Introduction. Qigong (Chi Gong) and Tai Chi (Taiji, Tai Chi Chuan) are words that are rapidly becoming established in the lexicon of the American household. This can largely be attributed to a recent proliferation of references in the media: in the Health and Lifestyle sections of newspapers and magazines as a frontier in complementary and alternative medicine, in global current events as a cen...

Background: Given the limited benefits of current treatments for Parkinson’s disease (PD), interventions that might provide supplementary benefits would be of value. The traditional Chinese medicine practice of Tai Chi has been said to improve some aspects of PD, particularly imbalance. Methods: Preliminary randomized, controlled, and rater-blinded clinical trial of Tai Chi, focusing on its eff...

We investigated the effects of tai chi on disease activity, flexibility and depression in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). We allocated 40 patients to either a tai chi treatment group or a no-treatment control group. The tai chi group performed 60 min of tai chi twice weekly for eight consecutive weeks and 8 weeks of home-based tai chi, after which the group showed significant improve...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Exercise is recommended for every patient with Parkinson's disease (PD). The effectiveness of two different forms of exercise for PD, Tai Chi and combined stretching-strengthening exercise, was compared. METHODS Patients with mild-to-moderate PD were recruited to join either the combined stretching-strengthening exercise group (n=7), the Tai Chi group (n=9), or the cont...

Objectives. To evaluate the reporting quality of published randomized clinical trials (RCTs) in the Tai Chi literature following the publication of the CONSORT guidelines in 2001. Data Sources. The OVID MEDLINE and PUBMED databases. Review Methods. To survey the general characteristics of Tai Chi RCTs in the literature, we included any report if (i) it was an original report of the trial; (ii) ...

Background. The present study aimed to evaluate and compare the effect of two different types of Tai Chi programs on the Functional Movement Screening (FMS) in older adults. Methods. Ninety older adults (65.5 ± 4.6 years old) who met the eligibility criteria were randomized into three different groups based on a ratio of 1 : 1 : 1: a traditional Tai Chi exercise (TTC), a simplified Tai Chi exer...

BACKGROUND a large proportion of adults with type 2 diabetes remain sedentary despite evidence of benefits from exercise for type 2 diabetes. Simplified Yang Tai Chi has been shown in one study to have no effect on insulin sensitivity in older adults. However, a modified Tai Chi form, Tai Chi for Diabetes (TCD) has recently been composed, claiming to improve diabetes control. METHODS subjects...

BACKGROUND Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, systemic inflammatory autoimmune disease that results in the destruction of the musculoskeletal system. The major goals of treatment are to relieve pain, reduce inflammation, slow down or stop joint damage, prevent disability, and preserve or improve the person's sense of well-being and ability to function. Tai Chi, interchangeably known as Tai...

Low-impact exercise that appeals to elderly adults and can be done almost anywhere provides hoth societal and individual benefits. One such program is Tai Chi, a traditional Chinese dancelike conditioning exercise. The article presents an easily adopted and adapted 8-form Tai Chi program (Easy Tai Chi) designed for older adults or individuals with mobility challenges or physical impairments. De...

Tai chi exercise has been recommended as suitable for the improvement of health in the elderly. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of tai chi on lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTSs), quality of life (QoL), and sex hormone levels in patients with benign prostate hypertrophy (BPH). The elderly patients with BPH were randomized to receive tai chi or usual care. Fifty-six part...