The Effect of Tai Chi Exercise Among Elders With Sarcopenia

Sarcopenia has been defined as a disease which presented as low muscles strength, low muscle quantity or quality and low physical activity. The prevalence of sarcopenia is increasing with the age and it is also included in one of geriatric syndromes. Several criteria have been mentioned for diagnosis of sarcopenia, such as European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP)、Foundation for the National Institutes of Health Biomarkers Consortium Sarcopenia Project (FNIH) and Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS).

In European, the prevalence rate of sarcopenia is 9.25-18%; 5-7% Canadian and 14.4% Taiwanese elders have been diagnosed as sarcopenia, respectively. The sarcopenia has been found its relationship with adverse outcomes of fall down, fracture, disability, and death. The cytokines and decline in anabolic hormones play a role in the pathogenesis of sarcopenia. Tai Chi exercise is one of Qigong and well-popular in Chinese population, and is helpful to integration of body movements. Tai Chi exercise is less complicated and emphasized people's awareness of self-care which presented the relationship between human and nature. Tai Chi exercise could improve muscle performance, balance and have the benefit for fall down prevention in the elders and patients with frailty. Furthermore, Tai Chi has been found that it also could improve the muscle power and power strength in sarcopenic elders by team training. Furthermore, immune makers of inflammation process have been noted their diminishments by Qigong intervention.

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of Tai Chi exercise in sarcopenic elders through practicing at home. The differences of muscles strength, muscle quantity or quality and physical activity after interventions would be recorded and analyzed. The cytokines related to the sarcopenia process would also be sampled.