A Remotely Delivered Tai Ji Quan Intervention to Reduce Incidence of Falls in High Risk Community-Dwelling Older Adults

Participants participating are intervened with practice and drills of tai ji quan forms and associated movements. Training focuses on lower-extremity strength, postural control, and mobility, with an emphasis on weight bearing and weight shifting, extending and controlling the body's center of mass over its base of support; self-induced movement perturbation; gait preparation, initiation, locomotion, and termination; and sensory integration. The exercise training also emphasizes connecting tai ji quan forms to transitional movements that are associated with performing daily activities. Each session includes brief movement-based warm-ups and light breathing cool-down exercises.

Participants participating are intervened with a multicomponent exercise program that involves light walking, strength, postural control, and flexibility exercises. Walking exercises include amble forward and backward walk, long strides, heel-toe walking, narrow- and wide-base walking, and sidestepping. Strength training includes single- and multi-joint exercises such as semi-squats, lunging forward and sideways, and toe stands that involve exercising ankle dorsiflexors, knee extensors, and hip abductors. Balance training involves semi-tandem foot-standing, heel-toe and line walking, single-leg standing, alternation of the base of support, weight transfers, toe and heel movements, and various reaching and stretching movements away from the center of the base of support. Flexibility exercises include a static stretching routine of major upper and lower body muscle groups. Each session includes brief movement-based warm-ups and light breathing cool-down exercises.