the post-test results of between-group neuromuscular reaction time showed significant differences in the rectus femoris (t = 3.607, p = 0.001), semitendinosus (t = 2.678, p = 0.011), anterior tibialis (t = 3.455, p = 0.001), and gastrocnemius muscles (t = 4.061, p = 0.000). Within-group results showed that the TC group had significantly shorter neuromuscular reaction time compared to its baseline value in the rectus femoris (t = 3.066, p = 0.006), semitendinosus (t = 2.485, p = 0.022), anterior tibialis (t = 2.311, p = 0.032), and gastrocnemius muscles (t = 2.462, p = 0.023). Results suggested that year-long regular TC can improve neuromuscular reaction function in elderly women.
authors.affiliation: a Sports Biomechanics Lab , Shandong Sports Science Research Center , 8th building, 3008, Fengming Road, Jinan , 250002 , Shandong , China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: a Sports Biomechanics Lab , Shandong Sports Science Research Center , 8th building, 3008, Fengming Road, Jinan , 250002 , Shandong , China.
authors.forename: Cui
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: a Sports Biomechanics Lab , Shandong Sports Science Research Center , 8th building, 3008, Fengming Road, Jinan , 250002 , Shandong , China.
authors.forename: Qipeng
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: a Sports Biomechanics Lab , Shandong Sports Science Research Center , 8th building, 3008, Fengming Road, Jinan , 250002 , Shandong , China.
authors.forename: Weiping
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: a Sports Biomechanics Lab , Shandong Sports Science Research Center , 8th building, 3008, Fengming Road, Jinan , 250002 , Shandong , China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cong
authors.affiliation: b Department of Sports Medicine , Chengdu Sports University , 2 Ti Yu Road, Wu Hou District, Chengdu , China.
authors.forename: Shuwan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: c Shandong Sport University , 10600, Shiji Road, Jinan , 250002 , Shandong , China.
authors.forename: Dewei
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.affiliation: b Department of Sports Medicine , Chengdu Sports University , 2 Ti Yu Road, Wu Hou District, Chengdu , China.
authors.forename: Youlian
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hong
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D011930:Reaction Time; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D026302:Tai Ji
keywords: Tai Chi; elderly women; neuromuscular reaction