The effects of Tai Chi Chuan combined with unstable resistance training on knee muscle strength and dynamic balance in female college students
A randomized controlled study protocol
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22073997 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Jiping He (Shanxi University), Xiaoyun Su (Shanxi University, corresponding author), Lin Wang (0000-0003-3048-1776, Shanxi University), Jie Men (0000-0003-4019-1529, Shanxi Medical University), Qinyuan Yu (Jiading District Central Hospital) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 14 |
| Pages | 1868830-1868830 |
| Publication date | 2026-05-29 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Frontiers in Public Health (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2296-2565 • E-ISSN: 2296-2565 |
| Publisher | Frontiers Media SA (PUBLISHER • CH) |
| DOI | 10.3389/fpubh.2026.1868830 |
| PMID | 42293609 |
| OpenAlex | W7162786053 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 43 |
Background: Insufficient physical activity and prolonged sedentary behavior among college students are associated with reduced lower-limb muscle strength, impaired dynamic balance, and increased susceptibility to sports-related knee injury. Female college students may be especially vulnerable because of sex-specific neuromuscular and biomechanical characteristics. Tai Chi Chuan may improve proprioceptive control and coordinated knee muscle activation, whereas unstable resistance training may rapidly enhance strength and neuromuscular stabilization. Whether a combined programme can produce complementary central-peripheral benefits remains to be verified in a rigorously designed randomized trial. Methods: This protocol describes a single-center, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial. Fifty-seven healthy female college students aged 18-22 years will be recruited from Fenyang College, Shanxi Medical University, and randomly allocated in a 1:1:1 ratio to a Tai Chi Chuan group (TCC), unstable resistance training group (URT), or Tai Chi Chuan combined with unstable resistance training group (T + URT). All interventions will last 8 weeks, with three 60-min sessions per week. The primary outcomes will be dominant-leg knee extensor peak torque, knee flexor peak torque, and hamstring-to-quadriceps ratio measured using an isokinetic strength testing system at 60 degrees/s. Secondary outcomes will include overall stability index, anteroposterior stability index, and mediolateral stability index under eyes-open and eyes-closed conditions measured with the Biodex Balance System. Assessments will be conducted at baseline and after the 8-week intervention. Intention-to-treat and per-protocol analyses will be used. Missing data will be handled using multiple imputation where appropriate. Discussion: This trial is designed to determine whether Tai Chi Chuan combined with unstable resistance training provides superior improvements in knee muscle function and dynamic balance compared with either intervention alone. Trial registration: https://itmctr.ccebtcm.org.cn, Identifier (ITMCTR2026000456)
Balance training · Dynamic balance · Physical strength · Proprioception · Randomized controlled trial · Resistance training · Balance, Gait, and Falls Prevention · Sports injuries and prevention · Sports Performance and Training
University-based physical education as a structured temporal and spatial opportunity for shaping health-oriented lifestyles
Tai Chi as a preventive intervention for improving mental and physical health in non-depressed college students with high perceived stress
Effect of Instability and Bodyweight Neuromuscular Training on Dynamic Balance Control in Active Young Adults
Physical Activity Habits and Determinants, Sedentary Behaviour and Lifestyle in University Students
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |