Tai Chi and Qigong are health exercises that evolved over centuries in China to allow people to defend themselves against frailty, disability, and disease as well as barbarians. This Saturday, April 29th is World Tai Chi & Qigong Day. This event has been officially proclaimed, recognized, or supported by 22 US Governors; Senates of Puerto Rico, California, New York; the Brazilian National Congress; consulates, and embassies from Italy to the U.S., China to India, and by government ministries and bodies in countries worldwide. Events have been held at the United Nations Building and the Nobel Peace Center.

Ukraine has been a regular participant in World Tai Chi and Qigong day in years past and many schools around the world are using the event this year to raise money to support the humanitarian efforts to help Ukraine. https://www.worldtaichiday.org/Event_Gallery/ukraine.html

Here are a few examples of how Tai Chi can be used to improve your own health.

• Tai Chi Improves Aerobic Capacity
• Improves Balance and Reduces Falls
• Relieves low-back pain
• Relieves fibromyalgia
• Relieves knee osteoarthritis
• Improves COPD,
• Relieves Parkinson’s
• Controls Diabetes
• Lowers Blood Pressure

Read more about the scientific studies that support these results

Tai Chi Improves Aerobic Capacity

Most people wouldn’t think that Tai Chi constitutes an aerobic exercise but even the 1996 Surgeon General’s Report on Physical Activity, classified Tai Chi as a legitimate moderate aerobic exercise just like any other. No one ever said you had to exercise fast, to get benefits. In fact, there may be many other advantages to exercising slowly like reducing injuries and improving memory and concentration skills. A 2018 review of 13 studies (972 participants) found that tai chi led to large and significant improvements in aerobic capacity among people with coronary heart disease when compared to active interventions (e.g., walking, stretching) and nonactive interventions (e.g., usual medical care). The tai chi interventions involved 30- to 90-minute sessions done one to seven times weekly for 12 weeks to 12 months. The authors rated the quality of the studies from moderate to strong, but the studies were very small, and the authors said that more high-quality studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Tai Chi Improves Balance and Reduces Falls

A 2019 review looked at different types of exercise for preventing falls in community-dwelling older adults. The Tai Chi group reduced falls by 19% compared to control interventions that did not reduce falls, based on 7 studies with 2,655 participants and found high-certainty evidence that tai chi may reduce the number of people who experience falls by 20 percent (based on 8 studies with 2,677 participants). Other forms of exercise were also found to be helpful. The authors found high-certainty evidence that balance and functional exercises—exercises that are similar to everyday actions like rising from a chair, stepping up, or rotating while standing—could reduce the rate of falls by 24 percent (based on 39 studies with 7,920 participants) and lower the number of people experiencing one or more falls by 13 percent (based on 37 studies with 8,288 participants).

Tai Chi Reduces Pain

Research suggests that Tai Chi may be helpful in reducing pain in people with low-back pain, fibromyalgia, knee osteoarthritis, and possibly for alleviating pain from rheumatoid arthritis.

A 2019 review evaluated 10 studies with 959 participants who had low-back pain. The duration of the tai chi interventions ranged from 2 to 28 weeks, with sessions done two to six times weekly and the majority lasting from 40 to 60 minutes. Because the studies used different tai chi interventions and assessment methods, the authors drew a cautious conclusion that tai chi alone or in addition to physical therapy may decrease pain intensity and improve everyday function (such as the ability to carry groceries, climb stairs, walk, and bathe and dress oneself). The authors noted a need for studies that use the same tai chi intervention and frequency. 

A 2019 review of 6 studies (657 participants) found that tai chi was beneficial for reducing pain scores in people with fibromyalgia. Tai chi also helped to improve sleep quality, relieve fatigue, reduce depression, and increase the quality of life. The tai chi interventions typically involved 60-minute sessions done one to three times weekly for 12 weeks. The review authors said, however, that larger, higher-quality studies are needed to provide stronger evidence for these findings and to determine whether tai chi is better than conventional therapeutic exercise for people with fibromyalgia.

