研究目的：探討定期操練太極拳的老人其平衡的功能表現是否比從事其他種類運動的老人為佳，且其跌倒的發生率也較低。方法：實驗組為51名有定期操練太極拳的60歲以上的老人(男性38人，女性13人)，平均年齡為70.5±5.1。控制組為57名未曾練過太極拳的老人(男性27名，女性30名)平均年齡為67.4±5.9。兩組老人分別接受下列測試：平衡儀測試、張眼及閉眼單足站立、六公尺行走速度、踝關節活動度、功能性前伸、柔軟度、下肢肌力及手握力測試等。統計分析方法包括以描述統計來說明各依變項的分佈情形；將年齡與性別當作共變數，針對單一依變項執行共變數分析(ANCOVA)；同時將測量相同功能的同組依變項執行多變數變異分析(MANCOVA)。結果：實驗組的老人平均年齡較高，女性人數較少，且罹患輕微慢性病人數較多的定期操練太極拳者；但這組老人在平衡能力(包含感覺整合及重心位移能力)、張眼、閉眼單腳站、功能性前伸及六公尺走路速度、柔軟度、上下肢肌力及踝關節活動度等，皆明顯優於控制組老人；同時其過去一年跌倒發生的人數也顯著少於控制組老人(p<0.05)。結論：定期操練太極拳的老人，其平衡能力及相關的功能表現優於從事其他非平衡增進運動的老人；且其過去一年跌倒的發生率也較低。顯見操練太極拳對老人確實有保健的功效，是很值得推廣的老年人運動。

Purposes: The purposes of this study were to investigate whether balance and the related functional performance of the elderly who have been practicing Tai-Chi-Chuan regularly were better than those who doing other exercise, and whether the occurrence of falls of the former was lesser than the latter. Methods: Fifty-on elderly (38 males, 13 females, with mean age 70.5±5.1) who have been practicing Tai-Chi-Chuan regularly for at least one year (average 8.1 years) consisted the experimental group, while the control group was composed by 57 subjects (27 males, 30 females, with mean age 67.4±5.9). All of the subjects received the following tests balance master machine test, one leg stand with eye open and eye closed, functional reach, six-meter walking velocity, as flexibility, lower extremity muscle strength, grip strength, and ankle ROM. With age and gender as covariates, multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) was applied to examine group differences upon multiple dependent variables following this by ANCOVA separately for each dependent variable. Results: The Tai-Chi group had less females, more minor chronic diseases, also and older than lontrol group. However, this group showed better performance in sensory organization test, weight shifting ability, one leg stand with eye open and eye closed test, functional reach, flexibility, muscle strength of ankle plantarflexors, grip strength, ROM of ankle dorsiflexion, and sixmeter walking velocity, in addition, less falls in the previous year. Conclusion: Practicing Tai-Chi-Chuan showed better results in improving balance and the related functional performance than other types of exercise in the elderly.