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tai chi osteoporosis

Tai Chi Chuan may help retard bone loss postmenopausal women.

Abstract

Qin L, Au S, Choy W, Leung P, Neff M, Lee K, Lau M, Woo J, Chan K.

Regular Tai Chi Chuan exercise may retard bone loss in postmenopausal women: a case-control study.

Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2002;83:1355-9.

Objective: To evaluate the potential benefits of regular Tai Chi Chuan exercise on the weight-bearing bones of postmenopausal women.

Design: Case-control study.

Setting: University medical school in Hong Kong.

Participants: Postmenopausal women (age range, 50–59y), including 17 self-selected regular Tai Chi Chuan exercisers (TCE) with over 4 years of regular exercise, and 17 age- and gender-matched nonexercising controls (CON).

Interventions: Not applicable.

Main Outcome Measures:

Bone mineral density (BMD) in the lumbar spine and proximal femur was measured at baseline and at follow-up 12 months later by using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and in the distal tibia using multislice peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT).

Results: Baseline results showed that the TCE group had significantly higher BMD (10.1%–14.8%, all P<.05) than the CON group in the lumbar spine, proximal femur, and the ultradistal tibia. The follow-up measurements showed generalized bone loss in both groups. Although both DXA and pQCT measurements revealed decelerated rates of bone loss in the TCE group, only the more sensitive pQCT showed significantly reduced rate of bone loss in trabecular BMD of the ultradistal tibia (TCE vs CON: −1.10%±1.26% vs −2.18%±1.60%, P<.05) and of cortical BMD of the distal tibial diaphysis (TCE vs CON: −0.90%±1.36% vs −1.86%±0.93%, P<.05).

Conclusion: This is the first case-control study to show that regular Tai Chi Chuan exercise may help retard bone loss in the weight-bearing bones of postmenopausal women.

via Elsevier: Article Locator.

tai chi fibromyalgia, tai chi immune system, tai chi mood

Fibromyalgia Symptoms and Tai Chi via NLM

1. Orthop Nurs. 2003 Sep-Oct;22(5):353-60.

Effects of T'ai Chi exercise on fibromyalgia symptoms and health-related quality
of life.

Taggart HM, Arslanian CL, Bae S, Singh K.

Armstrong Atlantic State University, Savannah, GA, USA.

BACKGROUND: Fibromyalgia (FM), one of the most common musculoskeletal disorders,
is associated with high levels of impaired health and inadequate or limited
symptom relief. The cause of this complex syndrome is unknown, and there is no
known cure. Numerous research results indicate that a combination of physical
exercise and mind-body therapy is effective in symptom management. T'ai Chi, an
ancient Chinese exercise, combines physical exercise with mindbody therapy.
PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of T'ai Chi exercise on FM symptoms and
health-related quality of life. DESIGN: Pilot study, one group pre-to-post
posttest design. METHODS: Participants with FM (n = 39) formed a single group for
6 weeks of 1-hour, twice weekly T'ai Chi exercise classes. FM symptoms and
health-related quality of life were measured before and after exercise. FINDINGS:
Twenty-one participants completed at least 10 of the 12 exercise sessions.
Although the dropout rate was higher than expected, measurements on both the
Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) (Buckhardt, Clark, & Bennett, 1991) and
the Short Form-36 (SE-36) (Ware & Sherbourne, 1992) revealed statistically
significant improvement in symptom management and health-related quality of life.
IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING RESEARCH: Knowledge of interventions to enhance health
for the patient with musculoskeletal problems is a National Association of
Orthopaedic Nurses priority. Tai Chi is potentially beneficial to patients with
FM. Further research is needed to support evidence-based practice.

PMID: 14595996 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Fibromyalgia


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