Health
Benefits
of
T'ai
Chi
    The concept of taiji ("supreme ultimate"), in contrast with wuji ("without ultimate"), appears in both Taoist and Confucian Chinese philosophy, where it represents the fusion or mother of yin and yang into a single ultimate, represented by the taijitu symbol. T‘ai-chi ch‘üan theory and practice evolved in agreement with many Chinese philosophical principles, including those of Taoism and Confucianism. Today, t‘ai-chi ch‘üan has spread worldwide.
Alternative
Treatments
Nsaid's
&
Imsaid's
Medication
Guidelines
Food
&
Drug Interaction
Medical
Dictionary

Health Benefits of Tai Chi

     T‘ai-chi ch‘üan has been reported as being useful in treating a number of human ailments, and is supported by a number of associations, including the National Parkinson Foundation and Diabetes Australia. However, medical evidence of effectiveness was lacking and in recent years research has been undertaken to address this.

     A 2011 comprehensive overview of all the existing systematic reviews of t‘ai-chi ch‘üan's health effects found that "the evidence is conclusively or tentatively positive for fall prevention, general healthcare in older people, improving balance and enhancing psychological health"; the overview's authors thus recommended t‘ai-chi ch‘üan to older people for its various physical and psychological benefits. There was no conclusive evidence of benefit for any of the other conditions researched, including Parkinson's disease, diabetes, cancer and arthritis.

      A 2015 systematic review found Tai Chi could be performed by those with chronic medical conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart failure, and osteoarthritis without worsening shortness of breath and pain, and found favorable effects on functional exercise capacity in people with these conditions.

      In 2015 the Australian Government's Department of Health published the results of a review of alternative therapies that sought to determine if any were suitable for being covered by health insurance; t‘ai-chi was one of 17 therapies evaluated for which no clear evidence of effectiveness was found.

History and Styles
There are five major styles of t‘ai-chi ch‘üan, each
named after the Chinese family from which it originated:

Training and Techniques
      The core training involves two primary features: the first being taolu (solo "forms"), a slow sequence of movements which emphasize a straight spine, abdominal breathing and a natural range of motion; the second being different styles of tuishou ("pushing hands") for training movement principles of the form with a partner and in a more practical manner.

       Hand Forms
It should be noted that their are a number of tai chi
forms. Listed to the left are the more well known styles.
Please have a look at the following page.
Various Forms of Tai Chi Chuan
     The taolu (solo "forms") should take the students through a complete, natural range of motion over their centre of gravity. Accurate, repeated practice of the solo routine is said to retrain posture, encourage circulation throughout the students' bodies, maintain flexibility through their joints, and further familiarize students with the martial application sequences implied by the various forms. The major traditional styles of t‘ai-chi have forms that differ somewhat in terms of aesthetics, but there are also many obvious similarities that point to their common origin. The solo forms—empty-hand and weapon—are catalogues of movements that are practised individually in pushing hands and martial application scenarios to prepare students for self-defence training. In most traditional schools, different variations of the solo forms can be practised: fast / slow, small-circle / large-circle, square / round (which are different expressions of leverage through the joints), low-sitting / high-sitting (the degree to which weight-bearing knees are kept bent throughout the form), for example.

     Breathing exercises; neigong (internal skill) or, more commonly, qigong (life energy cultivation) are practiced to develop qi (life energy) in coordination with physical movement and zhan zhuang (standing like a post) or combinations of the two. These were formerly taught only to disciples as a separate, complementary training system. In the last 60 years they have become better known to the general public.

                                         The study of t‘ai-chi ch‘üan
                                     primarily involves three aspects:
  • Health: An unhealthy or otherwise uncomfortable person may find it difficult to meditate to a state of calmness or to use t‘ai-chi ch‘üan as a martial art. T‘ai-chi ch‘üan's health training, therefore, concentrates on relieving the physical effects of stress on the body and mind. For those focused on t‘ai-chi ch‘üan's martial application, good physical fitness is an important step towards effective self-defense.
  • Meditation: The focus and calmness cultivated by the meditative aspect of t‘ai-chi ch‘üan is seen as necessary in maintaining optimum health (in the sense of relieving stress and maintaining homeostasis) and in application of the form as a soft style martial art.
  • Martial art: The ability to use t‘ai-chi ch‘üan as a form of self-defense in combat is the test of a student's understanding of the art. T‘ai-chi ch‘üan is the study of appropriate change in response to outside forces, the study of yielding and "sticking" to an incoming attack rather than attempting to meet it with opposing force. The use of t‘ai-chi ch‘üan as a martial art is quite challenging and requires a great deal of training.
 
