Dear Friends,

 

There is no time more fitting to say "Thank You" and to wish you a Happy Holiday Season and a New Year of health, happiness and prosperity.

Best Regards,

Enyu  

Foot Forces Induced through Tai Chi Push-Hand Exercises

Abstract

The low impact forces of Tai Chi push-hand exercises may be particularly suited for older people and for those with arthritis; however the biomechanics of push-hand exercises have not previously been reported. This paper examines the ground reaction forces (GRF) and plantar force distributions during Tai Chi push-hand exercises in a stationary stance with and without an opponent. Ten male Tai Chi practitioners participated in the study. The GRF of each foot were measured in three perpendicular directions using two force plates (Kistler). The plantar force distribution of each foot was measured concurrently using an insole sensor system (Novel). The results showed that the average maximum vertical GRF of each foot was not more than 88% ± 6.1% of the body weight and the sum of the vertical forces (103% ± 1.4%) generated by the two feet approximately equals the body weight at any one time. The horizontal ground reaction forces generated by the two feet were in the opposite directions and the measured mean peak values were not more than 12% ± 2.8% and 17% ± 4.3% of the body weight in the medio-lateral and antero-posterior directions respectively. Among the nine plantar areas, the toes sustained the greatest plantar force. This study indicates that push-hand exercises generate lower vertical forces than those induced by walking, bouncing, jumping and Tai Chi gait, and that the greatest plantar force is located in the toe area which may have an important application in balance training particularly for older adults.

References

Wong SH, Ji T, Hong Y, Fok SL, Wang L.
School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering, The University of Manchester, UK.

Joint kinetics during Tai Chi gait and normal walking gait in young and elderly Tai Chi Chuan practitioners

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Tai Chi Chuan is becoming a popular exercise among elders. This study measured the inter-segmental forces and moments at the lower extremity joints during a Tai Chi gait as compared to those during normal walking gait, in both apparently healthy young and elderly Tai Chi Chuan practitioners.

METHODS:

Three-dimensional inter-segmental joint reaction force and moment were computed using the Inverse Dynamic Approach based on the kinematics and ground reaction force measurements in a laboratory setting in six young (two females, mean age 28; SD 6 years) and six elderly (five females, mean age 72; SD 8 years) subjects who had previous training of Yang style Tai Chi Chuan.

FINDINGS:

The results showed significant gait differences in both age groups, with significantly smaller peak compressive forces, larger peak shear forces in the ankle, knee and hip joints, and larger peak moments in the knee and hip joints during Tai Chi gait as compared to normal gait. Moreover, the peak shear force was oriented more in the medial-lateral direction at the ankle and knee joints, and the peak moment was in the frontal plane at the knee and hip joints. The results also showed significant age differences, with significantly smaller peak shear forces in all three joints in the elderly group than in the young group during Tai Chi gait.

INTERPRETATION:

Tai Chi gait has an increased shear force and frontal plane torque at lower extremity joints than normal gait. The shear force at all three lower extremity joints during Tai Chi gait is lower in the elderly subjects than young subjects. This data suggest that, in Tai Chi Chuan training, elderly people with degenerative joint diseases in the lower extremity should use caution when practicing Tai Chi Chuan.

Tai Chi Program Inspires Wheelchair Users

TAI CHI SYNERGY FLYERS

Teacher's Day (Tai Chi Group) - 7 Sep 2012

Yew Tee (Choa Chu Kang North 6, Blk 561 - Every Thursday)

Potong Pasir RC Zone 3 - Every Wednesday at Potong Pasir CC

Questions Remain - Pilates Improves Balance !!!

References
Shirley Archer. (2012, June). Pilates Improves Balance, but Questions Remain. IDEA Fitness Journal, 44.

Tai Chi Improves Balance For Parkinson's Patient

References
Tai Chi Improves Balance for Parkinson's Patient. (2012). IDEA Fitness Journal.

Gait disturbances — including slowing of walking pace or variations in stride — may be an indicator of cognitive decline

Gait disturbances — including slowing of walking pace or variations in stride — may be an indicator of cognitive decline, new research suggests.
Four new studies presented here at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC) 2012, suggest that observing and evaluating gait in older patients may be a valuable tool when trying to determine the need for further cognitive evaluation.

