With Tai Chi for arthritis complaints

The Chinese folk sport Tai Chi can help against arthritis complaints. This was shown in a US study involving a total of 350 participants suffering from arthritis.

Tai Chi helps fight the inflammatory arthritis joint disease. In a study of more than 350 arthritis patients, American scientists have found that the combination of martial arts and meditation reduces the pain and fatigue of those affected and increases their mobility, balance, and well-being.

Tai Chi - flowing, relaxing movement
The Chinese folk sport Tai Chi too „Chinese shadow boxing“ called, is one of the internal martial arts and is based on the Daoist idea that hard can be defeated by soft, because it offers no direct resistance. The underlying principle is flowing, relaxed movements that, with the progress of the exercises, make the body more and more accurate and the mind in tune with the body. In China, the country of origin, thousands of people use Tai Chi to train their bodies and minds daily in parks and public areas. So many Chinese remain relatively agile, fit and flexible until old age.

Arthritis patients exercise Tai Chi
To substantiate this observation, American researchers at the University of North Carolina at the Chapel Hill School of Medicine have enrolled 354 subjects from 20 places in North Carolina and New Jersey with diagnosed arthritis in tai-chi courses, and paralleled the health development of the subjects examined. The participants, who are at least 18 years old, all suffered from arthritis symptoms before the exercises, which restricted their daily lives. However, all subjects were still able to move without assistance.

Patients were randomly divided into two groups, one directly starting an eight-week tai chi course and training twice a week, while control group training was repeated eight weeks later. The test participants did not necessarily have to be able to practice Tai Chi while standing, but it was sufficient if they could do their exercises while sitting. In addition to general medical assessments of physical functioning, the researchers interviewed the test subjects at the beginning of the study for pain, fatigue, and stiffness as well as general health and well-being. The subjects should also state how well they coped in everyday life.

Relieve the symptoms of arthritis and increase wellbeing
There were no differences between the two groups prior to the start of the Tai Chi class, but after the groups completed their training, moderate improvements were seen in symptoms such as pain, fatigue, a stiff neck, and a stiff back. In addition, the patients felt more comfortable, less helpless and happier.

The Tai Chi exercises in terms of physical range and balance of arthritis patients brought about a significant improvement. As Leigh Callahan, lead author of the study, said when presenting the results at the annual meeting of the American College of Rheumatology in Atlanta: „Our study shows that Tai Chi has been beneficial to people with a variety of forms of arthritis, including fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis“. In all study participants, Chinese martial arts exercise exercises reduced pain, joint stiffness and fatigue, and improved balance and mobility, Callahan said.

Tai Chi class increased the well-being of study participants
Also on the psyche of the subjects had the eight-week Tai Chi course a positive effect and increased the well-being of arthritis patients. In addition to the test subjects' statements, objective medical methods, such as walking pace measurements or strength and balance exercises, also showed a clear improvement in the symptoms. (fp, 08.11.2010)

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Image: Michael Raab