Background and aim: Physical activity can improve the mental and physical functioning of older people. This study investigated the impact of Tai Chi exercise on the quality of life of older men.
Methods: This randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted on 132 older men in an urban area of Iran. The subjects were randomly assigned into two groups: a Tai Chi intervention group and a control group (n = 66 per group). Quality of life was evaluated using the Leiden-Padua quality of life questionnaire before and after the intervention. Data analysis was performed using analytical statistics via the SPSS software.
Results: After eight weeks of Tai Chi exercise, the mean scores of quality of life in different areas demonstrated a statistically significant difference between the two groups (p < 0 0.05).
Conclusion: This study illustrated that the 8-week Tai Chi intervention had a positive effect on quality of life in older men.
Keywords: Older people; Quality of life; Randomized controlled trial; Tai Chi exercise.
Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.