Physical and psychological attributes in elderly Chinese martial art practitioners : implications for fall prevention

It is well known that improving musculoskeletal health and balance ability through regular exercise can reduce falls and fall-related fractures, and also improve balance confidence in the elderly. Ving Tsun (VT) is a traditional Chinese martial art that has the potential to be developed into a new form of fall-prevention exercise. This study aimed to (1) compare the radial bone strength, lower limb muscular strength, functional balance performance and balance self-efficacy between VT practitioners and non-practitioners; and (2) identify the relationships between lower limb muscular strength, functional balance performance, and balance self-efficacy among the VT-trained elder participants