The Effects of Tai Chi on Posturo-respiratory Synchronization in Frail Older Adults

The postural control system dynamically interacts with the respiratory system [2], as spontaneous respiration alters the body’s center-of-mass. In order to study this multi-system interaction, we introduced a new metric termed posturerespiratory synchronization. This metric quantifies the effect of respiration on the body’s postural sway (as measured by center-of-pressure, COP, movement under the feet). Here, greater synchronization reflects greater impact of respiration on postural sway. Using this metric, we previously demonstrated cross-sectionally that normal biological aging from adulthood into senescence, as well as chronic brain tissue damage caused by cerebral infarction, is associated with increased posturo-respiratory synchronization; in other words, a reduced ability to minimize the impact of respiration on postural sway [2].