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Thread: Tai Chi as medicine

  1. #181
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    A compilation study

    Martial Arts Like Tai Chi Can May Improve Mental Health
    Submitted by Tyler Woods Ph.D. on 2010-07-15

    A recent assessment of over 40 studies is giving positive results using Tai Chi for improving mental health. Tai Chi is a gentle Chinese martial art of slow meditative physical exercise designed for relaxation and balance and health. This helps combines mental concentration, slow breathing and dance-like movements to increase life force energy.

    Dr. Chenchen Wang, associate professor at Tufts Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine in Massachusetts, worked with a team of researchers to gather the results of the studies, including 17 randomized controlled trials, into the mental health effects of tai chi.

    Wang stated, “Tai chi, the Chinese low-impact mind-body exercise, has been practiced for centuries for health and fitness in the East and is currently gaining popularity in the West. It is believed to improve mood and enhance overall psychological well being, but convincing evidence has so far been lacking.”

    Wang and her colleagues found that practicing tai chi was associated with reduced stress, anxiety, depression and mood disturbance, and increased self-esteem.

    Wang said, “More detailed knowledge about the physiological and psychological effects of tai chi exercise may lead to new approaches to promote health, treat chronic medical conditions, better inform clinical decisions and further explicate the mechanisms of successful mind-body medicine.”

    In another similar study, Linda Larkey, PhD, of Arizona State University, and her research team scoured the medical literature, finding 77 published reports of scientific studies that looked at the two Chinese practices and compared them to other exercises or to a sedentary state.

    The studies which we published between 1993 and 2007, looked at tai chi and qigong and the effects they have on health, physical function, falls, quality of life, one's feeling of self-efficacy, immune system functioning, psychological symptoms, and other factors.

    The 77 studies they found included 6,410 participants. Both forms of activity incorporate a wide range of physical movements and slow, meditative, dance-like movements. Larkey said that this study shows ''stronger evidence base'' for the activities and their positive effects on bone health, cardio-respiratory fitness, physical functioning, balance, quality of life, fall prevention, and psychological health.

    Larkey stated, "This combination of self-awareness with self-correction of the posture and movement of the body, the flow of breath, and mindfulness, are thought to comprise a state that activates the natural self-regulatory (self-healing) capacity."
    I'd be interested in the original pub as it's sure to have a good bibliography.
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  2. #182
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    Quote Originally Posted by GeneChing View Post
    I'd be interested in the original pub as it's sure to have a good bibliography.
    Ask, and ye shall receive
    "The true meaning of a given movement in a form is not its application, but rather the unlimited potential of the mind to provide muscular and skeletal support for that movement." Gregory Fong

  3. #183
    Quote Originally Posted by TaichiMantis View Post
    Ask, and ye shall receive
    and, not surprisingly, here's the key paragraph (highlights mine):

    Tai Chi appears to be an effective therapeutic modality to improve psychological well-being among various populations. However, it is still difficult to draw firm conclusions. First, we did not include any unpublished studies. The overall methodological quality of previous studies is unsatisfactory, consisting mostly of small sized or nonrandomized comparisons. Given the few high quality RCTs available for investigation, our review is limited by wide variations in methodological rigor of clinical trials and observational studies. Second, the heterogeneous amalgamation of instruments used to collect clinical psychological health data restricts our ability to evaluate differences in these outcomes. Third, it remains unclear whether Tai Chi mind-body exercise provides equal or superior psychological benefits compared to moderate-intensity aerobic exercises. Fourth, most studies failed to provide objective measures of stress and anxiety such as salivary cortisol level, blood pressure or heart rate, and some studies only reported a subset of psychological outcomes. Due to the limited physiological variables in our analyses, we were unable to analyze the effect of Tai Chi on physiological effects. Fifth, the studies included in the meta-analyses demonstrated a relatively high degree of heterogeneity. Various patient populations were used, and most studies involved healthy people. There were also many variations between the included studies with regard to methodological quality (eg, problems of randomization, allocation concealment, or reporting results), which prohibited us from analyzing the quantitative evidence. However, it is difficult to compare results across studies because they were assessed at different time points. Additionally, all the studies published in mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan reported unanimously positive results. Differences in methodological rigor between eastern and western studies may be potential sources of heterogeneity, and publication bias may vary across countries and cultures.

