Research shows Tai Chi exercise reduces knee osteoarthritis pain in the elderly
Regular sessions improve physical function, depression and overall health
1st on the web (October 30, 2009)
Patients over 65 years old with knee osteoarthritis (OA) who engage in regular Tai Chi exercise improve physical function and experience less pain, according to researchers in Boston.
The findings, published in the November issue of Arthritis Care & Research, were the result of a study by a team from the Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, Mass.
Chenchen Wang, MD, MSc, and colleagues recruited 40 patients with confirmed knee OA. All of the patients in the study were in otherwise good health. Mean patient age was 65 years. Twenty of the patients were randomly selected and asked to participate in 60-minute Yang style Tai Chi sessions twice weekly for 12 weeks. Each session included a 10-minute self massage and a review of Tai Chi principles, 30 minutes of Tai Chi movement, 10 minutes of breathing technique and 10 minutes of relaxation.
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Tai Chi is a traditional style of Chinese martial arts that features slow, rhythmic movements to induce mental relaxation and enhance balance, strength, flexibility, and self-efficacy.
The remaining 20 participants assigned to the control group attended two 60-minute class sessions per week for 12 weeks. Each control session included 40 minutes of instruction covering OA as a disease, diet and nutrition, therapies to treat OA, or physical and mental health education. The final 20 minutes consisted of stretching exercises involving the upper body, trunk and lower body, with each stretch being held for 10-15 seconds.
At the end of the 12-week period, patients practicing Tai Chi exhibited a significant decrease in knee pain compared with those in the control group. Using the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) pain scale, researchers noted a –118.80 point reduction in pain from baseline between the Tai Chi and control group. Researchers also observed improved physical function, self-efficacy, depression, and health status for knee OA in subjects in the Tai Chi group.
"Tai Chi is a mind-body approach that appears to be an applicable treatment for older adults with knee OA," said Wang in a release. “Our observations emphasize a need to further evaluate the biologic mechanisms and approaches of Tai Chi to extend its benefits to a broader population.”
Reference:
Wang C, Schmid CH, Hibberd PL, et al. Tai Chi is effective in treating knee osteoarthritis: A randomized controlled trial. Arth Care Res. Published online Oct. 29, 2009. DOI:10.1002/art.24832.
