Study Found Tai Chi Helpful for Arthritis Patients

A study, conducted at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, has concluded the martial art of Tai Chi is helpful to arthritis sufferers, including those with fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, and osteoarthritis. The study found participants improved in reach, balance, and their sense of well-being, as well as having reduced pain and stiffness.

Arthritis

Arthritis is a joint disorder, involving inflammatory joint pain, swelling, and tenderness. There are more than one hundred forms of arthritis; the most common form is osteoarthritis, followed by rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis forms from normal wear and tear on the joints as we move; cartilage wears away, fluids dry up, and tissue is damaged until the bones of the joints are wearing against each other. This leads to bone spurs, pain, stiffness and loss of mobility. Osteoarthritis occurs in the middle to late years, but it can have an early onset if the joint is injured, or an infection in the tissues lining the joint occurs. Rheumatoid arthritis is an auto-immune disorder, with no known cause. It affects primarily young adults, but can occur in children and teenagers as well. Rheumatoid arthritis is characterized by a bilateral attack on the joints; osteoarthritis occurs mainly on one side of the body, but rheumatoid arthritis attacks both sides at the same time. Rheumatoid arthritis causes pain, swelling, redness, and tenderness in the affected joints, and causes joint destruction if not treated.

Tai Chi

Tai Chi is the English version of t’ai chi ch’uan, the name for an internal form of Chinese martial arts. Tai Chi is categorized under the Wudang grouping of martial arts; this separates the internal martial arts from the Shaolin, or external (hard) martial arts. There are five elements to Tai Chi, and the martial art is known for its slow movements. Focusing on the movements of the form brings about a mental calmness; this is an effective form of stress management. Reducing stress in arthritis patients is one of the keys to managing the effects of the disease.

Study Results

The UNC study followed 354 participants, recruited from twenty locations in North Carolina and New Jersey, randomly divided into two groups. All study participants were given baseline and eight-week evaluations; the study group received the eight-week, twice-weekly Tai Chi course immediately and the second group, functioning as a delayed control, received the course after the eight-week evaluations were given.

To participate, a study recipient must have a self-reported, doctor-diagnosed form of arthritis, be eighteen or older, and be able to move independently. The study participants were not required to be able to stand for the Tai Chi course; they could participate in Tai Chi while seated. Measurements of pain, fatigue, stiffness, and physical functionality were taken at the baseline and after eight weeks. The group taking the Tai Chi course reported improvements in pain levels, fatigue, and stiffness. They also reported an improvement in their sense of well-being, and showed improvements in reach and balance.

Arthritis Foundation Tai Chi Program

The Arthritis Foundation and the Centers for Disease Control partnered with Dr. Paul Lam in 1996 to start a Tai Chi program for arthritis patients. Several studies have confirmed Tai Chi’s benefits for arthritis sufferers, and offers these folks a way to exercise and improve their condition without exacerbating it. You can find out about the program for US residents at the website: http://usa.taichiproductions.com/tai-chi-for-arthritis-12-lessons-free-lesson-below/ this site describes the program, and offers one free lesson. You can purchase a DVD of the program to use at home.

Arthritis, in all its forms, is a debilitating, sometimes disabling, disease. It has no known cures at this time, although research is ongoing. To live with any type of arthritis, one has to learn how to manage the disease and still maintain their quality of life. It’s a difficult task at best; many arthritis sufferers wind up home-bound and alone, caught in a self-fulfilling prophecy of disability. It’s important to keep a positive attitude, and to keep moving as long as is possible. There are many treatments and techniques allowing a patient to not only manage the disease, but to participate fully in work, church, family, and in living. It is possible to live a full life with arthritis, and Tai Chi is one way of beating the disease. Find a program in your area and join it – it will be well worth the time and effort.

References:
1.Lam P, Horstman J. Overcoming Arthritis: How to Relieve Pain and Restore Mobility Through a Unique Tai Chi Program. New York: DK Publishing, Inc.; 2002.
2. F, Harmer P, Fisher, et al. Tai Chi and self-rated quality of sleep and daytime sleepiness in older adults: a randomized controlled trial. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2004;52(6):892-900.
3.Song R, Lee EO, Lam P, Bae SC. Effects of tai chi exercise on pain, balance, muscle strength, and perceived difficulties in physical functioning in older women with osteoarthritis: a randomized clinical trial. J Rheumatol. 2003;30(9):2039-2044.