PEOPLE
or years, many have known that Tai chi’s
gentle, non-jarring movements support a
healthy body.
It trains the major ligaments that serve
as the springs of the body and at the
same time tones the muscles.
But these and other benefits often
require research to back up their claims.
That’s why Charles Sturt University host
an exercise and research information session
for people aged 50 and over in the Bathurst area
who are interested to learn more about exercise
to help prevent falls and improve their health.
The CSU Active Living Longer (ALLong)program, held last year, led by Dr Eevon Stott
(pictured front left in photo above), an adjunct
Research Fellow in the CSU School of Exercise
Science, Sport and Health in Bathurst, said,
“People often wonder, and we are often asked,
‘Why exercise? What type of exercise? How
much exercise?’.
“We may not have all the answers, but as
a university, we’re interested in measuring
people’s progress over time, and this shapes our
research.
“We recently concluded an eight-week Tai Chi
for Arthritis workshop for those aged 50 years
and over because offering Tai Chi is aligned withALLong’s aim to empower the community to get
healthier,” Dr Stott said.
“Now that the Tai Chi workshop has concluded,
the ALLong program is extending its efforts to
bring more people into the gym to exercise to
improve health and help prevent falls.”
Dr Stott noted that statistics indicate that one-
in-three people aged 65-years or over has a fall
at least once a year.
“We must also remember that even if the fall
does not lead to a physical injury, it can have a
big social, psychological and economic impact
on older individuals and their families,” Dr Stott
said.f
PERFECT
BALANCE
38 Blue Mountainslife