The C.A.M. Report
Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Fair, Balanced, and to the Point
  • About this web log

    This blog ran from 2006 to 2016 and was intended as an objective and dispassionate source of information on the latest CAM research. Since my background is in pharmacy and allopathic medicine, I view all CAM as advancing through the development pipeline to eventually become integrated into mainstream medical practice. Some will succeed while others fail. But all are treated fairly here.

  • About the author

    John Russo, Jr., PharmD, is president of The MedCom Resource, Inc. Previously, he was senior vice president of medical communications at www.Vicus.com, a complementary and alternative medicine website.

  • Common sense considerations

    The material on this weblog is for informational purposes. It is not medical advice or counsel. Be smart, consult your health professional before using CAM.

  • Recent Posts

  • Recent Comments

    Tai chi lowers the risk of falls in the elderly

    Here’s why this is important.

    • Deaths from falls increase dramatically with age
    • Falls account for 70% of accidental deaths in people over 74 years old
    • Associated with significant illnesses
    • More than 90% of hip fractures occur as a result of falls — in people over 70 years of age
    • One-third of community-dwelling elderly people and 60% of nursing home residents fall each year

    Here’s evidence that tai chi helps.

    Among 256 healthy physically inactive older adults between 70 and 92 years of age, some participated in a 6-month program of tai chi, while the rest took part in a stretching exercise program. The groups were then followed for an additional 6 months, with the following significant results in the tai chi group.

    • Fewer falls
    • Fewer injurious falls
    • Reduced risk for multiple falls
    • Improvements in all measures of functional balance, physical performance, and reduced fear of falling
    • Gains in these measures were maintained at a 6-month follow-up in the tai chi group

    Several years ago, I wrote an article about tai chi. Even then, the benefits were clear, and justified its use among senior citizens. These updated findings support that recommendation today.

    10/14/06 15:59 JR

    Leave a Comment

    You must be logged in to post a comment.