چکیده (انگلیسی):

Tai Ji Quan, developed as a martial art, has traditionally served multiple purposes, including self-defense, competition/performance, and
health promotion. With respect to health, the benefits historically and anecdotally associated with Tai Ji Quan are now being supported by
scientific and clinical research, with mounting evidence indicating its potential value in preventing and managing various diseases and improving
well-being and quality of life in middle-aged and older adults. The research findings produced to date have both public health significance and
clinical relevance. However, because of its roots in the martial arts, transforming traditional Tai Ji Quan movements and training approaches into
contemporary therapeutic programs and functional applications is needed to maximize its ultimate utility. This paper addresses this issue by
introducing Tai Ji Quan: Moving for Better Balance, a functional therapy that involves the use of Tai Ji Quan principles and Yang-style-based
movements to form an innovative, contemporary therapeutic approach that integrates motor, sensory, and cognitive components to improve
postural control, gait, and mobility for older adults and those who have neurodegenerative movement impairments. It provides a synergy of
traditional and contemporary Tai Ji Quan practice with the ultimate goal of improving balance and gait, enhancing performance of daily
functional tasks, and reducing incidence of falls among older adults.