Musculoskeletal Strength, Balance Performance, and Self-Efficacy in Elderly Ving Tsun Chinese Martial Art Practitioners: Implications for Fall Prevention

Abstract EN

Objectives.

To (1) compare the bone strength, lower limb muscular strength, functional balance performance, and balance self-efficacy between Ving Tsun (VT) martial art practitioners and nonpractitioners and (2) identify the associations between lower limb muscular strength, functional balance performance, and balance self-efficacy among the VT-trained participants.

Methods.

Thirty-five VT practitioners (mean age ± SD = 62.7 ± 13.3 years) and 49 nonpractitioners (mean age ± SD = 65.9 ± 10.5 years) participated in the study.

The bone strength of the distal radius, lower limb muscular strength, functional balance performance, and balance self-efficacy were assessed using an ultrasound bone sonometer, the five times sit-to-stand test (FTSTS), the Berg balance scale (BBS), and the Chinese version of the activities-specific balance confidence scale, respectively.

A multivariate analysis of covariance was performed to compare all the outcome variables between the two groups.

Results.

Elderly VT practitioners had higher radial bone strength on the dominant side ( P < 0.05 ) , greater lower limb muscular strength ( P = 0.001 ) , better functional balance performance ( P = 0.003 ) , and greater balance confidence ( P < 0.001 ) than the nonpractitioners.

Additionally, only the FTSTS time revealed a significant association with the BBS score ( r = - 0.575 , P = 0.013 ) .

Conclusions.

VT may be a suitable health-maintenance exercise for the elderly.

Our findings may inspire the development of VT fall-prevention exercises for the community-dwelling healthy elderly.