Using an Ancient Martial Art to Combat Injuries
By Lisa Evans - Published on Saturday, 07 January 2012 09:21
Falls are the number one cause of injury to seniors. Grip bars for bathrooms, anti-slip pads and mechanical chairs to go up stairs are all designed to help prevent these avoidable injuries. Falls are serious business. They have been linked to increased risk for hip and other fractures and head injury and they can lead to early admission to long term care facilities, reduced independence and even death. Decreasing the incidence of falls is as serious an issue as heart attacks and strokes and is easily preventable. New guidelines from the American Geriatrics Society and the British Geriatrics Society say the answer to fall prevention lies in a gentle Chinese martial art that strengthens both the body and the mind.
Derived from yoga, Tai Chi is a soft martial art originally developed by the Taoist monk Chang Sang Feng and is now used throughout the Western world as a low-impact exercise that has great physical and mental benefits for seniors.
Using a series of 19 warrior positioned movements, Tai Chi focuses body movement and calms the mind, reinforcing physical fitness and mental concentration. Graceful combat postures used in other Chinese martial arts such as karate are slowed down to an elegant dance routine, producing a low-impact exercise that´s easy on the joints and heart rate.
The exercise also has a philosophical component. In Chinese, the word “tai” means highest and “chi” means energy, breath and spirit. According to the principles of Tai Chi, the human body encompasses an energy that flows through it. The movements in this soft martial art help to channel this energy towards the betterment of mental and physical health.
Tai Chi is now commonly used in senior care facilities and community centres across the country. It can be practiced anywhere, requires very little risk of physical injury and no special equipment. The physical benefits to seniors are fast. The fluid movements and breathing exercises build strength, restore balance and increase flexibility while the connection between the body and mind helps to improve concentration and brain activity. It has been proven to help relieve symptoms of chronic pain, anxiety, depression, improve coordination, decrease the incidence of falls, remove pain from joint stiffness, lower blood pressure and strengthen bones.
Studies at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland Ohio and at the Oregon Research Institute found that tai chi can reduce pain levels in people suffering from arthritis and increase mobility and physical functioning in otherwise sedentary senior citizens.
Among these physical benefits, there is a spiritual component to this low-impact exercise. Unlike other exercise classes, there is no talking in Tai Chi and no music. Participants don’t move to a beat, but rather listen to their own bodies and focus their mental energy on improving their body’s strength and coordination.
The principle of ancient Chinese medicine that exercise is the best medicine may in fact be true. Stress is one of the principal reasons the body breaks down. Being mentally, physically and emotionally active helps to relieve stress, allowing the body to perform its normal functions uninhibited. Tai Chi does all three.
