Physical and Psychological Attributes in Elderly Chinese Martial Art Practitioners: Implications for Fall Prevention

Abstract

Introduction: It is well known that improving musculoskeletal health and balance ability through regular exercise can reduce falls and fall-related fractures, and also improve balance confidence in the elderly. Ving Tsun (VT) is a traditional Chinese martial art that has the potential to be developed into a new form of fall-prevention exercise. This study aimed to (1) compare the radial bone strength, lower limb muscular strength, functional balance performance and balance self-efficacy between VT practitioners and nonpractitioners; and (2) identify the relationships between lower limb muscular strength, functional balance performance, and balance self-efficacy among the VT-trained elder participants.

Methods: A total of 35 VT practitioners (mean age±SD=62.7±13.3; 27 men/8 women) and 49 nonpractitioners (mean age±SD=65.9±10.5; 20 men/29 women) participated in the study. The bone strength of the distal radius on the dominant arm, lower limb muscular strength, functional balance performance and self-efficacy were assessed using an ultrasound bone sonometer, the five times sit-to-stand test, the Berg Balance Scale and the activities-specific balance confidence scale - Chinese version, respectively. A multivariate analysis of covariance (covariates: sex and body height) was performed to compare all the outcome variables between the 2 groups.

Results: VT practitioners had higher radial bone strength (p<0.05), greater lower limb muscular strength (p=0.001), better functional balance performance (p=0.003), and greater balance confidence (p<0.001) than the non-practitioners.

Discussion and Conclusions: VT martial art could be a suitable physical and psychological healthmaintenance exercise for the elderly. Our findings may inspire the development of VT fall-prevention exercises for the community-dwelling healthy seniors.