Tai Chi Could Ease Your Arthritis Pain

New research suggests that tai chi could work as an alternative to physical therapy for knee osteoarthritis sufferers. Tai chi could be especially helpful for overweight adults with osteoarthritis, as people who are overweight have a greater risk of developing osteoarthritis than people with a healthy weight.

Knee osteoarthritis involves the wearing away of the cartilage in the knee joint. Loss of cartilage causes joint pain, swelling, and stiffness, and is one of the leading causes of disability for older adults.

The study was led by Dr. Chenchen Wang, the director of the Center for Complementary and Integrative Medicine at Tufts Medical Center in Boston. Dr. Wang said that her study adds to existing evidence that tai chi can be used to treat knee osteoarthritis. The study also showed that tai chi can improve symptoms of depression among knee osteoarthritis patients.

The study included 200 adults with an average age of 60. Most of the participants were either overweight or obese, and had suffered from knee osteoarthritis for an average of eight years. Half of the participants underwent traditional physical therapy, and half practiced tai chi. The physical therapy group received physical therapy twice a week for six weeks, then performed six weeks of home exercise. The tai chi group practiced with an experienced instructor twice a week for 12 weeks. Both groups were allowed to continue taking their usual medications, including anti-inflammatory medicines and acetaminophen.

Traditional physical therapy exercises focus on the quadriceps, hamstrings, and gluteal muscles. All of these muscle groups are important for knee function and injury prevention.

Tai chi is a traditional Chinese practice that combines meditation, deep breathing, and relaxation with slow, graceful body movements.

After 12 weeks, the participants completed a questionnaire in which they were asked to assess their pain, stiffness, and overall joint function. Both groups showed dramatic improvements.

Interestingly, the participants who practiced tai chi also reported feeling less depressed than the physical therapy group. Dr. Wang attributes this to tai chi’s emphasis on mindfulness and psychological well-being.

Tai chi is particularly helpful for elderly arthritis patients. The focus on balance and coordination leads to decreased falls in older adults. Tai chi also helps patients improve their joint function by increasing the strength and flexibility of the surrounding muscles. It is also a low-impact activity, which decreases the risk of further inflammation.

Dr. Wang and her research team concluded that tai chi can be a helpful treatment option for adults with osteoarthritis who lack sufficient access to physical therapy, or whose past treatments have been ineffective.