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April 21, 2026Age and Ageing0 citations

Effects of Tai Chi combined with elastic band training on muscle and executive inhibitory function in older adults with sarcopenia: a randomized controlled trial based on fNIRS

SZShitao ZhanMaternal and Child Health Hospital of Sichuan Province SWShuya WuHuaihua University QMQian MaChengdu Sport University

Key Points

The research aims to evaluate the effectiveness of Tai Chi combined with elastic band training on muscle and executive function in older adults with sarcopenia.
Randomized controlled trial with three groups: Elastic Band Group (EBG), Combined Group (CG), Health Education Group (HEG).
Participants underwent a 12-week intervention assessing muscle function and executive inhibitory function pre- and post-training using specific performance tests and fNIRS technology.
Outcomes included grip strength, muscle mass, and Stroop task performance.
Both EBG and CG showed significant improvements in muscle strength, mass, and physical performance after the intervention.
The CG exhibited greater improvements in executive function and PFC oxygenated haemoglobin concentration compared to EBG.
Only the CG demonstrated increased accuracy on the Stroop task, suggesting stronger cognitive benefits.

Abstract

Abstract Background Resistance training benefits patients with sarcopenia. However, trials demonstrating the effectiveness of Tai Chi combined with elastic band training are sparse, and the underlying neurocognitive mechanisms remain unclear. Methods Forty-nine older sarcopenia patients (≥60 years) were recruited and randomly assigned to three groups: the Elastic Band Group (EBG) received elastic band training; the Combined Group (CG) received elastic band training combined with Tai Chi; the Health Education Group (HEG) received weekly health education via WeChat, focusing on sarcopenia-related precautions Muscle function was assessed pre- and post-intervention using grip strength, muscle mass, and Short Physical Performance Battery. Executive inhibitory function was evaluated using the colour-word Stroop task. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) was used to simultaneously record cerebral hemodynamic changes in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Results After the 12-week intervention, within-group comparisons revealed no significant changes in any outcome measures in the HEG (P .05). Both the EBG and CG demonstrated significant improvements compared to baseline in grip strength, muscle mass, physical performance, Stroop task reaction time, and PFC oxygenated haemoglobin concentration (P .05). Additionally, the CG showed a significant increase in Stroop task accuracy (P .05). Further between-group comparisons indicated that the CG exhibited significantly greater improvements in physical performance, executive inhibitory function, and PFC oxygenated haemoglobin concentration compared to the EBG (P .05). Conclusions A 12-week Tai Chi combined with elastic band training program improves physical mobility, enhances executive inhibition, and promotes PFC activation in patients with sarcopenia, with superior efficacy compared to elastic band training alone. These findings provide neuroimaging evidence for the synergistic effects of the combined intervention in sarcopenia intervention.

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