Study: Those Who Suffer From Knee Osteoarthritis (OA) Find Relief Through Tai Chi Practice
Knee X-ray
Men and Women over 65 years of age who suffer from knee osteoarthritis (OA), that practice Tai Chi, increase their physical capability and encounter a decrease pain, according to a new Tufts University School of Medicine study. Osteoarthritis is a general form of arthritis that causes a breakdown of joint cartilage. Chiropractors provide therapy for many individuals who have developed OA in a number of regions of the body, including the knee joints. Knee pain and disability is one of the most widespread conditions of the musculoskeletal system, second only to spinal dysfunctions. In fact, an extraordinary 4.3 million men and women in the US over age 60 have been diagnosed with knee OA, according to the CDC, and it conjectures that half of American adults may incur symptoms of OA in at least one knee by age 85. The consequences of knee osteoarthritis are pain, mobility limitations, dysfunction and disability, and a decreased quality of life.
Are you wondering why so many adults develop OA? As with nearly all of the musculoskeletal dysfunctions that we develop as we get older, inappropriate stress to a joint over time is a major determinant. Therefore, as people get older they are more likely to develop OA in their joints, including the knees. Incorrect mechanics of the knee, irregular gait, compensatory foot mechanics as the result of foot pain, and repetitive use of the knee joint all create excessive stress on the knees. Eventually arthritic changes in the knee joint develop. In combination with chiropractic therapies, chiropractors fully advocate natural, drug-free practices, such as Tai Chi (Chuan), that can mitigate knee pain. A traditional style of Chinese martial arts,Tai Chi features slow, rhythmic movements that generate peace of mind, as well as improved balance, an increase in strength, and improved flexibility.
The 40 participants in the Tufts study were, on average, 65 years of age, overweight, and with confirmed osteoarthritis of the knee. Otherwise they were healthy. Individuals were randomly picked to engage in 60-minute “Yang style” Tai Chi sessions twice weekly for 12 weeks. Each session included a 10-minute self-massage and a review of Tai Chi principles, 30 minutes of Tai Chi movement, 10 minutes of breathing technique, and 10 minutes of relaxation.
Tai Chi involves many of the contemporary exercise recommendations for OA, such as range of motion, flexibility, muscle conditioning, and aerobic workout. As an added benefit, researchers observed that the “mental component” of Tai Chi promoted a sense of well-being, life enjoyments, and personal concepts of health that assisted the participants in dealing differently with chronic pain. Significantly, the group practicing Tai Chi experienced a substantial decrease in knee pain compared with those in the control group.
Full findings of the study are published in the November 2009 issue of Arthritis Care & Research, a journal of the American College of Rheumatology.
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