T‘ai-chi Mandarin: tàijí 太極, an abbreviation of tàijí quán 太極拳.

"Supreme Ultimate Boxing" is an internal Chinese martial art 武术 practiced for both its defense training and its health benefits. Though originally conceived as a martial art, it is also typically practiced for a variety of other personal reasons: competitive wrestling in the format of pushing hands (tui shou), demonstration competitions, and achieving greater longevity. As a result, a multitude of training forms exist, both traditional and modern, which correspond to those aims with differing emphasis. Some training forms of t‘ai-chi ch‘üan are especially known for being practiced with relatively slow movements.
For Mental Health & Cognitive Function
      While a range of research has suggested that exercise helps reduce depression and anxiety, the role of tai chi and qi gong for these and other mental health problems is less clear. However, there is evidence that tai chi may boost brain function and reasoning ability in older people.

  • NCCIH - supported research suggested that practicing tai chi may help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, and also improve mood and self-esteem. However, in their 2010 review, which included 40 studies with more than 3,800 participants, the researchers noted that they couldn’t develop firm conclusions because of differences in study designs.
  • In a 2010 NCCIH - supported review, researchers found that the results from 29 studies with more than 2,500 participants didn’t offer clear evidence about the effectiveness of tai chi and qi gong on such psychological factors as anxiety, depression, stress, mood, and self-esteem. But the researchers noted that most of these studies weren’t looking primarily at psychological distress and didn’t intentionally recruit participants with mental health issues.
  • Results from another NCCIH - supported review published in 2014 suggested that practicing tai chi may enhance the ability to reason, plan, remember, and solve problems in older people without evidence of significant cognitive impairment. The data also indicated that tai chi boosted cognitive ability in people who showed signs of mild cognitive impairment to dementia, but to a lesser degree than in those with no signs of cognitive impairment.

For Quality of Life
     Much research suggests that physical activity enhances quality of life. Health providers who treat people with cancer often recommend exercise to reduce illness-related fatigue and improve quality of life. Some studies also suggest that physical activity helps people with heart disease and other chronic illnesses.

Cancer
     Research results indicated that practicing qi gong may improve quality of life, mood, fatigue, and inflammation in adults with different types of cancer, compared with those receiving usual care. However, the researchers suggested that the attention received by the qi gong participants may have contributed to the positive study findings.

Heart Disease
  • Regular practice of tai chi may improve quality of life and mood in people with chronic heart failure, according to a 2011 clinical trial funded by NCCIH.
  • Results from a small study suggested that practicing tai chi improved the ability to exercise and may be an option as cardiac rehabilitation for people who have had a heart attack.
Other
     A 2010 NCCIH - supported research review examined the effects of tai chi and qi gong on the quality of life of adults who were healthy, elderly, were breast cancer or stroke survivors, or had a chronic disease. The analysis suggested that practicing tai chi or qi gong may improve quality of life in healthy and chronically ill people.

What the Science Says About
Safety of Tai Chi and Qi Gong
     Tai chi and qi gong appear to be safe practices.  One NCCIH - supported review noted that tai chi is unlikely to result in serious injury but it may be associated with minor aches and pains.  Women who are pregnant should talk with their health care providers before beginning tai chi, qi gong, or any other exercise program.

Training, Licensing, and Certification
     Tai chi instructors don’t have to be licensed, and the practice isn’t regulated by the Federal Government or individual states. There’s no national standard for qi gong certification. Various tai chi and qi gong organizations offer training and certification programs—with differing criteria and levels of certification for instructors.
What’s the Bottom Line?
    How much do we know about tai chi and qi gong? Several clinical trials have evaluated the effects of tai chi and qi gong in people with various health conditions.

     What do we know about the effectiveness of tai chi and qi gong? Practicing tai chi may help to improve balance and stability in older people and in those with Parkinson’s disease, reduce back pain and pain from knee osteoarthritis, and improve quality of life in people with heart disease, cancer, and other chronic illnesses. Tai chi and qi gong may ease fibromyalgia pain and promote general quality of life. Qi gong may reduce chronic neck pain, but study results are mixed. Tai chi also may improve reasoning ability in older people.

     What do we know about the safety of tai chi and qi gong? Tai chi and qi gong appear to be safe practices, but it’s a good idea to talk with your health care providers before beginning any exercise program.

What the Science Says About the
Effectiveness of Tai Chi and Qi Gong
     Research findings suggest that practicing tai chi may improve balance and stability in older people and those with Parkinson’s, reduce pain from knee osteoarthritis, help people cope with fibromyalgia  and back pain,  and promote quality of life and mood in people with heart failure  and cancer. There’s been less research on the effects of qi gong, but some studies suggest it may reduce chronic neck pain (although results are mixed) and pain from fibromyalgia. Qi gong also may help to improve general quality of life.

