INTRODUCTION
Ninot, musculoskeletal pain
EVENTS
Aging is associated with declines in multiple domains of physical function including mobility, balance, and strength. Age‐related functional decline, in turn, is associated with numerous adverse outcomes among older adults, including increased risks of falls and cardiovascular events, social isolation, increased hospitalizations and admissions to nursing homes, and overall reduced quality of life. Consequently, age‐related functional decline has a significant impact on societal health care costs, and these burdens are expected to grow with our aging society. Research informing effective interventions that prevent functional decline and promote healthy aging is therefore warranted.A growing body of research supports the idea that exercise can be effective in preventing functional decline. However, optimal types and regimens of exercise that are effective, safe, adaptable, enjoyable, and cost‐effective and thus likely to be adopted and adhered to by older adults across the later lifespan have yet to be systematically evaluated. Tai Chi is a mind–body exercise that has gained much attention in recent years as a putative preventive and rehabilitative exercise option for a wide range of clinical populations. With roots in traditional Chinese martial and healing arts, Tai Chi employs detailed regimens of flowing movements, upright balance and weight shifting, breathing techniques, and cognitive tools (e.g., focused attention, imagery, and body awareness). Studies have investigated Tai Chi's effects on multiple outcomes that are associated with morbidity including cardiopulmonary conditions, musculoskeletal pain (Hall et al., While Tai Chi's impact on clinical populations has received significant attention, less research has focused on the potential benefits for healthy and relatively active adult populations. Some of this evidence gap results from the general challenges of studying upstream preventative interventions, including pragmatic issues related to the delivery of longer‐term nonpharmacological interventions and extended observational periods (Ninot, Based on our prior studies and existing literature, we hypothesized that: (1) Tai Chi experts would show better physical function outcomes relative to age‐matched Tai Chi‐naive older adults; (2) Relative to Tai Chi‐naive older adults, Tai Chi experts would have functional measures more similar to Tai Chi‐naïve healthy, young adults (i.e., greater attenuation of functional decline); (3) Within the embedded randomized trial, older adults randomized to the short‐term Tai Chi training group would exhibit better functional outcomes than those in the usual care control group after 6 months of Tai Chi training.