DONNA KELLEY, CNN ANCHOR: And on another health note, our feeling fit. Medical correspondent Linda Ciampa looks at an ancient art that's giving new balance to older folks.</s>LINDA CIAMPA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): At 86 years old, Sarah Young has found something new to keep her in balance, Tai Chi. Young says that peaceful form of martial arts has enabled her to give up her walker and has reduced her fear of falling.</s>SARAH YOUNG, TAI CHI STUDENT: I thought it was wonderful. You would have too if you had been on this thing.</s>CIAMPA: Research has shown Tai Chi can cut the risk of falls by almost 50 percent in healthy, robust seniors. Now, a new study is asking whether it can do the same in frail seniors.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Tai Chi forces to think about how you're moving, and I think -- remarkably -- allows a person to retain the notion of how they are moving in the absence of the actual practice of the Tai Chi, so that when they are walking, and they may trip over an object, they have learned enough body control through Tai Chi so that they can adopt several step movement strategy that allows them to regain their balance.</s>CIAMPA: This ancient Chinese exercise may be good in aiding those suffering from other ailments too. The National Institutes of Health has just funded a study that will examine whether Tai Chi can help Parkinson's patients. For feeling fit, I'm Linda Ciampa.
Tai Chi Helps Seniors Stay Fit