Imagine you’re at a dance party, and everyone is doing their own unique moves. Some people have amazing control over their lower limbs, while others struggle to keep their balance. Well, it turns out that Tai Chi, a graceful form of exercise, can help improve the lower limb function of Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients! In a systematic review and meta-analysis, researchers analyzed the effects of Tai Chi on PD patients’ lower limb function. They found that compared to control groups, Tai Chi significantly improved motor function, balance function, functional walking capacity, and gait velocity. However, it did not improve walking endurance, stride length, and cadence. This means that Tai Chi can be like a secret dance move that PD patients can use to improve their leg strength and balance. With its gentle movements and focus on body awareness, Tai Chi may activate neural pathways in the brain that help PD patients manage their symptoms better. So, if you or someone you know has PD, consider giving Tai Chi a try! It could be the perfect rhythm for improving lower limb function! To learn more about this research, check out the full article.

BackgroundAt present, the effect of Tai Chi (TC) on lower limb function in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) is controversial. Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis on the influence of TC on lower limb function in PD patients.MethodsAccording to the PRISMA guidelines, seven databases were searched. Randomized controlled trials (RCTS) were selected and screened according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. We assessed the quality of the studies using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool and then extracted the characteristics of the included studies. The random effect model was adopted, and heterogeneity was measured by I2 statistic.ResultsA total of 441 articles were screened, and 10 high-quality RCTs were with a total of 532 patients with PD met Our inclusion criteria. Meta-analysis showed that compared To control groups TC improved several outcomes. TC significantly improved motor function (SMD = −0.70; 95% CI = −0.95, −0.45; p < 0.001; I2 = 35%), although The results were not statistically significant for The subgroup analysis of TC duration (SMD = −0.70; 95% CI = −0.95, −0.45; p = 0.88; I2 = 0%;). TC significantly improved balance function (SMD = 0.89; 95% CI = 0.51, 1.27; p < 0.001; I2 = 54%), functional walking capacity (SMD = −1.24; 95% CI = −2.40, −0.09; p = 0.04; I2 = 95%), and gait velocity (SMD = 0.48; 95% CI = −0.02, 0.94; p = 0.04; I2 = 78%), But Did Not improve endurance (SMD = 0.31; 95% CI = −0.12, 0.75; p = 0.16; I2 = 0%), step length (SMD = 0.01; 95% CI = −0.34, 0.37; p = 0.94; I2 = 29%), and cadence (SMD = 0.06; 95% CI = −0.25, 0.36; p = 0.70; I2 = 0%).ConclusionTC has beneficial effects on motor function, balance function, functional walking ability, and gait velocity, but does not improve walking endurance, stride length, and cadence.

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