Tai Chi is a form of exercise that has been practiced in parts of Asia, especially China, for hundreds of years. It’s a form of martial arts that aims to cultivate the mind and body. Many practice Tai Chi because they experience improved physical function and mood. And now Australian researchers have determined that Tai Chi does in fact improve pain and disability in patients suffering from arthritis. However, I’m sure that practitioners of the art don’t need convincing, but modern medicine demands research trials be done. The researchers state, “The fact that Tai Chi is inexpensive, convenient, and enjoyable and conveys other psychological and social benefits supports the use this type of intervention for pain conditions such as arthritis.” The study is published in the June issue of Arthritis Care & Research.
Have you tried Tai Chi? Share your comments here.
Tags: arthritis, china, exercise, tai chi
Dr. Steven Chang, the author of DailyDose, is a staff physician with Kosmix RightHealth. Dr. Chang practices Family Medicine at the University of California Davis Medical Center, where his medical interests include both pediatric and geriatric care, public health, gay and lesbian health, and sleep medicine. Dr. Chang trained at the Stanford University affiliated O'Connor Hospital, and was a research fellow at the National Institute of Health. He holds an M.D. from McGill University and a BA in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University.
June 2nd, 2009 at 10:15 pm
yeah, tai chi is great way to improve the balance, because the movements can be practiced slowly. Also, Tai Chi enhance the natural healing process.
For Arthritis Sufferers, you need to adapt the original Tai Chi movements, otherwise it will be too difficult to learn.
January 16th, 2010 at 9:40 am
Really new to this thing, but I’m still learning about this. This is a great thing that my friend recommended to me, I never getting involved with it but soon will be