In the first study, investigators from the Basel Mobility Center in Basel, Switzerland, showed that gait speed slowed and became more variable as cognitive decline progressed.
"Small changes in variability, not visible to the naked eye, can be measured, and those small changes can have a heavy clinical impact," principal investigator Stephanie A. Bridenbaugh, MD, from the Basel Mobility Center, told reporters attending a press briefing.



For example, Dr. Bridenbaugh noted that a change in stride length of just 1.7 cm from one stride to the next can almost double the risk of an older person falling within the next 6 months.
Increased gait variability, she added, can also increase the risk for dementia within the next 5 years, so being able to detect walking irregularities before falls occur or before dementia develops is "relevant and important," she added.
To determine whether gait analysis may aid in the diagnosis of cognitive impairment, the investigators followed 1153 older men (average age, 77 years) who were outpatients at a memory clinic as well as a group of healthy control participants from 2007 to 2011.
Study participants were divided into 3 groups on the basis of their cognitive status. These included healthy cognition (n = 357), mild cognitive impairment (n = 309), or Alzheimer's dementia (AD) (n = 487).
Those with AD were further subdivided into mild (n = 219), moderate (n = 230), or severe (n = 38).
Gait was measured using a 10-meter-long electronic walkway with almost 30,000 integrated pressure sensors.
All participants performed 1 normal walk and 2 different dual tasks — normal walking (self-selected speed) or walking while simultaneously counting backwards out loud or naming animals.
The researchers found that gait slowed as cognitive impairment progressed. In addition, compared with healthy control participants, all cognitive groups' gait was slower during dual task vs normal walking.


Dual Tasking Key
Gait variability, said Dr. Bridenbaugh, remained relatively stable during the normal walking cycle task until AD was moderate or severe. But during dual tasking, gait variability was higher in all cognitive groups. In addition, variability worsened as dementia progressed.
It was noteworthy, she added, that if only gait had been measured during the single walking task, gait changes would not have been detected until the latter stages of cognitive impairment.
"Quantifying gait during dual tasking allows detection of increased abnormal gait variability already at the stages of mild cognitive impairment. So for me, the particularly interesting cases are the ones in which gait variability is abnormally increased during dual tasking but neuropsychological testing shows normal cognition," she said.
"Those are generally the cases where functional impairment preceded measurable cognitive impairment. and I think the situation should trigger a mental flag alerting us to impending problems with both gait and cognition," she said.
The study indicates that dual task paradigms can detect subtle gait differences that would not be picked up by a single walking task alone, she added.


Early Predictor?
Similarly, the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging (MCSA) showed that study participants with lower cadence, velocity, and amplitude of the stride length experienced significantly larger declines in global cognition, memory, and executive function.
Although previous research has examined gait abnormalities that may be associated with cognitive impairment and dementing illnesses, it is unclear which gait components may be associated with future cognitive decline.
"We observed an association between reduced gait velocity, cadence, and stride length and both global and domain-specific cognitive decline in our population. These results support a possible role of gait changes as an early predictor of cognitive impairment," study investigator Rodolfo Savica, MD, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, said in a release.

The MCSA measured stride length, cadence, and speed of more than 1341 study participants through a computerized gait instrument at 2 or more visits 15 months apart.
Outcomes included results on the Short Test of Mental Status (STMS) and results of assessment of 4 neurological and neuropsychological tests covering 4 domains that included memory, attention/executive function, language, and visuospatial ability.
In addition to memory, attention/executive function, language, and visuospatial ability, lower gait measures were significantly associated with a greater decline on the STMS.


Gait Training to Prevent Dementia
In a third study of 1232 individuals aged 49 years and older, investigators from the Rotterdam Study in the Netherlands found that specific aspects of gait are linked with specific cognitive abilities and function.
Specifically, researchers found that walking rhythm, which reflects walking stride time and cadence, was significantly associated with information processing speed; executive function was associated with walking pace and variability; and fine motor speed was associated with walking in tandem or heal to toe walking, in which the heel of the front foot is placed so as to directly touch the heel of the back foot, as though walking on a tightwire.
Memory, the researchers report, was not associated with any aspect of gait.
"These findings," said study investigator Mohammad Ikram, MD, PhD, from Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, "provides a better understanding of this full spectrum of brain dysfunction. It's not just general cognition and general gait; there is this subtle correlation between these various domains."