    THE fact that this was included in the Discussion section is a strong indicator that the authors are in fact well-trained researchers.
    Last edited by taai gihk yahn; 07-20-2010 at 01:02 PM.

  4. #184
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    I guess that people will always see what they WANT to see.
    Psalms 144:1
    Praise be my Lord my Rock,
    He trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle !

  5. #185
    Quote Originally Posted by sanjuro_ronin View Post
    I guess that people will always see what they WANT to see.
    doing good research, as u probably know, is a real biotch, and props to anyone who can maintain objectivity when researching a subject that they may have personal feelings about that they may have to supress when engaged in a balanced assessment of the topic; but they ultimately do the field a service by pointing out the shortcomings of extant studies - it will help people design better ones in the future

  6. #186
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    For fibromyalgia

    There's a lot of buzz on this study in the news today. Here's the source.

    Original Article
    A Randomized Trial of Tai Chi for Fibromyalgia

    Chenchen Wang, M.D., M.P.H., Christopher H. Schmid, Ph.D., Ramel Rones, B.S., Robert Kalish, M.D., Janeth Yinh, M.D., Don L. Goldenberg, M.D., Yoojin Lee, M.S. and Timothy McAlindon, M.D., M.P.H.

    N Engl J Med 2010; 363:743-754August 19, 2010

    Background

    Previous research has suggested that tai chi offers a therapeutic benefit in patients with fibromyalgia.

    Methods

    We conducted a single-blind, randomized trial of classic Yang-style tai chi as compared with a control intervention consisting of wellness education and stretching for the treatment of fibromyalgia (defined by American College of Rheumatology 1990 criteria). Sessions lasted 60 minutes each and took place twice a week for 12 weeks for each of the study groups. The primary end point was a change in the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) score (ranging from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more severe symptoms) at the end of 12 weeks. Secondary end points included summary scores on the physical and mental components of the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36). All assessments were repeated at 24 weeks to test the durability of the response.

    Results

    Of the 66 randomly assigned patients, the 33 in the tai chi group had clinically important improvements in the FIQ total score and quality of life. Mean (±SD) baseline and 12-week FIQ scores for the tai chi group were 62.9±15.5 and 35.1±18.8, respectively, versus 68.0±11 and 58.6±17.6, respectively, for the control group (change from baseline in the tai chi group vs. change from baseline in the control group, −18.4 points; P<0.001). The corresponding SF-36 physical-component scores were 28.5±8.4 and 37.0±10.5 for the tai chi group versus 28.0±7.8 and 29.4±7.4 for the control group (between-group difference, 7.1 points; P=0.001), and the mental-component scores were 42.6±12.2 and 50.3±10.2 for the tai chi group versus 37.8±10.5 and 39.4±11.9 for the control group (between-group difference, 6.1 points; P=0.03). Improvements were maintained at 24 weeks (between-group difference in the FIQ score, −18.3 points; P<0.001). No adverse events were observed.

    Conclusions

    Tai chi may be a useful treatment for fibromyalgia and merits long-term study in larger study populations. (Funded by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine and others; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00515008.)
    Source Information

    From the Division of Rheumatology (C.W., R.K., J.Y., T.M.) and the Institute for Clinical Research and Health Policy Studies (C.H.S., Y.L.), Tufts Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine; and Mind–Body Therapies (R.R.) — both in Boston; and Newton–Wellesley Hospital, Newton, MA (D.L.G.).

