BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the training and detraining effects of Tai Chi (TC) on postural control ability in single leg stance (SLS) by conducting a single-blind randomized controlled trial. METHOD: Forty-eight older women were randomly divided into the TC, brisk walking (BW), and control (C) groups by using computer-generated program. The participants completed a 16-week intervention training and 8-week detraining program. Postural control ability in SLS was tested at the baseline, 16th, 20th, and 24thweeks. The primary outcomes included single-leg stance time (Time) and secondary outcomes included maximal displacement of the center of pressure (COP) in the anterior-posterior (AP) direction (D-ap), maximal displacement of the COP in the medial-lateral (ML) direction (D-ml), total length of the COP trajectories (Lng), and 95% confidence ellipse area of the COP movements (area), mean AP total excursion velocities (V-ap), and mean ML total excursion velocities (V-ml). RESULTS: Significant within-group difference compared with the baseline and between-groups difference compared with control group were found at 16th, 20th, and 24thweeks in the TC group and at the 16th and 20thweeks in the BW group in all the primary and secondary outcomes. Most of secondary outcomes including Lng, D-ml, V-ml, Area increased significantly at the 24thweek compared with that at the 16thweek in BW group. CONCLUSIONS: TC was effective in improving postural control ability and maintaining intervention gains, and was recommended as an appropriate exercise to prevent falls in the older adults.

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