LOWER LIMB BALANCE CHARACTERISTICS DURING TAI CHI CHUAN

ABSTRACT Introduction: Tai chi chuan training claims to not only promote the circulation of internal energy in the body to achieve a preventive and healing effect of diseases, but also to improve static and dynamic body balance. While the former claims are not validable, the question about the effectiveness of improving balance remains valid. Objective: Verify the characteristics of lower limb balance during tai chi chuan practice. Methods: Selected volunteers underwent a bioelectricity testing system via noninvasive surface electromyography to evaluate muscle activity during the exercises. The results were collected, cataloged and statistically work on corresponding graphs according to different content of literature research for objective analysis. Results: The variation of the displacement of the center of gravity was controlled within 0.1M, the most unstable time of the center of gravity was about 0.65s before the start of balance. In temporal terms, it is found that the order of discharge of each muscle tested in the vertical balance and unilateral support was as follows: the tibialis anterior muscle discharges first, the rectus femoris and biceps femoris second, finally gastrocnemius, gluteus medius and gluteus maximus joint discharge almost at the same time. Conclusion: Some benefit is perceived in the validity of improving lateral balance velocity, shortening the action completion time, and improving balance stability, improving the quality of action in practitioners of this exercise modality. Level of evidence II; Therapeutic studies - investigation of treatment outcomes.