Tai Chi for Seniors: Benefits for Balance and Falls, and How to Start

Tai Chi for Seniors: What the Research Shows

Emergency first. If someone falls and is hurt, can't get up, hit their head, or is not responding, call 911. See What to do after a fall.

Key takeaways

• Tai chi is a slow, flowing, low-impact exercise. NIH's NCCIH says it may improve balance and help prevent falls in older adults.[1]
• An international review of trials found tai chi may lower the rate of falls by about 19% and cut the number of people who fall by about 20%.[2]
• A U.S. trial in people with Parkinson's disease found tai chi improved stability more than stretching or resistance training.[3]
• Tai chi is generally safe. Side effects are usually minor aches.[1]
• Don't use tai chi to put off seeing a doctor about a health problem.[1]

What is tai chi?

Tai chi began in China as a martial art. Today it's practiced as gentle exercise. It combines slow movements, shifting your weight, upright posture, deep breathing, and focus.[1] You can do it standing or, with changes, seated.

Tai chi and falls: the evidence

International evidence (non-US-led). A 2019 Cochrane review pooled 108 trials of exercise for older people living at home, in 25 countries.[2] For tai chi specifically, it found:

• It may reduce the rate of falls by 19% (low-certainty evidence).[2]
• It reduces the number of people who fall by 20% (high-certainty evidence).[2]

NCCIH, the U.S. government's research center on complementary health, cites these same findings.[1]

U.S. guidance. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends exercise to prevent falls in adults 65+ at higher risk. The programs it reviewed focused on gait, balance, and function, often with strength.[4] Tai chi is one way to train balance; NIA lists it as a balance activity.[5]

Tai chi and Parkinson's disease

A U.S. trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2012 studied 195 people with mild to moderate Parkinson's disease.[3]

• They did 60-minute sessions twice a week for 24 weeks: tai chi, resistance training, or stretching.
• The tai chi group had better stability than both other groups.
• Tai chi led to fewer falls than stretching. It wasn't clearly different from resistance training on falls.
• Benefits lasted 3 months after the classes ended, and there were no serious side effects.[3]

Other possible benefits

• Arthritis: NCCIH notes that a 2019 American College of Rheumatology/Arthritis Foundation guideline strongly recommends tai chi for osteoarthritis of the knee or hip.[1]
• Thinking and memory: NCCIH describes early research, including a 2023 U.S. study of tai chi with added thinking tasks in people with mild cognitive impairment. More research is needed.[1]

Is tai chi safe?

NCCIH says a 2019 review of 24 studies found that side effects of tai chi were similar to those in comparison groups, and were usually minor muscle or joint problems.[1]

Talk with your doctor first if you have a health condition or have fallen, and tell the instructor about any limits.[1]

How to get started

1. Check with your provider if you have a chronic condition, osteoporosis, or recent falls.[1][6]
2. Find a qualified teacher. Tai chi instructors aren't licensed, and there's no national certification. Ask about their training and experience with older adults.[1]
3. Start gently. Keep a chair nearby, and only bend your knees as far as is comfortable.
4. Be consistent. In the studies, classes ran for weeks to months.[2][3] The USPSTF notes many fall-prevention programs met 2 to 3 times a week.[4]

Want to learn at home? Try our

.

Related pages

• Balance exercises for seniors
• Fall risk assessment — or take our

• Home safety checklist for seniors

FAQ

Is tai chi good for seniors? For many, yes. NCCIH says it may improve balance and help prevent falls in older adults.[1]

How often should I do tai chi? Studies used schedules like twice a week for 24 weeks.[3] NIA suggests balance training about three times a week.[5]

Can I do tai chi with arthritis? A major guideline strongly recommends it for knee and hip osteoarthritis.[1] Ask your provider first.

Can tai chi replace physical therapy? No. Don't use it to delay seeing a provider.[1]

Sources

1. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Tai Chi: What You Need To Know. NIH/NCCIH. Last updated December 2023. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/tai-chi-what-you-need-to-know. Accessed October 30, 2026.
2. Sherrington C, Fairhall NJ, Wallbank GK, et al. Exercise for preventing falls in older people living in the community. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2019;1(1):CD012424. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD012424.pub2 (PMID 30703272). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30703272/. Accessed October 30, 2026. (Non-US: international review led from Australia.)
3. Li F, Harmer P, Fitzgerald K, et al. Tai chi and postural stability in patients with Parkinson's disease. N Engl J Med. 2012;366(6):511-519. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1107911 (PMID 22316445). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22316445/. Accessed October 30, 2026. (U.S. trial, Oregon.)
4. US Preventive Services Task Force. Falls Prevention in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: Interventions. June 4, 2024. JAMA. 2024;332(1):51-57. https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/falls-prevention-community-dwelling-older-adults-interventions. Accessed October 30, 2026.
5. National Institute on Aging. Three Types of Exercise Can Improve Your Health and Physical Ability. NIH/NIA. n.d. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/exercise-and-physical-activity/three-types-exercise-can-improve-your-health-and-physical. Accessed October 30, 2026.
6. National Institute on Aging. Exercise and Physical Activity for Older Adults: Staying Active as You Age (booklet). NIH/NIA. 2025. https://order.nia.nih.gov/sites/default/files/2025-04/exercise-and-older-adults-nia_0.pdf. Accessed October 30, 2026.

Disclaimer

This article is for general education only and is not medical, legal, or financial advice. Talk to your doctor, a licensed attorney, or a SHIP counselor (Medicare) about your situation. In an emergency, call 911.

Attribution

Portions of this page are adapted from "HowToLiveBetter" (高性价比人生指南) by eternity4719, https://github.com/eternity4719/HowToLiveBetter, licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Changes: topic idea (tai chi as gentle exercise) adapted from Chapter 22; adapted and rewritten for the U.S. context (not a direct translation), and re-sourced to U.S. research and official guidance.