Therapeutic Effects of Tai Chi in Patients with Parkinson’s Disease
Table 4
Tests of physical function before and after 12 weeks of Tai Chi training or no exercise control condition in 20 participants with mild to moderate Parkinson’s disease.
Physical function test
Treatment group
Time
=
Before
After
(a)*
(b)†
(a × b)‡
One-leg standing (seconds)
Tai Chi
3.34 ± 3.01
5.91 ± 4.22
0.378
0.229
0.035
Control
3.77 ± 2.43
2.66 ± 1.89
Reaction time (seconds)
Tai Chi
489.8 ± 140.2
467.1 ± 102.1
0.085
0.819
0.016
Control
432.1 ± 133.7
554.4 ± 228.7
Timed up and go (seconds)
Tai Chi
7.39 ± 0.89
7.03 ± 0.90
0.294
0.173
0.066
Control
8.06 ± 2.91
9.32 ± 4.16
Tandem gait (seconds)
Tai Chi
8.77 ± 2.15
8.55 ± 1.34
0.985
0.146
0.801
Control
10.10 ± 5.05
10.35 ± 2.88
Six-minute walk (meters)
Tai Chi
442.6 ± 71.7
472.1 ± 58.6
0.284
0.079
0.241
Control
369.9±139.7
368.6±152.6
Note: table values are means standard deviations. (a): main effects for time (pre- versus postintervention). †(b): main effects for intervention group (Tai Chi versus control). ‡(a × b): time × group interaction.
