Bulletin Autumn‧Winter 2001

Different Folks Need Different Exercises There is no d o u bt that exercise is g o od for health, b u t w h a t f o r m of exercise is most suitable for the elderly? H o w do w e cater for i n d i v i d u al needs w h e n prescribin g exercise programmes? Ta i - c hi is v e r y p o p u l a r a m o n g the e l de r l y i n H o n g Ko n g. D u e to the lack of open space i n H o n g Kong , effective i ndoo r exercise p r o g r ammes w h i c h can be easily p e r f o r me d at h ome s h o u ld be v e ry useful for the elderly. A r a n d om i z ed c o n t r o l l ed c l i n i c a l t r i al wa s recentl y c o n d u c t e d b y Prof. E d i t h L a u a n d her team, to test the h e a l t h b e n e f i ts of T a i - c hi a n d o t h e r resistance t r a i n i ng p r o g r amme s, so t hat evidence-based recommendations can b e made o n the t y p e of exercise s u i t a b l e f o r e l d e r ly p e o p l e w i t h different health needs. Tai-chi Resistance training exercise Methodology On e h u n d r e d a n d e i g h t y p a r t i c i p a n ts w e re r a n d om i z ed into three groups : the resistance training exercise g r o u p, the Ta i - c h i g r o u p, a n d the c o n t r ol group. I n the resistance t r a i n i ng exercise p r og r amme, subjects h a d to p e r f o rm several activities against the force of a theraband: a r m l i f t i ng , h i p a d d u c t i o n and extension, heel raise, knee flexion, a n d ankle dorsiflexion. For the Tai-chi p r o g r amme, subjects learned to practise a 24-motion Tai-chi exercise o f the Yang style under the supervision of a Tai-chi master. The researchers t h en set o u t to investigate if the t w o d i f f e r e nt f o r m s of exercise c o u ld enhanc e bone, muscle, heart, and mental health. Bone mineral density was measured b y a dua l X-ray densitometry, muscle strength was measured b y a quad r i c ep s device, a n d balance b y a balance master. Subjects also u n d e r w e nt 24 - h o u r e l e c t r o - c a r d i o g r a p h i c monitoring. M e a s u r e m e n t s w e r e t a k en at the start of the programme, a n d six mo n t hs a nd 12 mo n t h s afterwards. Measurement of bone mineral density Electro-cardiographic monitoring Measurement of balance