研究發現 練太極拳可降低老年人跌倒風險
Older adults who practice tai chi are less likely to fall, a small new study suggests.
一項新的小型研究表明，練太極拳的老年人跌倒的可能性要小得多。
Researchers said that elderly people who practiced the martial art were more than 50 percent less likely to suffer a fall than those who just performed stretching exercises.
研究人員稱，相比只做做拉伸運動的老年人，練太極拳的老年人跌倒的可能性要低50%以上。
Around one in three US adults aged 65 or older report having fallen -- and 38 percent of these falls lead to injuries that can result in ER visits, hospitalization, or death.
美國65歲及以上成年人當中有三分之一曾跌倒，其中38%的人因此受傷，進而有可能看急診、住院或死亡。
The team, led by researchers at the Oregon Health & Science University School of Nursing, says it hopes the findings lead to more older adults taking up the practice to prevent themselves from experiencing large hospital bills, a loss of independence or premature death.
由俄勒岡衛生科學大學護理學院的研究人員領導的研究小組表示，他們希望這一發現能促使更多的老年人開始練太極拳來防止自己面臨高額醫藥費、喪失自理能力或過早死亡。
Developed in China in the 1670s, tai chi was first formed as a self-defense technique but has since evolved into a form of exercise.
太極拳起源於17世紀60年代的中國，最初是作爲一種自衛術，後來發展成爲一種運動形式。
It combines slow, flowing movements along with deep breathing to keep the body moving and to practice balance.
它將平緩流暢的動作與深呼吸相結合，讓身體運動起來並練習平衡。
Tai chi is often recommended for older adults because it is a low impact exercise that puts little to no stress on the joints or muscles.
太極拳經常被推薦給老年人，因爲它是一種低強度鍛鍊，對關節和肌肉的壓力幾近於無。
There has been some evidence in past research that shows tai chi can help reduce falls.
過去的研究結果也曾有證據表明太極拳可幫助減少跌倒。
A 2012 study from the Oregon Research Institute found that tai chi was the best exercise in treating balance issues in adults with Parkinson's disease.
俄勒岡研究所2012年的一項研究發現，太極拳是治療帕金森症成人患者平衡問題的最佳運動方式。
And a 2012 review of 159 trials found that the martial art was the most successful exercise in reducing the risk of falling.
2012年對159項試驗的評估發現，太極拳是降低跌倒風險的最有效運動方式。
Additionally, a 2014 review also found that tai chi reduced the fear of falling in adults living in retirement communities.
此外，2014年的一項評估還發現，練太極拳減少了居住在養老社區的成年人對跌倒的恐懼。
For the current study, the team looked at 670 Oregonians who were 78 years old on average over the span of 24 weeks.
在目前這項研究中，研究小組對平均年齡爲78歲的670名俄勒岡人進行了連續24周的觀察。
To participate, the adults either had to have fallen once in the last 12 months and have a clinician's referral to being at risk of falls, or have impaired mobility.
參與這項研究的成年人要麼在過去12個月裏跌倒過一次並被臨牀醫生認定有跌倒風險，要麼行動能力受損。
They were then assigned to one of three exercise groups: tai chi; stretching exercise; or multimodal exercise, which incorporates balance, aerobics and flexibility.
然後他們被分成三個鍛鍊組：太極拳，拉伸運動，包含平衡、有氧和柔韌的多模式運動。
Researchers found that after six months, the tai chi group was 58 percent less likely to experience falls compared to the stretching group and 31 percent less likely compared to the multimodal exercise group.
研究人員發現，6個月後，太極拳組跌倒的可能性比拉伸組低58%，比多模式運動組低31%。
In total, 733 falls were recorded among the participants. There were 85 falls in the tai chi group compared to 112 in the multimodal exercise group, and 127 in the stretching group.
參與者總共出現了733次跌倒，其中太極拳組有85次，而多模式運動組有112次，拉伸組有127次。
'Not falling is a pretty complex physiological behavior,' co-author Dr Peter Harmer, a professor of exercise and health science at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon, told HealthDay.
論文合著者、俄勒岡州威拉米特大學的運動與健康科學教授彼得·哈默博士向《HealthDay》透露：“不跌倒是一種非常複雜的生理行爲。”
He told the website that regaining balance requires a combination of muscle strength along with feedback from your eyes and ears.
他告訴該網站，恢復平衡需要將肌肉的力量與眼睛和耳朵的反饋相結合。
'Tai chi directly challenges the integration of all those things,' he said.
他表示：“太極拳直接挑戰所有這些東西的整合。”
Dr Harmer also added that while traditional exercises focus on up and down movement, tai chi involves multi-directional movement.
哈默博士補充稱，傳統的鍛鍊側重於上下運動，太極拳則涉及多向運動。
