Community-based Tai Chi, Balance, and Fall Risk

Primary outcomes

1. 30-second chair number

   Time frame: 12 weeks

   The number of times a person can stand up and sit down from a chair in 30 seconds

2. Timed Up and Go

   Time frame: 12 weeks

   The time (in seconds) for a person to stand from a chair, walk 10 feet, turn 180 degrees and return to sit in the chair

3. 4 stage balance test

   Time frame: 12 weeks

   How long (in seconds) can a person stand with feet together, stand with one foot forward and to the side, stand in tandem (one foot immediately in front of the other, and stand on one foot

4. Hip abductor muscle contraction time

   Time frame: 12 weeks

   Hip abductor muscle contraction speed as measured as the time (in milliseconds) between the onset of electromyography signal and torque onset from hip muscle abduction

5. Brief-Balance Evaluation System Test

   Time frame: 12 weeks

   The bBESTest is an 8-item, clinically-based assessment measuring anticipatory postural adjustments, compensatory postural responses, sensory orientation, stability in gait, and the timed up-and-go test.

6. Activities-Specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC) scale

   Time frame: 12 weeks

   the ABC scale assesses self-reported confidence during 16 activities related to mobility.

7. Hip joint proprioception error

   Time frame: 12 weeks

   The magnitude of proprioception error was measured on the participant's dominant lower extremity with a custom-built device25,51 that allows for rotation around the axis of a semi-goniometer to measure proprioception in the transverse plane at the hip joint. Proprioception was assessed by measuring the accuracy of actively pointing a marked line on the second toe to target angles along the semi-goniometer during two conditions, a vision condition and an occluded vision condition.