Older adults aged ≥65 years with multisite pain who reported falling in the past year or current use of an assistive device were recruited from Boston area communities. Participants were randomized to either a Tai Chi (N=28) or a light physical exercise (N=26) program, offered twice weekly for 12 weeks. The primary outcomes were feasibility and acceptability of the 12-week Tai Chi/light exercise program. Secondary outcomes included pain characteristics (pain severity and pain interference), cognition (attention and executive function), physical function (walking speed, strength, and balance), gait mobility (singe-task and dual-task gait), levels of pain-related markers (C-reactive protein, interleukin 6, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and beta endorphin), fear of falling, and rate of falls.
The main purpose of this randomized controlled trial was to assess the feasibility and acceptability of a 12-week Tai Chi program for community-dwelling older adults with chronic multisite pain and a history of falling. In addition, the investigators examined the effects of Tai Chi on pain characteristics, cognition, physical function, gait mobility, levels of pain-related biomarkers, fear of falling and rate of falls in these older adults.