Tai chi and accidental falls: research overview

Not medical advice. This page lists research about tai chi and accidental falls. It does not say whether tai chi works for any person or condition. Talk to a qualified health professional before starting a new exercise program, especially if you have a medical condition.

Studies in PubMed

210 (tagged with “Accidental Falls” as a major topic)

Years

1993–2026

Registered trials

0 on ClinicalTrials.gov

Types of studies

Each study is counted once, under its strongest type in this order: meta-analysis, systematic review, randomized controlled trial, clinical trial, review, observational study.

Studies, newest first

1. Actions to control the fear of falling in older people: An umbrella review. — Archives of gerontology and geriatrics, 2026 · DOISystematic Review
2. Effectiveness of traditional mind-body exercises on fall risk test scores and balance in older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. — Medicine, 2026 · DOISystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
3. Fall Prevention Interventions for Cognitively Impaired Older Adults: A Systematic Literature Review and Meta-Analysis. — Western journal of nursing research, 2026 · DOISystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
4. Identifying sub-health symptom clusters among urban older adults: exploring associations with Tai Chi exercise and risk of falling. — Frontiers in public health, 2026 · DOI
5. Optimal type and dose of exercise to improve fall behavior in older adults: A systematic evaluation and network meta-analysis. — Ageing research reviews, 2026 · DOISystematic Review
6. Tai Chi interventions for older adults living in aged care homes in Sri Lanka: a study protocol for a single-arm pretest-posttest feasibility study. — BMJ open, 2026 · DOI
7. The effectiveness of a nation-wide implemented fall prevention intervention in the Netherlands in reducing falls and fall-related injuries among community-dwelling older adults with an increased risk of falls: a randomized controlled trial. — BMC geriatrics, 2026 · DOIRandomized Controlled Trial
8. Caregiver beliefs about older adult falls from a nationally representative U.S. sample 2022. — Journal of safety research, 2025 · DOI
9. Effect of yoga on balance, falls, and bone metabolism: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials in healthy individuals. — Osteoporosis international : a journal established as result of cooperation between the European Foundation for Osteoporosis and the National Osteoporosis Foundation of the USA, 2025 · DOISystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
10. Effects of Tai Chi Chuan on Older Adults' Balance: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis. — Journal of aging and physical activity, 2025 · DOISystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
11. Effects of Tai Chi on balance and fall prevention in healthy older adults: a randomized controlled meta-analysis. — Frontiers in public health, 2025 · DOIMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
12. Efficacy of Tai Chi and Roliball Exercise on Balance, Mobility, and Cognitive Function in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial. — Clinical interventions in aging, 2025 · DOIRandomized Controlled Trial
13. Evaluating recruitment, retention, and adherence patterns in the GET FIT fall prevention exercise trial in older, postmenopausal cancer survivors. — Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, 2025 · DOIRandomized Controlled Trial
14. A 12-week Taijiquan practice improves balance control and functional fitness in fall-prone postmenopausal women. — Frontiers in public health, 2024 · DOI
15. A Systematic Review of the Effect of Physical Rehabilitation on Balance in People with Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy Who are at Risk of Falling. — Clinical interventions in aging, 2024 · DOISystematic Review
16. Effect of Tai Chi exercise on bone health and fall prevention in postmenopausal women: a meta-analysis. — Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research, 2024 · DOIMeta-Analysis
17. Falls prevention interventions for community-dwelling older adults: systematic review and meta-analysis of benefits, harms, and patient values and preferences. — Systematic reviews, 2024 · DOISystematic Review
18. Implementing Tai Chi Exercise in Long-Term Care to Reduce Falls. — Journal of nursing care quality, 2024 · DOI
19. Prepandemic Feasibility of Tele-Exercise as an Alternative Delivery Mode for an Evidence-Based, Tai Ji Quan Fall-Prevention Intervention for Older Adults. — Journal of aging and physical activity, 2024 · DOI
