長期練習太極拳對於生活品質、身心活動之影響研究

Abstract

本研究之主要目的在於探研長期練習太極拳與生活品質及身心活動之間的關係與影響情形。研究採用台灣簡明版世界衛生組織生活品質問卷來評估受試者的生活品質情況，使用體適能測量工具進行體適能評估，並透過功能性核磁共振技術來探索受試者的腦部活動狀態。 研究中邀請44 名長期練習太極拳者為長期組受試者，搭配52 名中期組受試者、48 名新手組以及56 名有長期且規律的運動習慣但運動項目非太極拳者作為對照，進行生活品質與體適能的測量；並從長期組與新手組中各抽取12 名受試者進行腦部活動的測量。 結果發現在整體生活品質及一般健康、生理健康範疇與心理範疇的得分方面，長期組、中期組皆顯著優於新手組與對照組，從分析中確實能夠發現長期組在生活品質各個層面感受所展現出的優勢。在體適能的表現上，長期組與中期組在柔軟度、肌肉適能、平衡感部分比起對照組大多表現出顯著的效果，四組在身體組成與心肺功能方面則無顯著差異。而在腦部活動的部分亦出現明顯差異，對於太極拳招式的想像都造成了視覺區、空間區與前運動皮質區的活化，長期組左右半球較為均勻分佈，新手組右半球活化區域則較左半球為大。 透過這些結果，可以推想長期練習太極拳對於健康促進與提升生活品質的影響效果，甚至可能影響腦部活動的情形。在此，我們試著藉由自動化理論與鏡像神經元理論解釋腦部活動的表現差異。

Tai chi is a traditional Chinese exercise and is well known for its slow and graceful movements. The primary purpose of this study is to evaluate the influence of long term Tai chi practicing on quality of life and body-mind wellness. A total of 200 participants (110 women and 90 men) are divided into four groups, which are long term group, middle term group, fresh group, and exercise controlled group. We use the WHOQOL-BREF (Taiwan version) to evaluate the quality of life, test tools of physical fitness to assess flexibility, strength, balance, cardiorespiratory function, body mass index of the all participants. And applying functional MRI to analyse the brain activation of 12 persons selected from long term group and fresh group. We have found that long term Tai Chi practicing is beneficial to quality of life, and physical fitness which includes flexibility, strength, and balance. It also makes differences of brain activation. In conclusion, Tai chi practicing has potential benefits in health promotion, and it may produce some effects on brain activation of Tai chi practitioners.