    Address reprint requests to Dr. Wang at the Division of Rheumatology, Tufts Medical Center, 800 Washington St., Box 406, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02111, or at cwang2@tuftsmedicalcenter.org.
    Gene Ching
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  7. #187
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    significant benefits

    Odd. This is the 2nd reference to UNC today. The other was with Shaolin's Sutra.
    Study: Tai Chi relieves arthritis pain, improves reach, balance, well-being

    Sunday, November 7, 2010 — The study found that there are significant benefits of Tai Chi for individuals with all types of arthritis, including fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, said Leigh Callahan, PhD, lead author.
    Study: Tai Chi relieves arthritis pain, improves reach, balance, well-being

    CHAPEL HILL, NC — In the largest study to date of the Arthritis Foundation’s Tai Chi program, participants showed improvement in pain, fatigue, stiffness and sense of well-being.

    Their ability to reach while maintaining balance also improved, said Leigh Callahan, PhD, the study’s lead author, associate professor in the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine and a member of UNC’s Thurston Arthritis Research Center.

    “Our study shows that there are significant benefits of the Tai Chi course for individuals with all types of arthritis, including fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis,” Callahan said. “We found this in both rural and urban settings across a southeastern state and a northeastern state.”
    A small number of studies have examined the benefits of tai chi and arthritis pain. Now researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine have teamed up with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to put tai chi through the rigors of science.

    Callahan will present these results on Monday, Nov. 8, at the annual scientific meeting of the American College of Rheumatology in Atlanta.

    In the study, 354 participants were recruited from 20 sites in North Carolina and New Jersey. They were randomly assigned to two groups. The intervention group received the 8-week, twice-weekly Tai Chi course immediately while the other group was a delayed control group. All participants received baseline and 8-week follow-up evaluations, after which the control group also received the Tai Chi course.

    To be eligible for study, participants had to have any type of self-reported, doctor-diagnosed arthritis, be 18 years old or older and able to move independently without assistance. However, they did not have to be able to perform Tai Chi standing. They were eligible for the study if they could perform Tai Chi seated, Callahan said.

    Self-reports of pain, fatigue and stiffness and physical function performance measures were collected at baseline and at the eight-week evaluation. Participants were asked questions about their ability to perform activities of daily living, their overall general health and psychosocial measures such as their perceived helplessness and self-efficacy. The physical performance measures recorded were timed chair stands (which are a measure of lower extremity strength), gait speed (both normal and fast) and two measures of balance: a single leg stance and a reach test.

    At the end of eight weeks the individuals who had received the intervention showed moderate improvements in pain, fatigue and stiffness. They also had an increased sense of well being, as measured by the psychosocial variables, and they had improved reach or balance, Callahan said.

    Study co-authors, all from UNC, are statistician Jack Shreffler, PhD, Betsy Hackney, BS, Kathryn Martin, PhD, and medical student Brian Charnock, BS.

    Media contact: Tom Hughes, (919) 966-6047, tahughes@unch.unc.edu
    Gene Ching
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  8. #188
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    medicine for society

    Slightly OT, but I figured it was newsworthy.
    D.C. wants to teach juvenile delinquents Yoga, Tai-Chi
    By: Freeman Klopott 01/04/11 8:05 PM
    Examiner Staff Writer
    The District's troubled juvenile justice agency is looking for a yoga teacher, or maybe a tai-chi instructor, to work with some of the city's most dangerous youths. The idea for the new Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services programming comes from interim deputy director Barry Holman. Late last month, Holman e-mailed the agency's staff to see if they have "hidden talents that might be tapped to further our work with the young people in our care." In the e-mail obtained by The Washington Examiner, Holman said his primary interest was in finding among the staff an instructor certified in yoga, tai-chi, or another "mind-body connection discipline."

    The agency is coming off a controversial year during which more than a dozen of its wards were charged with murder and at least a half-dozen were killed. A heavy focus on rehabilitation programs for city youths was blamed by critics for the soaring violence. Under political pressure, former Mayor Adrian Fenty fired then DYRS interim director Marc Schindler six months after he replaced Vincent Schiraldi.

    Fenty appointed Robert Hildum, who came to the agency with a reputation as a tough, law-and-order type.

    But Hildum resigned last month in the face of uncertainty as the city transitioned to Mayor Vince Gray's administration. Fenty, as a lame duck, appointed Neil Stanley as the fourth DYRS director in 12 months. Agency insiders believe Stanley will straddle the line between rehabilitation and keeping the city's wayward youth locked up.

