Effectiveness of Tai Chi Exercise on Balance in Elderly Patient with Knee Osteoarthritis

The Worldwide prevalence estimate for Knee Osteoarthritis is 9.6 % among Men and 18 % among Women. In India, the prevalence of Knee Osteoarthritis in Adult Rural population is estimated to be 5.8 %2. Individuals with painful Knee Osteoarthritis experience difficulty performing basic daily activities such as, performing household chores, stair climbing as well as engaging in social and outdoor activities3. Tai Chi has become a popular form of exercise for balance training. Tai Chi is one of the popular form of exercise among older adults and it encompasses balance, aerobics, flexibility and weight bearing exercises with meditation and deep breathing4-5. Aim: To study the Effectiveness of Tai Chi exercise on Balance in Elderly patient with Knee Osteoarthritis. Objectives: 1) To find the Effectiveness of Tai Chi exercise on Balance in Elderly Patient with Knee Osteoarthritis.2) To find the Effect of Tai Chi on Pain in Elderly Patient with Knee Osteoarthritis.3) To find the Effect of Tai Chi on Stiffness in Elderly Patient with Knee Osteoarthritis.4) To find the Effect of Tai Chi on Physical function in Elderly Patient with Knee Osteoarthritis. Procedure: It was a Randomized Controlled Trial.50 patients were randomly assigned to the Experimental Group (IFT + Tai Chi)& Control Group (IFT) with 25 patients in each group. The patients were pre- assessed& post assessed with the WOMAC Index& Berg Balance Scale. Results: The results showed that there was a statistically significant difference in the BBS scale at Baseline& 1 month in the Experimental group. Also there was a statistically significant improvement in the WOMAC Index at Baseline& 1 month in the Control group. Conclusion: Our study concluded that Tai Chi exercises are effective for improving Balance in elderly patients with Knee Osteoarthritis.