Against this background, said Dr. Ikram, future studies should explore the link between gait and dementia and AD.
"So can we use gait to predict Alzheimer's dementia before cognitive symptoms of dementia develop; and the reverse of that question is, can gait training be used to delay Alzheimer's dementia?" he said.


A Better Measure?
Finally, a study by researchers at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland suggests that continuous in-home monitoring may be a more accurate measure than single gait tests done, for example, at an annual physical examination.
Lisa Silbert, MD, and colleagues worked with 19 dementia-free volunteers enrolled in the Intelligent Systems for Assessment of Aging Changes (ISAAC) study.
All participants underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to measure total brain volume and ventricular and hippocampal volumes. Gait speed was determined at the time of the MRI by assessing the time it took to walk 9 meters using a stopwatch and by using an in-home assessment system that continuously collected data over a 1-month period using motion activity sensors installed in the participants' homes. The investigators found that study participants walked faster when measured once in person than when under continuous assessment in their home. They also found that slower walking speed was associated with smaller total brain size.
According to Dr. Silbert, walking speed taken at a single time point may overestimate walking abilities in the elderly.


Practical Implications
Commenting on the studies' findings for Medscape Medical News, William Thies, PhD, chief medical and scientific officer of the Alzheimer's Association, said that assessing gait is a practical tool that physicians can use as an early warning sign of dementia.


"It gives [clinicians] another tool to pick out those people that they may want to have a conversation with about memory or that they want to refer for more intensive evaluation of their cognitive function," he said.



"We know how hard it is for the primary care doc to identify those people who are in the very early stages even of dementia. And so we think that this is something that will be useful to them and easy to build into their practice. It doesn't take a lot of time and doesn't cost anybody a lot of money. All of that seems attractive," said Dr. Thies.




References
1. Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC) 2012. Abstract # O1-08-02, P1-073, P2-022, P2-169. All presented July 15, 2012.

2. http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/767453?src=nldne

21km/25km FUN Brisk Walk on 21 Jul 2012. From Yio Chu Kang MRT (3:00pm) - Marsiling MRT (11:00pm)

We have done very well on the 21km and 25km FUN Brisk Walk
3:35pm – Yio Chu Kang MRT (Start Point)
6:30pm – Reaching Sembawang Seasport Club (Check Point 1)
8:30pm Dinner at Woodlands (21km)
9:30pm – Reaching Republic Polytechnic (Check Point 2)
10:15pm - Woodlands Waterfront
10:45pm – Marsiling MRT (Check Point 3)
10:50om - Debrief

More photos are in the facebook http://www.facebook.com/tan.enyu#!/media/set/?set=a.10151022780003643.446043.636278642&type=3

Tai Chi Provides Mental And Emotional Benefits

Prevent Knee Injuries - 13 May 2012

Commentary: The future writer may want to consider the motor movement to consconcious effort to develop good habit, good biomechanic movement and fitness conditioning programme to all sports including Tai Chi practice. With the supplements ads below the article, we may need to consider the Tai Chi posture in the static movement conforming to Tai Chi principles.

Enyu Tan

Exercise Biomechanist/ Physiologist/ Tai Chi Instructor  

Nutrition / Obesity - High Intake of White Rice Associated with Excess Risk for Type 2 Diabetes

White rice — which is almost entirely starch — is the main type of rice eaten worldwide and has a higher glycemic index than other grains. High consumption of foods with high glycemic indexes is associated with excess risk for type 2 diabetes. In this meta-analysis of seven prospective cohort studies, investigators assessed the association between white rice intake and risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus.


Of 352,000 participants, 13,000 developed type 2 diabetes (follow-up range, 4–22 years). Among Asian populations, there was a significant 55% increased risk for type 2 diabetes in the highest category of white rice intake compared with the lowest category. In contrast, among Western populations, a 12% increase in risk was not statistically significant. Combining these populations, each serving per day increment of white rice consumption was associated with an 11% increased risk for type 2 diabetes.