20. The effects of different types of Tai Chi exercises on preventing falls in older adults: a systematic review and network meta-analysis. — Aging clinical and experimental research, 2024 · DOISystematic Review
21. A comparison between effects of Square-Stepping Exercise and Tai Chi Chuan on functional fitness and fear of falling in older women. — Aging clinical and experimental research, 2023 · DOIRandomized Controlled Trial
22. Effectiveness of exercise on fall prevention in community-dwelling older adults: a 2-year randomized controlled study of 914 women. — Age and ageing, 2023 · DOIRandomized Controlled Trial
23. Tai Chi for fall prevention and balance improvement in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. — Frontiers in public health, 2023 · DOIMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
24. Economic evaluation of community-based falls prevention interventions for older populations: a systematic methodological overview of systematic reviews. — BMC health services research, 2022 · DOI
25. Network meta-analysis of the efficacy of four traditional Chinese physical exercise therapies on the prevention of falls in the elderly. — Frontiers in public health, 2022 · DOISystematic Review
26. Addressing COVID-19 challenges in a randomised controlled trial on exercise interventions in a high-risk population. — BMC geriatrics, 2021 · DOIRandomized Controlled Trial
27. Implementing an Online Virtual Falls Prevention Intervention During a Public Health Pandemic for Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Feasibility Trial. — Clinical interventions in aging, 2021 · DOIRandomized Controlled Trial
28. Intervention Characteristics Associated With a Reduction in Fear of Falling Among Community-Dwelling Older People: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. — The Gerontologist, 2021 · DOIMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
29. Recreational Therapy to Promote Mobility in Long-Term Care: A Scoping Review. — Journal of aging and physical activity, 2021 · DOI
30. Tai Chi practitioners have lower fall risks under dual-task conditions during stair descending. — PloS one, 2021 · DOI
31. The (cost-)effectiveness of an implemented fall prevention intervention on falls and fall-related injuries among community-dwelling older adults with an increased risk of falls: protocol for the in balance randomized controlled trial. — BMC geriatrics, 2021 · DOI
32. A multi-centre, parallel-group, randomised controlled trial to assess the efficacy and safety of eurythmy therapy and tai chi in comparison with standard care in chronically ill elderly patients with increased risk of falling (ENTAiER): a trial protocol. — BMC geriatrics, 2020 · DOI
33. Disseminating Tai Chi in the Community: Promoting Home Practice and Improving Balance. — The Gerontologist, 2020 · DOIRandomized Controlled Trial
34. Effects of Mind-Body Interventions Involving Meditative Movements on Quality of Life, Depressive Symptoms, Fear of Falling and Sleep Quality in Older Adults: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis. — International journal of environmental research and public health, 2020 · DOIMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
35. Evidence on physical activity and falls prevention for people aged 65+ years: systematic review to inform the WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. — The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity, 2020 · DOISystematic Review
36. Exercise for preventing falls in older people living in the community: Summary of a cochrane review. — Explore (New York, N.Y.), 2020 · DOI
37. Exercise for preventing falls in older people living in the community: an abridged Cochrane systematic review. — British journal of sports medicine, 2020 · DOISystematic Review
38. Falls and older people: preventative interventions. — British journal of community nursing, 2020 · DOI
39. Feasibility and Accuracy of Different Methods for Collecting Data on Falls Among Older People With Dementia. — Alzheimer disease and associated disorders, 2020 · DOI
40. Tai Chi for improving balance and reducing falls: An overview of 14 systematic reviews. — Annals of physical and rehabilitation medicine, 2020 · DOISystematic Review

170 more studies on PubMed

Government health information

The U.S. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health summarizes the evidence on tai chi.

Study list: PubMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine), citation data only. Trials: ClinicalTrials.gov. Retrieved 2026-10-22.

Data: PubMed (NLM citation data, free to use (abstracts not reproduced)); ClinicalTrials.gov (Public domain (U.S. Government work)); NCCIH (Public domain (U.S. Government work)). Retrieved 2026-10-22.