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As people age, there's increased tendency to slip and fall due to loss of balance. Because Tai Chi has been proven to improve balance in healthy elderly adults, a pilot study looked at the use of Tai Chi in elderly people with loss of plantar sensation due to diabetic peripheral neuropathy and in healthy elderly people. How would Tai Chi impact balance and plantar sensory perception?

 

The two study groups were tested for plantar sensory ability and several balance metrics before Tai Chi training and 6 months after training. Six months after Tai Chi training, all groups had general improvement in all balance measures, with the most improvement seen in the patients with significant sensory losses. All groups also showed significant improvement in sensory ability.

 

Source

 

Richerson S, Rosendale K. Does Tai Chi improve plantar sensory ability? A pilot study. Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics. 9(3):276-286, June 2007.