    Holman told The Examiner that he's received several responses since sending out the Dec. 29 e-mail, but none from anyone who can teach the "mind-body" techniques he described. He said he hoped the e-mail would begin a conversation with staff members to think broadly about programs that "might be of interest to them and the youth."

    "It was an exercise on my part to see what other qualities, besides the professional qualities, that they can bring to the job," Holman said.

    Among the responses he did get: a race car driver who suggested the youth build a race car, musicians and a certified boxing instructor.

    Ward 1 Councilman Jim Graham questioned if turning to yoga was the best approach given the problems the youth face. This week marks Graham's first as the chairman of the council's human services committee, which has oversight over DYRS. "Anything that would contribute to well-being I am in favor of," Graham said Tuesday. "But I'm much more concerned about having programs that address alcohol and substance abuse that will help turn these kids' lives around."

    In his e-mail, Holman suggested hiring someone from the "outside" for the "mind-body" programming, but he told The Examiner his plans are still in the early stages and he hasn't committed any resources. "We're always looking at expanding our offerings," he said. "The benefits of yoga or tai-chi are no different for youth in a correction facility than for anyone else."
    Gene Ching
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  9. #189

    High Blood Pressure & Tai Chi Therapy

    From: http://www.worldtaichiday.org/MEDRes...dPressure.html

    T'ai Chi lowers blood pressure -- NEW YORK, Mar 02, 1999 (Reuters Health)

    SOURCE: Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 1999; 47:277-284.

    T'ai Chi -- the slow-motion form of exercise popular in China -- can reduce blood pressure in older adults as much as regular aerobic exercise, but without speeding up their heart rates, according to researchers.

    These findings ``suggest that (exercise) intensity may be less important than other factors'' when it comes to lowering high blood pressure, conclude researchers led by Dr. Deborah Rohm Young of the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions in Baltimore, Maryland. Their study is published in the March issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

    After 3 months of Tai Chi practice, Systolic blood pressure (the first number in a reading) declined by an average of 8.4 mm Hg in the T'ai Chi group, and by 7.0 mm Hg in the aerobics group. Diastolic pressure (the second number in a reading) fell by an average of 3.2 mm Hg and 2.4 mm Hg, respectively.

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    HAWAII MEDICAL JOURNAL, 1992, VOL ID 51, ISSUE ID 8 Participants observed a "big increase in breathing capacity", a disappearance of backaches and neckaches, those with high blood pressure claimed a drop of 10 to 15 mm Hg systolic at rest, and all participants claimed to have more energy in their daily work.

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    JOURNAL OF PSYCHOSOMATIC RESEARCH, 1989, VOL ID 23, ISSUE ID 2,
    PAGES 197-206

    Relative to measurement beforehand, practice of T'ai Chi raised heart rate, increased nonadrenaline excretion in urine, and decreased salivary cortisol concentration. Relative to baseline levels, [Test Subjects] reported less tension, depression, anger, fatigue, confusion and state-anxiety; they felt more vigorous, and in general they had less total mood disturbance.

    NATIONAL MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS SOCIETY JOURNAL

    Adaptive Tai Chi; by Seana O’Callaghan - Sept. 2003 Edition

    http://www.nationalmssociety.org/IMS...tiveTaiChi.asp

    “Recent clinical studies have confirmed that tai chi produces measurable benefits in improving balance, lowering blood pressure, . . .”

    More on Tai Chi for Burn Calories, Dump Stress, Boost Immune Function
    at: http://www.worldtaichiday.org/LIBRAR...iclesMenu.html

  10. #190
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    My 80-year-old mom takes tai chi

    It's the best application I can think of for tai chi. Period.
    Tai Chi May Prevent Falls Among Seniors
    New Guidelines Suggest Reducing Certain Medications Also May Improve Balance in Seniors
    By Denise Mann
    WebMD Health News
    Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD

    Jan. 13, 2011 -- Updated guidelines from the American Geriatrics Society and the British Geriatrics Society recommend interventions such as the slow-motion Chinese martial art tai chi along with medication reviews to help prevent falls among the elderly.

