Citation

Fong SS, Ng SS, Liu KP, Pang MY, Lee HW, Chung JW, Lam PL, Guo X. Evid. Based Complement. Alternat. Med. 2014; 2014: e402314.

Affiliation

Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Hindawi Publishing)

DOI

10.1155/2014/402314

PMID

25530782

Abstract

OBJECTIVEs. To (1) compare the bone strength, lower limb muscular strength, functional balance performance, and balance self-efficacy between Ving Tsun (VT) martial art practitioners and nonpractitioners and (2) identify the associations between lower limb muscular strength, functional balance performance, and balance self-efficacy among the VT-trained participants.

METHODS. Thirty-five VT practitioners (mean age ± SD = 62.7 ± 13.3 years) and 49 nonpractitioners (mean age ± SD = 65.9 ± 10.5 years) participated in the study. The bone strength of the distal radius, lower limb muscular strength, functional balance performance, and balance self-efficacy were assessed using an ultrasound bone sonometer, the five times sit-to-stand test (FTSTS), the Berg balance scale (BBS), and the Chinese version of the activities-specific balance confidence scale, respectively. A multivariate analysis of covariance was performed to compare all the outcome variables between the two groups.

RESULTS. Elderly VT practitioners had higher radial bone strength on the dominant side (P < 0.05), greater lower limb muscular strength (P = 0.001), better functional balance performance (P = 0.003), and greater balance confidence (P < 0.001) than the nonpractitioners. Additionally, only the FTSTS time revealed a significant association with the BBS score (r = -0.575,  P = 0.013).

CONCLUSIONS. VT may be a suitable health-maintenance exercise for the elderly. Our findings may inspire the development of VT fall-prevention exercises for the community-dwelling healthy elderly.

Language: en