     Both also may offer psychological benefits, such as reducing anxiety. However, differences in how the research on anxiety was conducted make it difficult to draw firm conclusions about this.

Falling and Balance
     Exercise programs, including tai chi, may reduce falling and the fear of falling in older people. Tai chi also may be more effective than other forms of exercise for improving balance and stability in people with Parkinson’s disease.
  • A 2012 review determined that tai chi, as well as other group- and home-based activity programs (which often include balance and strength-training exercises) effectively reduced falling in older people, and tai chi significantly reduced the risk of falling. But the reviewers also found that tai chi was less effective in older people who were at higher risk of falling.
  • Fear of falling can have a serious impact on an older person’s health and life. In a 2014 review, researchers suggested that various types of exercise, including tai chi, may reduce the fear of falling among older people.
  • Findings from a 2012 clinical trial with 195 people showed that practicing tai chi improved balance and stability better than resistance training or stretching in people with mild-to-moderate Parkinson’s disease. A 2014 followup analysis showed that people who practiced tai chi were more likely to continue exercising during the 3 months following the study compared with those who participated in resistance training or stretching.
For Pain (knee Osteoarthritis, Fibromyalgia,
chronic neck pain, back pain)
     There’s some evidence that practicing tai chi may help people manage pain associated with knee osteoarthritis (a breakdown of cartilage in the knee that allows leg bones to rub together), fibromyalgia (a disorder that causes muscle pain and fatigue), and back pain. Qi gong may offer some benefit for chronic neck pain, but results are mixed.

Knee Osteoarthritis
  • Results of a small NCCIH - funded clinical trial involving 40 participants with knee osteoarthritis suggested that practicing tai chi reduced pain and improved function better than an education and stretching program.
  • An analysis of seven small and moderately-sized clinical studies concluded that a 12-week course of tai chi reduced pain and improved function in people with this condition.

Fibromyalgia
  • Results from a small 2010 NCCIH - supported clinical trial suggested that practicing tai chi was more effective than wellness education and stretching in helping people with fibromyalgia sleep better and cope with pain, fatigue, and depression. After 12 weeks, those who practiced tai chi also had better scores on a survey designed to measure a person’s ability to carry out certain daily activities such as walking, housecleaning, shopping, and preparing a meal. The benefits of tai chi also appeared to last longer.
  • A small 2012 NCCIH - supported trial suggested that combining tai chi movements with mindfulness allowed people with fibromyalgia to work through the discomfort they may feel during exercise, allowing them to take advantage of the benefits of physical activity.
  • Results of a 2012 randomized clinical trial with 100 participants suggested that practicing qi gong reduced pain and improved sleep, the ability to do daily activities, and mental function. The researchers also observed that most improvements were still apparent after 6 months.

Chronic Neck Pain
      Research results on the effectiveness of qi gong for chronic neck pain are mixed, but the people who were studied and the way the studies were done were quite different.
  • A 2009 clinical study by German researchers showed no benefit of qi gong or exercise compared with no therapy in 117 elderly adults (mostly women) with, on average, a 20-year history of chronic neck pain. Study participants had 24 exercise or qi gong sessions over 3 months.
  • In a 2011 study, some of the same researchers observed that qi gong was just as effective as exercise therapy (and both were more effective than no therapy) in relieving neck pain in the 123 middle-aged adults (mostly women) who had chronic neck pain for an average of 3 years. Exercise therapy included throwing and catching a ball, rowing and climbing movements, arm swinging, and stretching, among other activities. People in the study had 18 exercise or qi gong sessions over 6 months.
Back Pain
  • In people who had low-back pain for at least 3 months, a program of tai chi exercises reduced their pain and improved their functioning.

More To Consider
  • Learning tai chi or qi gong from a video or book does not ensure that you’re doing the movements correctly or safely.
  • If you have a health condition, talk with your health care provider before starting tai chi or qi gong.
  • Ask a trusted source (such as your health care provider) to recommend a tai chi or qi gong instructor. Find out about the training and experience of any instructor you’re considering.
  • Tell all your health care providers about any complementary or integrative health approaches you use. Give them a full picture of what you do to manage your health. This will help ensure coordinated and safe care.
Diet & Nutrition

Fitness & Exercise

Various Forms of Taichi

24 Form Tai - Chi Chuan

Info on this page was last updated and verified on May 15th, 2018 P.S.T.
Back To Top