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Tai Chi for Risk of Falls. A Meta-analysis.
Systematic review and meta-analysis of 10 RCTs in at-risk and older adults: pooled incidence rate ratio 0.57 (95% CI 0.46–0.70) for falls with tai chi versus control over the short term (<12 months), with smaller pooled effect long term (IRR 0.87).
Design
- Systematic review + meta-analysis; 10 RCTs meeting inclusion (891 records screened to May 26, 2016)
- Population: older and at-risk adults
- Comparator: other treatments / usual activity (trial-defined)
Falls outcomes (abstract)
- Fall incidence short term (<12 mo): IRR 0.57 (95% CI 0.46–0.70) — abstract frames as medium protective effect, high-quality evidence label in discussion
- Fall incidence long term: IRR 0.87 (95% CI 0.77–0.98) — small protective effect
- Injurious falls short term: IRR 0.50 (95% CI 0.33–0.74) — very low-quality evidence in abstract
- Time to first fall: HR 0.98 (95% CI 0.69–1.37) — no significant effect; moderate-quality evidence in abstract narrative
Evidence hygiene
Risk of bias in included crossover work is a limitation; style and dose of tai chi vary—this is a practice-family summary, not a single choreography prescription.
Publication
Lomas-Vega R, Obrero-Gaitán E, Molina-Ortega FJ, Del-Pino-Casado R. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2017 Sep;65(9):2037-2043. PMID 28736853.
Outcomes
- Short-term (<12 months) fall incidence rate ratio tai chi vs control: IRR 0.57 (95% CI 0.46–0.70) across included RCTs (abstract).
- Longer-term follow-up fall incidence IRR 0.87 (95% CI 0.77–0.98); time to first fall HR 0.98 (95% CI 0.69–1.37), not statistically significant (abstract).