Abstract:
To develop a new walking exercise to improve balance for the elderly and to test its effectiveness of the newly developed walking exercise with Tai Chi exercise which is popular among the elderly in improving balance. The newly developed walking exercise consisted of eight styles and was created by first reviewing and analyzing relevant literature regarding the necessary muscles used for walking and balance and the analysis of electromyography in related muscles. After that, the IOC was found from five experts to ensure its validity. The IOC value was found to be 0.80. Later, the effectiveness of the developed walking exercise was found by comparing with Tai Chi exercise with fifty one females who were 60-69 years of age. The subjects were divided into 2 groups : 1st group including 26 subjects who were trained by walking with weight exercise, while the second group including 25 subjects who were trained by Tai Chi exercise. Both groups had trained for 30 minutes a day (warm up 5 minutes and warm down 5 minutes, 3 day a week for 8 weeks. The balance was tested by using Time Up and Go test and Berg Balance scale before the experiment and after the 4th and 8th week of the experiment, respectively, one-way analysis of variance with repeated measures and t-test were later performed to find the differences of the two groups. The research showed that walking with weight exercise used more muscle than Tai Chi exercise. Static balance of both groups were better in the 4th week and the 8th week after the experiment (p<.05). Dynamic balance of walking with weight exercise was better in the 8th week of experiment but Tai Chi exercise was not better (p<.05). Dynamic balance of walking was better than Tai Chi in 8th week (p<.05). In conclusion, walking with weight exercise used more muscles and could better improve dynamic balance than Tai Chi exercise. Static balance was not different between groups.