The updated 2019 guidelines from the American College of Rheumatology and the Arthritis Foundation strongly recommend tai chi for the management of knee osteoarthritis.

A 2021 review of 16 studies involving 986 participants found evidence of low-to-moderate strength that tai chi was beneficial for treating and managing knee osteoarthritis. The tai chi interventions usually involved 30- to 60-minute sessions done two to four times weekly for 10 to 52 weeks. Participants practicing tai chi experienced improvements in pain as well as stiffness, physical function (such as walking, standing, rising from a bed, and getting in and out of a car), balance, and physiological and psychological health. The review authors noted, however, that high-quality studies are needed to confirm these findings and to determine the best type, intensity, frequency, and duration of tai chi for knee osteoarthritis.

Another 2021 review, which included 11 studies and 603 participants, found that tai chi had a positive effect on improving walking function and posture control in older adults with knee osteoarthritis. The review authors said more high-quality studies are needed to confirm the findings. In most of the studies, tai chi sessions were 60 minutes long and done two to three times per week for 8 to 24 weeks.

Tai Chi for Chronic Diseases

 Tai Chi for COPD

A 2021 review of 23 studies (1,663 participants) concluded that tai chi may help to improve exercise capacity, lung function, and quality of life in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Tai chi was better than no treatment in all areas evaluated, and it was better than breathing and walking exercises in some of the areas. The duration and frequency of the tai chi sessions varied among the included studies, and the tai chi interventions lasted from 1 to 12 months. The review authors said more high-quality studies are needed to clearly understand Tai chi’s effect on COPD. 

 Tai Chi for Parkinsons

A 2021 review looked at 26 studies of tai chi and qigong involving 1,672 participants with Parkinson’s disease. Tai chi sessions lasted from 30 to 90 minutes and were done over 5 to 24 weeks, with the total number of tai chi sessions ranging from 10 to 48, depending on the study. Most of the studies showed that tai chi was more helpful than no intervention and had a positive effect that was similar to that of other therapies like dancing, aerobic exercise, resistance training, and stretching. The authors said the overall results were limited by the different types and durations of tai chi and qigong interventions, the variety of other therapies, the small number of participants, and the different stages of Parkinson’s disease among participants.

Tai Chi for Diabetes

Some research shows that tai chi improves levels of fasting blood glucose and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) in people with type 2 diabetes, similar to other types of exercise, and Tai Chi also improves other quality of life factors.

 A 2018 review of 14 studies (798 participants) found that tai chi was better than no exercise for managing levels of fasting blood glucose and HbA1c in adults with type 2 diabetes. Tai chi may have advantages over other aerobic exercises like walking and dancing for reducing HbA1c, but the evidence was not strong. There were no differences between tai chi and other aerobic exercises for blood glucose control. Practicing tai chi for longer periods of time resulted in better results. Tai chi interventions involved 15- to 60-minute sessions done two to seven times per week for 4 to 24 weeks.

A 2019 review of 23 studies (1,235 participants) found that tai chi was beneficial in lowering fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, insulin resistance, body mass index, and total cholesterol in people with type 2 diabetes. Tai chi was also found to improve quality of life factors such as physical function, bodily pain, and social function, and it had no effect on balance. Tai chi sessions were 15 to 120 minutes long and were done 2 to 14 times weekly for 4 to 24 weeks. The authors said that differences between study methods and the small size of the studies might weaken the strength of the results.

High Blood Pressure

A 2020 review looked at 28 studies (2,937 participants) and found that tai chi was better at lowering systolic and diastolic blood pressure than health education/no treatment, other exercises, or antihypertensive drugs. The time duration, weekly frequency, and total weeks of tai chi sessions varied among the included studies. However, the authors said the studies were of poor quality and had many differences among them, warranting more research to confirm the conclusions.