Wheelchair Tai Chi for Balance Control and Quality of Life for Survivors of Spinal Cord Injuries

November 16, 2018 - Wheelchair-related falls are common in survivors with spinal cord injury (SCI). A recent Chinese study aimed to assess the effects of wheelchair Tai Chi (WCTC) practice on balance control and quality of life (QOL) among SCI survivors.

Forty SCI survivors were equally divided into WCTC and control groups. The control participants only received the normal rehabilitation intervention, while the WCTC intervention involved 30-min sessions, 2 sessions/day, and 5 days/week for 6 weeks. Static sitting balance, trunk muscle strength, handgrip strength, and QOL were evaluated and statistically analyzed.

Compared with the control group, static sitting balance, left handgrip strength, and the psychological domain of QOL improved significantly in the WCTC group. Six weeks' WCTC training improved static sitting balance and QOL in survivors with SCI. It may be a feasible, safe, and effective exercise for SCI survivors.

The findings are published in the November 2018 issue of Complementary therapies in clinical practice.