Tai Chi Improves Gait for Men At-Risk for Fractures & Breaks with Aging

Senior adults are at an increasingly greater risk for sustaining injury when falling. Because gait can become imbalanced with age, many men experience complications associated with bone fractures and breaks after falling. In addition, for men with osteoporosis or osteopenia, these risks for injury when falling are significantly greater.

If you are a man concerned about your long term health, and the risks associated with falling and bone fractures or breaks, you may want to consider some alternative approaches to healthcare. While dietary supplements, limited alcohol intake and plenty of exercise is necessary to your overall health, there are additional activities you can engage in to further supplement your bone health into aging.

Tai Chi is a type of exercise and physical support activity that has been long practiced in Chinese culture. For many women, Tai Chi has been a common activity in sports and fitness facilities across the country. Only recently, have begun to take notice and engage in Tai Chi as well. While Tai Chi is an excellent program for promoting cardiovascular health and general fitness, it is particularly beneficial to men with a pre-existing history of osteoporosis or osteopenia.

As a man, you may be wondering how Tai Chi, specifically, can boost your health when suffering from osteoporosis. While Tai Chi exercises do not resolve or reverse osteoporosis, it does improve your central balance and gait which, ultimately, will support your ability to ambulate and continue to be mobile while decreasing your risk for falling. Because Tai Chi is a centered approach to physical health, most men find there is a significant degree of improvement in their gait and balance even after two to three sessions.

If you are interested in engaging in Tai Chi programs, you can join a fitness facility or sports facility in your area. In many cases, Tai Chi is offered on-location. However, if you prefer a more male-centered approach to Tai Chi, you may need to inquire the staff about the options for one-on-one Tai Chi sessions with an instructor or find a program that is centered toward the needs of male adults.

When all else fails, even the purchase of home DVD, or videos, with Tai Chi instruction will prove effective. Be careful, however, that you do not injury yourself when beginning the video instruction. Online, there are many videos which provide instruction for Tai Chi as well. The key to your optimal health outcome, as an aging man, lies in not only choosing health lifestyle habits, but also working to manage pre-existing health complications so as to reduce falls and to reduce risks of fracture or breaks. Tai Chi can provide men with the supplement needed to promote balance and gait improvements.