    The guidelines, which appear in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, were last updated in 2001.

    Falls among the elderly are linked to an increased risk for hip and other fractures and head injuries, all of which can lead to reduced independence, early admission to long-term care facilities, and even death.

    “Given the frequency of falls and the injuries that occur as a result, falling is as big of a problem as heart attack and stroke, and we need to start taking it as seriously because falls are preventable,” says guideline author Mary Tinetti, MD, a geriatrician at Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Conn. “The most effective way to prevent falls is to reduce medication, make the environment as safe as possible, and improve balance and gait through exercises including tai chi or physical therapy.”

    Tinetti and other panel members reviewed studies looking at fall prevention interventions published between May 2001 and April 2008 to develop the updated guidelines.

    Fall Prevention 101

    Tai chi and/or physical therapy can help seniors improve their balance, gait, and strength and help stave off falls, the guidelines state.

    Medication checkups are also useful for older people who are at risk for falls, Tinetti says. Medications that may increase falling risk include certain antidepressants and sleeping pills.

    “We should review all the medications and really decide ‘do they need this medication at this dose’ and determine if the medicine is more likely to cause overall harm vs. overall benefit,” she says. “If a medication puts a person at risk of falling, is it really worth it?”

    If a medication can’t be stopped altogether, reducing the dose may also an option, she says. No one should ever stop taking or reduce a dose of any medication without first discussing these risks with their doctor.

    Some falls may be caused by poor vision. “Cataract extraction has a lot of benefits for fall prevention,” she says.

    Fall Prevention Is Everyone’s Issue

    The onus is on everyone involved with the care of the aging population to implement these guidelines, Tinetti says.

    “Nurses, physical therapists, specialists, and anybody who is caring for older people should be aware of these new guidelines and follow the components that are relevant to their area of expertise,” she says.

    “Older people also need to take more responsibility when they see their care providers,” she says. For example, say ‘I want my blood pressure taken when I stand to see if it drops, and I want you to look at all my medications to see if any are going to increase my risk for falling or make me unsteady,” she says.

    Make Fall Prevention a Focus

    Ronald P. Grelsamer, MD, an associate professor of orthopedics at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City, says fall prevention strategies should be implemented in and outside of the home.

    Throw rugs, wires, telephone cables can all increase fall risk in the home, he says. "The bathroom is a dangerous place [and] mats and handles are important," Grelsamer says.

    “When walking outside and there is a chance it might be slippery, move your feet apart a little bit because this makes you more stable right away,” he says. “If you are carrying something, carry it in the dominant hand, so if you fall your non-dominant hand will break your fall.”

    “The main risk is that they are going to break their hip, but other fractures such as wrist fractures also occur, and emergency surgery is never minor in this population,” he says.

    As for the updated guidelines, “I think it is a very good idea to make sure the eyes are as good as they can be and that an older person is not on more medication than they need,” Grelsamer says.
    Gene Ching
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  11. #191
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    Tai Chi for geriatric depression

    Excuse me...I meant Tai Chi Chih. I wonder why we don't have a thread dedicated to Tai Chi Chih here...
    American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry:
    POST AUTHOR CORRECTIONS, 6 March 2011
    Complementary Use of Tai Chi Chih Augments Escitalopram Treatment of Geriatric Depression: A Randomized Controlled Trial

    Background: Nearly two-thirds of elderly patients treated for depression fail to achieve symptomatic remission and functional recovery with first-line pharmacotherapy. In this study, we ask whether a mind-body exercise, Tai Chi Chih (TCC), added to escitalopram will augment the treatment of geriatric depression designed to achieve symptomatic remission and improvements in health functioning and cognitive performance.

    Methods: One hundred twelve older adults with major depression age 60 years and older were recruited and treated with escitalopram for approximately 4 weeks. Seventy-three partial responders to escitalopram continued to receive escitalopram daily and were randomly assigned to 10 weeks of adjunct use of either 1) TCC for 2 hours per week or 2) health education (HE) for 2 hours per week. All participants underwent evaluations of depression, anxiety, resilience, health-related quality of life, cognition, and inflammation at baseline and during 14-week follow-up.

