Ving Tsun Martial Exercise for Older Adults

Objectives: To evaluate the effects of a Ving Tsun (VT) reactive balance training programme on reactive balance control, muscle strength, balance confidence and falls in community-dwelling older adults. Hypothesis: The VT group subjects will have improved post-training reactive balance control, muscle strength, balance confidence and fall incidence outcomes than the active controls. Design and subjects: In this prospective, randomised, single-blinded controlled trial, approximately 114 healthy seniors (55-70 years old) will be randomly assigned to either the VT group (n\~57) or control group (n\~57). Interventions: Subjects in the VT group will receive VT reactive balance training (3 hours/week) for 3 months, whereas subjects in the control group will receive no VT training but will jog 3 hours/week during the intervention period. Study instruments and outcomes: Primary outcome measures: reactive balance control, as indicated by lower extremity muscle activation onset latency; hip and ankle strategies and centre of pressure movements will be measured by electromyography, electrogoniometry and a force platform, respectively. Secondary outcome measures: knee muscle strength, balance confidence and fall history will be assessed by an isokinetic dynamometer, Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale (Chinese) and interviews, respectively (pre-, post- and follow-up measurements). Data analysis: Data will be analysed using repeated-measures analysis of (co)variance followed by post-hoc tests, as appropriate (alpha = 0.05).