Does tai chi improve plantar sensory ability? A pilot study

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Diabetes Technol Ther. 2007 Jun;9(3):276-86.

Does tai chi improve plantar sensory ability? A pilot study.

Richerson S, Rosendale K.

Biomedical Engineering Program, Milwaukee School of Engineering,

Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Background: Aging adversely affects balance and increases the

propensity to slip and fall. Loss of plantar sensation due to

diabetic peripheral neuropathy and other diseases has been shown to

further increase this propensity to fall. The ancient Chinese art of

Tai Chi has been previously shown as a method to improve balance in

healthy elderly adults.

Methods: The aim of this study was to determine if Tai Chi

intervention improved both balance and plantar sensory perception in

healthy elderly adults and elderly adults with diabetes and plantar

sensory loss. Elderly subjects (mean +/- SD age = 73.1 +/- 5.9

years, n = 18) were tested for plantar sensory ability and several

balance metrics before Tai Chi training and again after 6 months of

weekly sessions. Participants were grouped by initial sensory

perception scores (as measured by a vibrometer) in order to make

inferences on the effects of Tai Chi on sensory perception.

Results: Plantar sensation results show all participants showed

significant improvement in sensory ability with the 6 months of Tai

Chi training. All groups also had a general improvement in all

balance measures, with the greatest improvement seen in those

subjects with large sensory losses. Hemoglobin A1C measurements also

decreased as a result of the intervention.

Conclusion: This study demonstrates the effectiveness of Tai Chi

training as a method of improving plantar sensation and balance in

elderly adults and elderly adults with diabetes with a large plantar

sensation loss.