The Unique Benefits of Tai Chi: The Chinese Martial Art Shows Fitness Rewards for Those with Intellectual Disability

Regular physical activity is essential for the health of children and adolescents, studies have shown. It reduces the risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and other metabolic dysfunctions. The World Health Organization recommends that all children and adolescents, including those with intellectual disabilities, engage in at least an hour of moderate to vigorous physical activity each day. A recent study revealed that children and adolescents with disabilities are not meeting this daily guideline.  An analysis of adolescents with intellectual disabilities showed that exercise has a significant positive effect on several components of skill-related physical fitness, increasing agility, power, and coordination.  But general sports-related physical activity did not effectively improve balance in adolescents with intellectual disabilities, suggesting the need to improve lower-limb strength.

A group of researchers from the United States and China conducted a study, "Tai Chi as an Alternative Exercise to Improve Physical Fitness for Children and Adolescents with Intellectual Disability," to determine if the ancient practice of Tai Chi could be an alternative to aerobic exercise for the target group.

Tai Chi, a Chinese martial art consisting of sequences of very slow, controlled movements, is known to improve functional capability and health for many with a wide range of health conditions. The practice works by emphasizing the dynamic shifting of body weight at a slow pace, which requires strong lower-limb fitness, integrated with breathing control, body awareness, and mental focus. Scientists decided to see if the practice could help those with intellectual disabilities.

Sixty-six Chinese children and teens aged 10 to 18 who were diagnosed with an intellectual disability took part in the study.  The volunteers were divided into three groups and participated in sports-related aerobic exercise or Tai Chi.  The control group was assigned arts and crafts without physical activity.  The participants performed two weekly 60-minute sessions of Tai Chi, aerobic exercise, or arts and crafts for 12 weeks. 

The results showed showed significant changes in body mass index for those who participated in rigorous aerobic activity and Tai Chi . The number of sit-ups they were able to do increased and the speed of their six-minute walk test improved.  Increases in vertical jumping, lower-limb coordination, and upper-limb coordination were also observed in the Tai Chi group, which had significantly greater improvements in balance than the control group.  Scientists concluded that both sports-related aerobic exercise and Tai Chi have unique benefits that can foster greater physical health.  However, Tai Chi was determined to be superior to aerobic exercise in improving balance.  It was recommended that developing a school-based Tai Chi program could be effective for children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities by improving flexibility, balance, coordination, and strength.