Unfortunately, the study review did not show any evidence that the fall injuries that do occur in people who have a regular exercise routine are less serious than those injuries sustained by people who don't exercise. Gardner tells WebMD that exercise must also be intense enough to improve muscle strength. We often underestimate the ability of older adults to manage weights. Tai chi is an even more dynamic way to build muscle strength. Of course, it has to be sufficiently intense.
Individual choice is critical to long-term compliance with exercise.
In other words, older adults have got to like it to stay with it. O'Grady tells WebMD that more tai chi research is under way at 20 congregate living centers in the Atlanta area. Researchers say that a decrease in falls may also lead to lower health care costs. But there's very little information on the cost of implementing exercise programs. So in addition to cost, we need to learn more about the type and frequency of exercise required to decrease falls in subgroups of older adults.