    Results: Subjects in the escitalopram and TCC condition were more likely to show greater reduction of depressive symptoms and to achieve a depression remission as compared with those receiving escitalopram and HE. Subjects in the escitalopram and TCC condition also showed significantly greater improvements in 36-Item Short Form Health Survey physical functioning and cognitive tests and a decline in the inflammatory marker, C-reactive protein, compared with the control group.

    Conclusion: Complementary use of a mind-body exercise, such as TCC, may provide additional improvements of clinical outcomes in the pharmacologic treatment of geriatric depression.
    Gene Ching
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  12. #192
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    Tai Chi Chih
    "The true meaning of a given movement in a form is not its application, but rather the unlimited potential of the mind to provide muscular and skeletal support for that movement." Gregory Fong

  13. #193
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    Sorry, forgot the apostrophe

    A new thread, just for you, TaichiMantis.

    T'ai Chi Chih
    Gene Ching
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  14. #194
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    Tai Chi Exercise in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure

    Available from Archives of Internal Medicine.
    Vol. 171 No. 8, April 25, 2011
    Tai Chi Exercise in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure

    A Randomized Clinical Trial

    Gloria Y. Yeh, MD, MPH; Ellen P. McCarthy, PhD; Peter M. Wayne, PhD; Lynne W. Stevenson, MD; Malissa J. Wood, MD; Daniel Forman, MD; Roger B. Davis, ScD; Russell S. Phillips, MD

    Arch Intern Med. 2011;171(8):750-757. doi:10.1001/archinternmed.2011.150

    Background Preliminary evidence suggests that meditative exercise may have benefits for patients with chronic systolic heart failure (HF); this has not been rigorously tested in a large clinical sample. We sought to investigate whether tai chi, as an adjunct to standard care, improves functional capacity and quality of life in patients with HF.

    Methods A single-blind, multisite, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial evaluated 100 outpatients with systolic HF (New York Heart Association class I-III, left ventricular ejection fraction ≤40%) who were recruited between May 1, 2005, and September 30, 2008. A group-based 12-week tai chi exercise program (n = 50) or time-matched education (n = 50, control group) was conducted. Outcome measures included exercise capacity (6- minute walk test and peak oxygen uptake) and disease-specific quality of life (Minnesota Living With Heart Failure Questionnaire).

    Results Mean (SD) age of patients was 67 (11) years; baseline values were left ventricular ejection fraction, 29% (8%) and peak oxygen uptake, 13.5 mL/kg/min; the median New York Heart Association class of HF was class II. At completion of the study, there were no significant differences in change in 6-minute walk distance and peak oxygen uptake (median change [first quartile, third quartile], 35 [–2, 51] vs 2 [–7, 54] meters, P = .95; and 1.1 [–1.1, 1.5] vs –0.5 [–1.2, 1.8] mL/kg/min, P = .81) when comparing tai chi and control groups; however, patients in the tai chi group had greater improvements in quality of life (Minnesota Living With Heart Failure Questionnaire, –19 [–23, –3] vs 1 [–16, 3], P = .02). Improvements with tai chi were also seen in exercise self-efficacy (Cardiac Exercise Self-efficacy Instrument, 0.1 [0.1, 0.6] vs –0.3 [–0.5, 0.2], P < .001) and mood (Profile of Mood States total mood disturbance, –6 [–17, 1] vs –1 [–13, 10], P = .01).

    Conclusion Tai chi exercise may improve quality of life, mood, and exercise self-efficacy in patients with HF.
    Gene Ching
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  15. #195
    Quote Originally Posted by GeneChing View Post
    Available from Archives of Internal Medicine.
    so, basically, as compared to doing nothing, doing taiji for 12 weeks, while having no impact on walking endurance or respiratory capacity in patients with chronic systolic heart failure, does make them feel better about themselves...

    <sigh>

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