Biomechanical analysis of balance control in the elderly By Ba Duan Jin

This study aims to evaluate the biomechanical effects of Ba Duan Jin on balance control in the elderly, seeking effective fitness methods to enhance their balance capabilities and reduce the risk of falls. Methods: Participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group (EG) and a control group (CG), with 25 individuals in each. The Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and mechanical measurements were utilized to evaluate the participants’ balance abilities and biomechanical performance. Statistical analyses were performed to compare the outcomes between the EG and CG, ensuring a comprehensive assessment of the differences. Results: The experimental group demonstrated a significant improvement in the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) scores (p < 0.01), with a notable increase in the eyes-closed standing task (BBS6), which reached significance (p < 0.05), indicating a consistent advantage for the experimental group in this area. Biomechanical measurements revealed that the experimental group exhibited significantly higher parameters compared to the control group, including stability index (EG: 0.7 ±0.1/2.2 ±0.4, CG: 0.6 ±0.1/1.9 ±0.3), power (EG: 3.2 ±0.5/3.8 ± 0.6, CG: 2.9 ± 0.4/3.5 ± 0.5), energy expenditure (EG: 20.1 ± 3.8/25.0 ± 4.3, CG: 16.5 ± 3.2/20.3 ±3.8), and step frequency (EG: 95.0 ±5.5/105.0 ±6.0, CG: 85.0 ±5.0/100.0 ±5.5). Additionally, peak force (EG: 345.2 ± 30.1/412.6 ± 35.8, CG: 310.4 ± 28.5/310.4 ± 28.5), impact force (EG: 68.3 ±7.2/85.7 ±8.9, CG: 55.8 ±6.7/72.4 ±8.1), average force (EG: 280.5 ± 25.6/320.7 ± 30.2, CG: 245.3 ± 22.8/280.1 ± 26.4), and direction of force (EG: 10.0 ± 2.0/15.0 ± 2.5, CG: 8.5 ± 1.5/12.0 ± 2.0) also exhibited significant differences (p < 0.05). Notably, the static single-leg stance (EG: 3.38 ±0.39, CG: 2.38 ±0.50), dynamic sit-to-stand (EG: 3.77 ±0.34, CG: 2.85 ±0.37), turning movements (EG: 3.88 ±0.27, CG: 2.58 ±0.56), and double-leg step-ups (EG: 4.00 ±0.02, CG: 2.69 ±0.49) displayed extremely significant differences (p < 0.01). These results indicate that Ba Duan Jin training effectively enhances balance control and reduces the risk of falls among the elderly. Conclusion: As a traditional form of physical exercise, Ba Duan Jin effectively enhances balance control and reduces the risk of falls among older adults, providing valuable practical evidence for health management in this population. Future research should focus on conducting more long-term studies with larger sample sizes to verify the applicability and long-term effects of Ba Duan Jin across various age groups and health conditions in older individuals. Copyright © 2024 by author(s).