本研究的目的在探討有無從事太極拳運動的65歲以上老年人在行走中跨越障礙時的運動學參數上的差異，用以了解長期參與太極拳運動的老年人在此功能性動作控制上所產生的效應。研究使用10部Vicon攝影機（250 Hz）收集15位從事太極拳運動5年以上的老年人（太極拳組：71.73±4.72歲，160.13±7.16公分，58.30±6.67公斤）與15位一般健康老年人（一般組：72.6±5.61歲，163.13±8.49公分，59.97±8.62公斤）進行三種高度（10%、20%、30%腿長）障礙跨越的運動學資料；並以二因子混合設計變異數分析進行組間與高度間差異的顯著性檢定，所得研究結果顯示：在跨越過程中，前跨腳腳尖與障礙垂直間隙、前跨腳腳跟與障礙水平距離、後跨腳腳尖與障礙水平距離、跨越第一小步長、跨越第二小步長、跨越大步長，以及跨步速度、最大重心前進位移量、最大重心前進速度等參數皆以太極拳組顯著大於一般組。本研究結論發現：太極拳組老年人在跨越障礙過程中顯示出與一般健康老年人的差異，而有更為接近年輕人的策略與表現，推論此為太極拳組老年人長期從事太極拳運動，因而減緩了老化所帶來的身體活動能力退化的緣故。

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of Tai Chi exercise on crossing obstacle in the elderly. Fifteen healthy elderly without regular and systematic physical training (normal group, age 72.6 ± 5.61 yrs, height 163.13 ± 8.49 cm, weight 59.97 ± 8.62 kg) and 15 healthy elderly, who did Tai Chi exercise more than 5 years (Tai Chi group, age 71.73 ± 4.72 yrs, height 160.13 ± 7.16 cm, weight 58.30 ± 6.67 kg) were participated in this study. All participants were asked to step over the obstacle barefoot at preferred speed. Ten Vicon high-speed cameras (250 Hz) were used to collect the kinematic data. Two-way mixed designed ANOVA was used for statistics and significance difference was calculated. Results indicated that Tai Chi group showed significantly greater leading foot toe-clearance, trailing foot toe-obstacle distance, leading foot heel-obstacle distance, cross stride length, stride speed, displacements of center of mass (COM) in sagittal plane, and peak velocities of center of mass in sagittal plane compared to normal group. Our findings revealed that Tai Chi group could increase the successful rate while crossing obstacle due to greater length-distance variables and may reduce the risk of fall. These effects were most likely to the performances of young adults. This study concludes that regular and Tai Chi training could improve the functional ability of crossing obstacle for the elderly.