1. A 12-week Tai Chi or walking exercise intervention produced significant and similar beneficial effects on body composition, aerobic fitness, muscular fitness, fasting blood glucose, resting metabolic rate, and perceived health in middle-aged Chinese. 2. While Tai Chi and walking both elicited significant cardiorespiratory responses and energy expenditure to the moderate intensity level, walk...

PURPOSE Tai Chi exercise, an ancient Chinese martial art, has drawn more and more attention for its health benefits. The purpose of the study was to identify the effects of a Sun-style Tai Chi exercise on arthritic symptoms (joint pain and stiffness), motivation for performing health behaviors, and the performance of health behaviors among older women with osteoarthritis. METHODS Total of 72 ...

Aging is a worldwide phenomenon which causes health, social and economic problems. Healthy aging has been the focus of many scholarly investigations, particularly with regard to cardiovascular disease and postural control problems causing falls. Arterial compliance is an index reflecting artery function, and it is closely related to cardiovascular health. Decreased arterial compliance is associ...

Studies are showing that practicing Tai Chi can facilitate an individual’s ability to increase physical stamina, reduce stress, enhance feelings of wellbeing, and improve resistance to illness. In this workshop, the principles and practice of a short form of Yang-style Tai Chi is presented for participants to experience and discuss the use of this evidence-based modality in a variety of healthc...

QUESTION Does Tai Chi improve postural control in patients with Parkinson's disease? DESIGN Randomised, controlled trial and blinded outcome assessment. SETTING University clinic in USA. PARTICIPANTS Individuals with Parkinson's disease (Hoehn and Yahr Stage 1-4) between the age of 40 and 85 years, and ability to walk with or without an assistive device were key inclusion criteria. Mini-M...

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...

AIM This paper reports a study to examine change in psychosocial status following a 12-week Tai Chi exercise intervention among ethnic Chinese people with cardiovascular disease risk factors living in the United States of America. BACKGROUND Regular participation in physical activity is associated with protection against cardioavascular disease, and improvements in physical and psychological ...

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Tai Chi on waist circumference and blood pressure in the elderly. The present study used a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. [Subjects and Methods] Sixty-eight elderly individuals residing in J city were divided into 2 groups: 34 in the experimental group, who received Tai Chi training for 6 weeks, and 34 i...

The rationale of this article is to review, analyze, and discuss studies concerning the role of Tai Chi in stress management and well-being, linking those studies to research on exercise, yoga, and relaxation with regard to physiological and psychological wellness. All studies reported in PsychLit and Medline between 1996 and 1999 directly related to the subject, plus other studies relevant for...

One of the challenges faced by people with advancing age is decreased postural stability and increased risks for falls. There has been an increased interest over the last decade in using Tai Chi as an intervention exercise for improving postural balance and preventing falls in older people. Despite the increased number of studies in recent years relating Tai Chi to balance and fall prevention, ...