A Secondary Analysis of a Randomised Controlled Trial to Investigate the Effect of Tai Chi on the Instrumented Timed Up and Go Test in People with Mild to Moderate Dementia

Overview

Journal Aging Clin Exp Res

Publisher Springer

Specialty Geriatrics

Date 2020 Nov 3

PMID 33141417

Citations 6

Authors

Jonathan Williams

Samuel Nyman

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Previous research has identified that Tai Chi is effective for reducing risk of falls and improving timed up and go scores. However, our previous research identified no-significant difference in time to complete the timed up and go test following a Tai Chi intervention in people with dementia.

Aim: To conduct a secondary analysis to extend our understanding of the effect of Tai Chi on the instrumented Timed Up and Go test.

Methods: This is a secondary analysis of a randomised controlled trial set in the community. People with dementia, recruited from NHS databases, memory clinics, local charities and self-referral across the south of England, received either 20 weeks of Tai Chi plus normal care or normal care. Outcomes were assessed using the instrumented Timed Up and Go test, completed at baseline and after 6 months.

Results: From 83 people with dementia volunteering for the study, 67 complete datasets were available for analysis. Within-group pairwise comparison across time revealed no-significant gains for any of the instrumented Timed Up and Go variables, and no-significant difference for between-group pairwise comparisons.

Discussion: This suggests that Tai Chi had no effect on the instrumented Timed Up and Go in people with dementia. This lack of effect may be due to the lack of specificity of the training stimulus to the outcome measure.

Conclusion: Tai Chi had no effect on any instrumented Timed Up and Go variables, suggesting Tai Chi may not be best placed to enhance the sub-elements of the instrumented Timed Up and Go to reduce fall risk among community-dwelling people with dementia.

Clinical Trial Registration Number: NCT02864056.

Citing Articles

Effects of Tai Chi on physical performance, sleep, and quality of life in older adults with mild to moderate cognitive impairment.

Gao R, Greiner C, Ryuno H, Zhang X BMC Complement Med Ther. 2024; 24(1):423.

PMID: 39716129 PMC: 11667984. DOI: 10.1186/s12906-024-04705-w.

The Effectiveness of an Exercise Program on Muscle Strength and Range of Motion on Upper Limbs, Functional Ability and Depression at Early Stage of Dementia.

Papamichail P, Sagredaki M, Bouzineki C, Kanellopoulou S, Lyros E, Christakou A J Clin Med. 2024; 13(14).

PMID: 39064174 PMC: 11278101. DOI: 10.3390/jcm13144136.

"TiC-TUG": technology in clinical practice using the instrumented timed up and go test-a scoping review.

Bottinger M, Labudek S, Schoene D, Jansen C, Stefanakis M, Litz E Aging Clin Exp Res. 2024; 36(1):100.

PMID: 38676844 PMC: 11055724. DOI: 10.1007/s40520-024-02733-7.

Effects of 12-week Tai Chi program on physical function, depression, and quality of life among cognitively impaired older adults: a feasibility study.

Oh H, Song R, Kim S BMC Geriatr. 2023; 23(1):118.

PMID: 36869290 PMC: 9983256. DOI: 10.1186/s12877-023-03840-2.

Feasible Intervention through Simple Exercise for Risk of Falls in Dementia Patients: A Pilot Study.

Lopez-Garcia A, Sanchez-Ruiz M Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022; 19(19).

PMID: 36231155 PMC: 9565761. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191911854.

References

Wesson J, Clemson L, Brodaty H, Lord S, Taylor M, Gitlin L . A feasibility study and pilot randomised trial of a tailored prevention program to reduce falls in older people with mild dementia. BMC Geriatr. 2013; 13:89. PMC: 3766233. DOI: 10.1186/1471-2318-13-89. View

Levine M, Ensom M . Post hoc power analysis: an idea whose time has passed?. Pharmacotherapy. 2001; 21(4):405-9. DOI: 10.1592/phco.21.5.405.34503. View

Suttanon P, Hill K, Said C, Williams S, Byrne K, LoGiudice D . Feasibility, safety and preliminary evidence of the effectiveness of a home-based exercise programme for older people with Alzheimer's disease: a pilot randomized controlled trial. Clin Rehabil. 2012; 27(5):427-38. DOI: 10.1177/0269215512460877. View

