The ancient Chinese martial art form tai chi has been practiced for centuries by people who want to balance the body and mind, as well as increase their life energy.

Now, new research published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society suggests that this balance-based exercise program could help reduce falls suffered by older people.

Dr. Catherine Sherrington of the George Institute for International Health in Australia told Reuters Health that balance training was a key to fall prevention.

She and her colleagues compared the effectiveness of a number of different exercise programs on preventing falls among elderly people who resided in assisted living communities.

They found that walking and strength-related classes made only a small difference, whereas tai chi and other balance classes had a strong correlation with fewer falls.

In tai chi, participants perform a series of postures or movements at a slow pace. Each of the more than 100 postures flows into the next without pause, creating a graceful movement.

Many people practice tai chi as a health resource to reduce their stress level or boost their internal energy.