The health benefits of tai chi
Various studies have suggested that tai chi offers a wide range of benefits to people both with and without chronic conditions. Benefits include:
- Improved balance
Pain management
Improved sleep
Enhanced immune system
Improved brain function
Reducing falls
Tai chi could potentially help prevent trips and falls in older adults across a range of studies. A 2012 review involving a total of 79,193 people concluded that tai chi could reduce the risk of falling, and a 2015 systematic review of seven trials involving 544 tai chi chuan practitioners concluded it helped improve balance control and flexibility.
A 2014 review found that exercises including tai chi may have reduced the fear of falling among adults in a retirement community. However, the review did not reach a conclusion regarding tai chi and the frequency of falls.
One 2012 trial including 195 older adults with Parkinson’s disease showed that tai chi helped treat balance issues with more success than resistance training or regular stretching, and another article notes that the activity is a successful exercise intervention for factors related to falls in older people.
The evidence from these studies suggests that tai chi might help support many aspects of balance and posture.
Chronic pain
Several studies have suggested that tai chi can significantly impact chronic pain from conditions such as osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia.
A 2013 meta-analysis of seven different trials demonstrated that a 12 week course of tai chi could improve the stiffness and pain symptoms of knee osteoarthritis and improve function. The authors recommended further larger scale trials to support their conclusions.
A 2015 review of 54 studies involving 3,913 participants provided evidence that tai chi could improve physical function in people with knee osteoarthritis. Tai chi only formed the basis of five of the studies, but the evidence showed that exercise provided short-term knee relief.
Research has also shown that tai chi could help manage fibromyalgia.
A 2010 trial showed tai chi to be better than wellness education and stretching for regularising sleep patterns and treating symptoms of pain and fatigue in people with fibromyalgia.
A 2012 study of 101 people suggested that combining tai chi with mindfulness training could improve fibromyalgia symptoms and functional difficulties.
Chronic heart failure
Some practitioners of tai chi praise it as an effective management tool for people with chronic heart failure, but current evidence does not support the conclusion. Any studies that showed improvement indicated that the findings were insignificant.
Mental health and cognitive function
Tai chi is associated with mindfulness and psychological wellbeing, but there is little evidence for the mental health benefits of the activity. Some studies suggest a link, but a large 2010 meta-analysis of 40 studies failed to provide definitive conclusions.
Research looking at the effect of tai chi on cognitive function yielded more promising results.
A systematic review and meta-analysis from 2014 involved 2,553 adults aged 60 years and over with and without cognitive impairments. The results showed significant beneficial effects on cognitive function. The studies also demonstrated small but significant benefits for people who were cognitively impaired.
A 2015 review of nine studies involving 632 healthy adults showed the potential benefits of tai chi for cognitive ability and called for further studies to confirm the potential benefits.
Types of tai chi
There are five different styles of tai chi which date from different periods in history. Each style has a unique set of methods and principles, lineage, and date of origin.
The styles are:
- · Chen style, 1528 - 1587
- Yang style, 1799 - 1872
- Wu or Wu Hao style, 1812 - 1880
- Wu style, 1870 - 1942
- Sun style, 1861 - 1932
Some forms emphasise health, while others are more focused on self defence or competition.
People considering a tai chi course should speak to an experienced instructor about which style they practice and whether it will offer the expected benefits.