Comment: Although this meta-analysis showed that high intake of white rice was associated with excess risk for type 2 diabetes in Asian populations, the association does not prove that rice is more diabetogenic than other starches. For example, mean white rice intake in Asian populations was far higher (3–4 servings daily) than in Western populations (1–2 servings weekly), and rice comprises a smaller proportion of overall glycemic load in Western than in Asian populations. In any case, people should limit their intake of starchy foods and employ other measures (e.g., exercise, weight control) to lower their risk for type 2 diabetes.

References
March 27, 2012  Paul S. Mueller, MD, MPH, FACP reviewing: Hu EA et al. BMJ 2012 Mar 15; 344:e1454 and Neal B. BMJ 2012 Mar 15; 344:e2021

Chingay 2012 - TaiChi Gongfufan Contingent (Outstanding Contingent Display (Performing groups with more than 300) Award

Chingay 2012 Tai Chi Gongfufan Framework for Success

Thank you to Mr. Tan Seow Tong, all PA Trainers/Laoshi, all Gongfufan participants and Chingay 2012 Gongfufan Organising Committee that make this happen. We treasure every moments we are together, a memory that last ... Thank you

Tai Chi vs. Other Exercises for Parkinson Disease

A randomized comparison suggests potential benefits from both tai chi and resistance training.


Aiming to assess whether practicing tai chi improves measures of postural stability in patients with Parkinson disease (PD), researchers randomized 185 patients with PD ranging from early to late disease stages to be trained in tai chi, resistance training, or stretching. Training consisted of 60-minute sessions twice weekly for 24 weeks. In the resistance-training group, resistance was added at week 10 and gradually increased from 1% to 5% of body weight. The primary outcome was postural stability at 6 months, measured by maximum excursion and directional control on the limits-of-stability test. Secondary outcomes included measures of gait and knee strength, scores on the functional-reach and timed up-and-go tests, motor scores on the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale, and number of falls recorded in patient diaries.

At 6 months, the tai chi group performed significantly better than the other two groups on the primary outcome measures (vs. resistance training: maximum excursion, 5.55 percentage points better; directional control, 10.45 percentage points better; vs. stretching: 11.98 and 11.38 percentage points better, respectively). Compared with the resistance-training group, the tai chi group had similar performance on many of the secondary measures and reported nonsignificantly fewer falls. (They reported significantly fewer falls than the stretching group.)

Comment: Because much of the disability in PD arises from gait, balance, and motor dysfunction, and because many experts now prescribe exercise as an intervention, this study provides important insights. The findings add to the growing body of evidence suggesting benefits of various activities in patients with PD. However, it is important not to overinterpret the results. Patients at a wide range of disease stages were included, making generalization and interpretation of effects tricky. Better characterization of pre- and posttreatment falling in the advanced-stage patients, especially those with preexisting fall-related issues, would have been more relevant. Also, medications were quantitated by number, not dose.

Tai chi incorporates movements that enhance balance control through practicing volitional destabilization of the center of mass. Therefore, the tai chi group's better performance on balance measures makes sense. Resistance training prioritizes muscle strengthening and force development and has potential benefits that are distinct from those of tai chi. The resistance training in this study was not particularly intense, especially compared with previous studies (Parkinsonism Relat Disord 2009; 15:752 and Gait Posture 2012 Jan 20; e-pub ahead of print). Similarly, stretching is a very important part of the daily regimen for the PD patient. Therefore, modalities should be selected and tailored to meet the needs of the individual patient.

Published in Journal Watch Neurology February 8, 2012

Citation(s):

Li F et al. Tai chi and postural stability in patients with Parkinson's disease. N Engl J Med 2012 Feb 9; 366:511.

Happy Chinese New Year 2012

Chinese New Year 2012 Card from Yew Tee Tai Chi Group

Thank you for the Chinese New Year Card

Chinese New Year 2012 Card from Potong Pasir Tai Chi Group

Thank you for the Chinese New Year Card