Gillespie L, Robertson M, Gillespie W, Sherrington C, Gates S, Clemson L . Interventions for preventing falls in older people living in the community. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012; (9):CD007146. PMC: 8095069. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD007146.pub3. View

Reilly T, Morris T, Whyte G . The specificity of training prescription and physiological assessment: a review. J Sports Sci. 2009; 27(6):575-89. DOI: 10.1080/02640410902729741. View

Williams J, Nyman S . Association between the instrumented timed up and go test and cognitive function, fear of falling and quality of life in community dwelling people with dementia. J Frailty Sarcopenia Falls. 2020; 3(4):185-193. PMC: 7155353. DOI: 10.22540/JFSF-03-185. View

Winser S, Tsang W, Krishnamurthy K, Kannan P . Does Tai Chi improve balance and reduce falls incidence in neurological disorders? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Clin Rehabil. 2018; 32(9):1157-1168. DOI: 10.1177/0269215518773442. View

Winter H, Watt K, Peel N . Falls prevention interventions for community-dwelling older persons with cognitive impairment: a systematic review. Int Psychogeriatr. 2012; 25(2):215-27. DOI: 10.1017/S1041610212001573. View

Williams J, Nyman S . Age Moderates Differences in Performance on the Instrumented Timed Up and Go Test Between People With Dementia and Their Informal Caregivers. J Geriatr Phys Ther. 2020; 44(3):E150-E157. PMC: 7611094. DOI: 10.1519/JPT.0000000000000265. View

10.

Huang Y, Liu X . Improvement of balance control ability and flexibility in the elderly Tai Chi Chuan (TCC) practitioners: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Arch Gerontol Geriatr. 2014; 60(2):233-8. DOI: 10.1016/j.archger.2014.10.016. View

11.

Butler R, Radhakrishnan R . Dementia. BMJ Clin Evid. 2013; 2012. PMC: 3437526. View

12.

El-Khoury F, Cassou B, Charles M, Dargent-Molina P . The effect of fall prevention exercise programmes on fall induced injuries in community dwelling older adults: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. BMJ. 2013; 347:f6234. PMC: 3812467. DOI: 10.1136/bmj.f6234. View

13.

Galan-Mercant A, Cuesta-Vargas A . Clinical frailty syndrome assessment using inertial sensors embedded in smartphones. Physiol Meas. 2015; 36(9):1929-42. DOI: 10.1088/0967-3334/36/9/1929. View

14.

Nyman S, Ingram W, Sanders J, Thomas P, Thomas S, Vassallo M . Randomised Controlled Trial Of The Effect Of Tai Chi On Postural Balance Of People With Dementia. Clin Interv Aging. 2019; 14:2017-2029. PMC: 6875562. DOI: 10.2147/CIA.S228931. View

15.

Palmerini L, Mellone S, Avanzolini G, Valzania F, Chiari L . Quantification of motor impairment in Parkinson's disease using an instrumented timed up and go test. IEEE Trans Neural Syst Rehabil Eng. 2013; 21(4):664-73. DOI: 10.1109/TNSRE.2012.2236577. View

16.

Hosseini L, Kargozar E, Sharifi F, Negarandeh R, Memari A, Navab E . Tai Chi Chuan can improve balance and reduce fear of falling in community dwelling older adults: a randomized control trial. J Exerc Rehabil. 2019; 14(6):1024-1031. PMC: 6323335. DOI: 10.12965/jer.1836488.244. View

17.

Mellone S, Tacconi C, Chiari L . Validity of a Smartphone-based instrumented Timed Up and Go. Gait Posture. 2012; 36(1):163-5. DOI: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2012.02.006. View

18.

Williams J, Dorey C, Clark S, Clark C . The within-day and between-day reliability of using sacral accelerations to quantify balance performance. Phys Ther Sport. 2015; 17:45-50. DOI: 10.1016/j.ptsp.2015.04.002. View

19.

Podsiadlo D, Richardson S . The timed "Up & Go": a test of basic functional mobility for frail elderly persons. J Am Geriatr Soc. 1991; 39(2):142-8. DOI: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.1991.tb01616.x. View

20.

Lee J, Shin D, Jeong S, Son K, Cho B, Yoon J . Association Between Timed Up and Go Test and Future Dementia Onset. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2018; 73(9):1238-1243. DOI: 10.1093/gerona/glx261. View