Study designs of evaluations included in the review
Randomised controlled trials (RCTs), non-randomised controlled trials, case-control studies and case series were eligible for inclusion.
Specific interventions included in the review
Studies of t'ai chi were eligible for inclusion. The included studies used t'ai chi alone or in combination with other treatments. T'ai chi interventions varied: most studies used the Yang style, or did not report the style of t'ai chi evaluated. The control interventions, where used, included various forms of exercise and/or education, balance or strength training, or no exercise. The duration of the interventions ranged from 8 weeks to 28 months in prospective studies; observational studies included people practising t'ai chi for between 1 and 20 years.
Participants included in the review
Inclusion criteria for the participants were not specified. Most of the included studies were of healthy people; other studies were of people with osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, mild balance disorder or multiple sclerosis. The majority of the studies were conducted in older adults without a specific diagnosis of vestibular disease.
Outcomes assessed in the review
Studies that assessed outcomes related to postular stability were eligible for inclusion. The included studies assessed the frequency of falls, static balance, dynamic stability, functioning, gait speed, flexibility, strength, fear of falling, activities of daily living (ADL) and quality of life.
How were decisions on the relevance of primary studies made?
The authors did not state how the papers were selected for the review, or how many reviewers performed the selection.