This review combined results from studies on digital Tai Chi for older adults. It included 907 participants and compared digital Tai Chi to passive controls like routine care. The main focus was on cognitive function, mood, balance, mobility, and quality of life.
The review found that digital Tai Chi significantly improved global cognitive function and alleviated depressive symptoms. However, it did not show significant benefits for balance or mobility tests like the Timed Up and Go or Berg Balance Scale.
Safety concerns were not reported in the included studies. A key reason to be careful is that the quality of the evidence ranged from very low to moderate, and the technology may not fully replicate the physical feedback of traditional Tai Chi.
Readers should see this as early evidence that digital Tai Chi may help older adults with thinking and mood, but it is not yet clear if it offers advantages over traditional exercise for physical function.