Beneficial Effects of a Ten-Week Tai Chi Chuan Community Program in a Retirement Center

某退休中心10週社區太極拳訓練班之成效評估

Few previous studies have conducted Tai Chi Chuan program in retirement centers in the Czech Republic and explored the effects of Tai Chi Chuan on health related quality of life (HRQoL), functional mobility, and balance performance with older residents. OBJECTIVES: (1) To assess the impact of a 10-week Tai Chi Chuan program on health-related quality of life, functional mobility, and balance performance; (2) To examine the feasibility of Tai Chi Chuan exercise program in a retirement center. METHODS: Pre-test/post-test design, ten-week Tai Chi Chuan program. SETTING: Local housing for older adults sponsored by government. PARTICIPANTS: Fifteen healthy voluntary elder residents (M ± SD aged 76.8 ± 9.26 years) INTERVENTION: Organized Tai Chi Chuan program for ten weeks. MEASUREMENTS: At baseline and after ten weeks, participants were tested in Timed Up-and-Go (TUG), One-leg Stance (OLS), Functional Reach (FR) as well as self-reported EQ-5D forms (health-related quality of life). RESULTS: There were moderate and significant correlations between measurements on pre- and post- intervention. There was a significant improvement in HRQoL, decreased TUG time, and longer OLS time. CONCLUSION: A 10-week Tai Chi Chuan program had beneficial effects on HRQoL, functional mobility, and balance performance among participants of this study. 很少有國外研究提及太極拳訓練對老年人生活品質之影響，尤其是在社區退休中心。本研究透過 Czech Republic 社區太極拳運動的推廣，以短期訓練班的方式，並對初學者進行成效評估，以瞭解民眾對健康相關生活品質的認知並改善功能性移位、平衡感體適能。受測者訓練期間共十周，每週練拳二次，研究設計於開班前與結訓後各實施一次健康相關生活品質(EQ-5D)問卷調查與起站走時間(Timed Up-and-Go, TUG), 單足站立時間(One-leg Stance, OLS), 功能性體前彎(Functional Reach, FR)檢測，並以 Wilcoxon Matched Pairs Test 檢測訓練前後成效。總計完成測驗之初學者共計15人，平均年齡76.7±9.26 歲。研究結果顯示受測者健康相關生活品質提高(p<0.05)，其中焦慮分量表分數降低尤多；此外也降低TUG time(p<0.05)，且延長OLS time(p<0.05)，訓練後皆優於訓練前。同時自覺練習太極拳後具保健或復健功效、能改善疲勞、背痛、失眠、和放鬆壓力，與增進心智能力等。多數初學者表示練拳後興趣增加，且健康生活品質提高，並改善功能性移位、平衡感體適能，以後願推薦別人學太極拳。