What is it about?
Tai Chi is a traditional practice now characterized as meditative movement. This study compared Tai Chi to exercise in subjects with fibromyalgia. Importantly, it involved 20 minutes of daily self-practice in addition to group classes once or twice a week. Both the Tai Chi and exercise groups experienced health benefits after 6 months and at 12 months. However, Tai Chi produced greater benefit than matched-intensity exercise.
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Why is it important?
Fibromyalgia is a challenging condition to have for patients and to treat for health professionals. This study compares a traditional practice to the main recommendation in current treatment guidelines (exercise) and observes better outcomes in the Tai Chi group. It is essential that the potential health benefits of this, and related practices, are explored further.
Perspectives
In recent decades, practices involving chi/qi (tai chi and qigong) have increasingly been explored for their health benefits. Controlled studies such as the one that is the main feature of this article are very important for revealing this potential. Beyond this approach, case studies reveal remarkable health benefits in those who engage in long-term practice. Continued exploration, using multiple methods of investigation, is needed.
Jana Sawynok
Dalhousie University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Benefits of Tai Chi for fibromyalgia, Pain Management, June 2018, Future Medicine,
DOI: 10.2217/pmt-2018-0021.
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