title: Does T'ai Chi Gait Reduce External Knee Adduction Moment?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  T'ai chi chuan is a beneficial exercise of improving health and function. Biomechanical insights of t'ai chi chuan are less understood.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study t'ai chi gait (TCG), a common form of t'ai chi chuan in order to quantify external knee adduction moment (EKAM) as a key indicator of mechanical loading of the medial compartment of the knee compared with normal walking (NW).
  
  
  METHODS
  A quantitative biomechanics approach to determine peak EKAM for NW and TCG.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were a tri-modal pattern of EKAM during TCG and a bimodal pattern of EKAM during normal walking. In addition, subsequent analysis showed a 25%-47% reduction in peak EKAM during double support phases of TCG compared with NW; the peak EKAM of TCG during single-limb support phase showed significantly higher magnitude than the other two double-support phases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicate that t'ai chi chuan might be a beneficial intervention for reducing the medial mechanical load at the knee joint, particularly during the first double-support phases of TCG, but the special consideration of higher peak EKAM of single-limb support phase is needed during regular t'ai chi chuan practice.
authors.affiliation: 1 Division of Osteopathic Rehabilitation and Biomechaincs, Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine , Auburn, AL.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Health, Kinesiology and Sport, University of South Alabama , Mobile, AL.
authors.forename: John E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Kovaleski
authors.affiliation: 3 C-Motion Inc , Germantown, MD.
authors.forename: Thomas M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Kepple
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Health, Kinesiology and Sport, University of South Alabama , Mobile, AL.
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wolfe
authors.affiliation: 4 School of Kinesiology, Auburn University , Auburn, AL.
authors.forename: Brandi
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Decoux
authors.affiliation: 5 Department of Human Movement Sciences. Carroll University , Waukesha, WI.
authors.forename: John P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: McCarthy
authors.affiliation: 6 Division of Rheumatology, University of Alabama Birmingham , Birmingham, AL.
authors.forename: Jasvinder
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: 7 Division of Preventive Medicine, University of Alabama Birmingham , Birmingham, AL.
authors.forename: Cora E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Lewis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D005260:Female; D057918:Fiducial Markers; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D026302:Tai Ji; D016474:Weight-Bearing / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: external knee adduction moment; gait; knee; loading; t'ai chi