T'AI CHI FOR BALANCE DISORDERS

我们的长期目标是提高灵活性，减少因以下原因造成的伤害 有平衡障碍的人会摔倒。我们的具体目标是确定 如果每天进行八周的替代医疗锻炼， 太极，能显著改善人的平衡性与“高水平” (轻度)平衡障碍。 我们建议对30名稳定性轻度平衡障碍患者进行研究， 不平衡由他们在杜克移动技能协议上的分数定义。 我们将从20-44岁、46-60岁和61岁这三个年龄段各招募10人 以及更远的地方。未来的受试者将接受一系列的前期培训 评估工具，包括头晕残疾调查表(雅各布森 等人，1990)，一份福尔斯自我报告问卷，杜克移动技能 协议，迷你心理屏幕(Folstein等人，1975)，并有他们的 使用姿势平台(Smart BalanceMaster)测量姿势摆动。 然后他们将接受为期8周的每日太极练习，之后 他们将再次接受评估。课程结束三个月后，他们 将回来进行最后一套评估并确定 继续练习太极。 评估工具的分数将被整理，我们将 确定在开始和结束之间是否有显著变化 当然了。为了进行简单的比较，寻找措施的变化，我们将 使用配对t检验，每个受试者都有自己的对照。我们将使用 方差分析(ANOVA)，包括以下情况下的非参数形式 需要，以确定年龄或运动依从性是否 对分数的变化有显著影响。 这项研究将确定太极拳是否可以改善人的平衡 有轻微的平衡障碍。它还将提供关于以下方面的信息 年轻人和老年人之间是否有效果上的差异 人。这些数据可能被用来证明对更多的 受试者，以及确定比较结果的研究是否 对太极拳应采取传统的物理疗法。

Our long-term goal is to improve mobility and decrease injury due to falls in persons with balance disorders. Our specific aim is to determine if eight weeks of daily practice of an alternative health care exercise, T'ai Chi, can significantly improve balance of persons with "high-level" (mild) balance disorders. We propose to study 30 persons with stable mild balance disorders, with imbalance defined by their score on the Duke Mobility Skills protocol. We will recruit 10 persons in each of 3 age groups: 20-44, 46-60, and 61 and beyond. Prospective subjects will undergo a set of pre-training assessment instruments including a Dizziness Handicap Inventory (Jacobson et al, 1990), a falls self-report questionnaire, the Duke Mobility Skills Protocol, the Mini Mental screen (Folstein et al, 1975), and have their postural sway measured using a posture platform (Smart BalanceMaster). They will then undergo 8 weeks of daily T'ai Chi practice, after which they will again undergo assessment. Three months after the course, they will return for a final set of assessments and an ascertainment of continued practice of T'ai Chi. Scores from the assessments instruments will be collated, and we will determine if there is a significant change between start and end of the course. For simple comparisons, looking for changes in measures, we will use paired t-tests, each subject being their own control. We will use analysis of variance (ANOVA), including a nonparametric form when required, to determine if age or degree of compliance with exercises has a significant effect on changes in scores. This study will determine whether T'ai Chi can improve balance in persons with mild balance disorders. It will also provide information as to whether there is a difference in effect between younger and older persons. These data may be used to justify a study of a larger number of subjects, as well as determine whether a study comparing results from traditional physical therapy to T'ai Chi should be undertaken.