Tai Chi, an ancient Chinese art now spread throughout the world, has recently gained the attention of Western medicine. Its health benefits are no longer just anecdotal but have been demonstrated scientifically for conditions from depression to insomnia, poor balance to shingles. Studies have begun to recognize benefits for sufferers of rheumatoid arthritis as well.
What is Tai Chi?
Every morning throughout China, the parks are filled with people greeting the day with an exercise that looks like slow, smooth dance movements. They are doing Tai Chi and its close relative qigong, which are forms of exercise and martial art that have roots in ancient Chinese history.
Tai Chi, also known as "Taiji" or "Tai Chi Chuan," has roots that go back to at least the 17th century. It is a series of movements, strung together in a "form" that is memorized by Tai Chi players and repeated in the same sequence every time they practice. The movements, which are done in slow motion and with great relaxation, contain the blocks, punches and kicks of a martial art. Their benefits, however, extend beyond the martial arts. They are a safe, effective way of fostering health for adults of all ages.
Is Tai Chi Safe?
Tai Chi's safety varies with the style being performed. Tai Chi has several different styles: Wu, Yang, Chen, Guang Ping, Lee, Combined, and Sun. Variations also exist from school to school within each style. Some Tai Chi variants are more athletic than others. Some incorporate deep stances or ballistic movement. Chen style, for example, incorporates crisp, snapping movements interspersed with the slow-flowing movement. Consequently, some kinds of Tai Chi are more comfortable and safe for practitioners with rheumatoid arthritis than others. The only way to determine if a particular school is appropriate for your level of fitness is to watch a class and talk to the teacher. Then take what you find to your rheumatologist for an opinion.
In general, however, one of the advantages of Tai Chi is its slow, controlled movements. A 1991 study published in the "American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation" found no significant exacerbation of joint symptoms in a group doing a slow, gentle form of Tai Chi. The authors also postulated that the weight-bearing-nature of the exercises may have the advantage of "stimulating bone growth and strengthening connective tissue," something other safe but non-weight-bearing exercises lack.
Benefits for Joint Function
Tai Chi benefits joint function in people with rheumatoid arthritis. It does this in two ways. First it improves muscle strength and function. A study in Oslo, Norway, of women with rheumatoid arthritis showed improved lower-limb muscle function in particular.
It also, however, improves range of motion in the joint itself. The Cochrane study, a compilation of dozens of studies in both the U.S. and China, found "Tai Chi has statistically significant benefits on lower extremity range of motion, in particular ankle range of motion, for people with RA. "
Benefits for Joint Pain
What is not clear, however, is whether Tai Chi improves joint pain in rheumatoid arthritis sufferers. The Cochrane study didn't find any evidence for the reduction of pain. A small study of 15 women with rheumatoid arthritis found some benefit. Anecdotal evidence for Tai Chi's benefit in reducing pain is all over the Web, but clinical evidence is sparse.
David Yoccum, rheumatologist at the University of Arizona, suggests an explanation. He notes the stress and pain mechanism share many nervous system pathways. He postulates that reduction of stress may be the reason Tai Chi seems to help pain in some people. In fact, Tai Chi has proven itself in several studies to enhance patients' ability to cope with illness.
Benefits for Quality of Life
Beyond pain and function is overall quality of life. One measure of quality of life used by researchers is known as the disability index. This disability index measures how difficult certain tasks--eating, walking, dressing, etc.--are to a subject. Several studies have shown improvement on this index.
Other Benefits
Tai Chi's many other benefits extend beyond its ability to mitigate the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. It has value for stress reduction, body awareness and graceful movement. A 2006 Korean study found a significant improvement in sense of balance among rheumatoid arthritis sufferers.
Tai Chi can improve the depression often associated with rheumatoid arthritis. According to a study done by the Tufts-New England Medical Center, Tai Chi not only improved depression; it boosted overall quality of life for the 10 study participants.
A summary article in 1996 "Journal of Holistic Nursing" lists these benefits of Tai Chi and qigong: (they) "promote postural stability; decrease falls; enhance cardiovascular and ventilatory functions; rehabilitate persons with acute myocardial infarction and rheumatoid arthritis; and reduce pain, stress, and nightmares."
Tai Chi also reduces blood pressure and anxiety, and it can even lower your cholesterol.
References
- Dotaichi.com: A History of Tai Chi
- Exploring Tai Chi in Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Quantitative and Qualitative Study
- PubMed: Tai Chi Improves Pain and Functional Status in Adults with Rheumatoid Arthritis: Results of a Pilot Single-Blinded Randomized Controlled Trial
- PubeMed: Tai Chi for Rheumatoid Arthritis: Systematic Review
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