Hong Kong- Elderly people can reduce their chances of falling and injuring themselves if they regularly practice tai chi, a slow motion martial art, according to a survey by the Hong Kong Hospital Authority released Wednesday. A study of 3,221 elderly aged over 60 showed that the 893 people who regularly took part in tai chi exercise had fewer falls, the South China Morning Post reported.
The research, carried out between January 2005 and March this year by hospital officials, found the number of falls resulting in injury dropped from 2.7 per cent to 1.5 per cent for those that regularly practiced tai chi. By comparison, the rate actually increased to 4 per cent for people who stopped tai chi.
Hospital Authority senior statistician Eva Tsui said: "Tai chi emphasises balancing and is easy for the elderly to practice."
Moves to promote tai chi among old people coincided with the release of figures which show it cost 1 million Hong Kong dollars (128,000 US) a year to treat elderly patients for falls.
