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How tai chi can reduce your fall risk
Balance issues and joint pain are a top contributor to falls among seniors. Tai chi, an ancient Chinese martial art, can help keep you steady.
There are many great things about getting older. But aches and pains aren’t one of them. Joint discomfort from arthritis and other health issues can throw off your balance and increase your risk of falling. And falls aren’t something seniors should take lightly.
Approximately 3 million older adults go to the emergency room each year because of a fall, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But you can help prevent a fall by strengthening your joints and the muscles that surround them.
Keeping your joints and muscles active can also help with arthritis pain. One way to exercise them is with a type of ancient Chinese martial art called tai chi.
Here’s how tai chi can keep you steady on your feet.
What is tai chi and how do you do it?
Tai chi uses slow, deliberate motions that are easy on your joints. And one of the best things about this practice is that anyone can do it. Tai chi also involves mindful breathing. You might even see it referred to as “meditation in motion.”
Tai chi is broken down into a series of sets of movements, which could be just a few or hundreds of them. They can help:
- Boost hip strength
- Improve balance
- Reduce stress
It’s always a good idea to consult your health care practitioner before trying any new exercise. They can tell you if tai chi is a good fit for you.
Curious about ways to exercise safely? Ask the clinician during your in-home health visit. To book yours, call 877-302-3672 877-302-3672 to schedule or book online.
Where can you do tai chi
If you already belong to a gym, they may offer classes. A local community or senior center may have them too. Some insurance plans help cover the cost of exercise programs or gym memberships. Check the details of your plan to see if it’s covered.
Another option is to look online. YouTube has hundreds of tai chi videos you can try.
It’s also possible that there is a casual group that gathers in a nearby park to do tai chi. Your town may have a Facebook group that posts listings like this. Or ask your friends and neighbors if they know about one.
Wherever and whenever you decide to take up tai chi, know that you are doing something good for your health and balance. Tai chi can strengthen your body and soothe pain and may prevent a fall. Plus, it gives you a great new way to socialize.
Getting to know the different tai chi movements
If your provider said it’s all right for you to do tai chi, you can start practicing it at home or with others. You should wear comfortable clothes or activewear. Sessions usually last for 30 to 60 minutes.
Tai chi movements will be tailored to a person’s experience level. For beginners, here are three series of movements that you can try:
1. “Wave hands like clouds”
- Take a deep breath and relax.
- Begin with your feet hip-width apart and your knees slightly bent. Keep a low center of gravity.
- Place your hands in front of you like you’re holding a basketball.
- Swivel your hips, slowly rotating your body to the left.
- With your hips in gentle motion, transfer your weight from one side to the other.
- As you turn to one side, your hands will “float” along with you, rotating from the top to the bottom of your imaginary basketball.
- Repeat each step, but turn yourself to the right side this time.
2. “Dragon serves tea”
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Slightly bend your knees, squatting a little bit.
- Start with your hands on your hips with your palms up.
- Move your right hand toward the back of your body. Then coil it in a spiral while you transfer your weight to the opposite leg, gently turning your hip and back. (It may help to imagine you are serving tea on a tray to people around you.)
- When your right hand completes its motion, begin with the left.
3. “Repulse monkey”
- Begin with your feet hip-width apart, slightly bending your knees and squatting a little bit, and your arms at your sides.
- Lift and extend your left arm in front of you, as if pushing out. At the same time, raise your right arm to about shoulder height.
- Change hand positions, pushing out with your right arm and letting your left arm flow back across your hip and up toward your shoulder. Move your hips gently forward and back.
Recommended reading: Are your medications increasing your fall risk?
See our sources:
Stats about falls: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Information about tai chi: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
