Tai Chi as medicine

[GeneChing]

Nice that they specified Yang. That wouldn't be my pick for something to ward off knee pain. Nice usage of 'ward off' in the article title.

Tai Chi May Help Ward Off Knee Pain in Seniors

THURSDAY, Oct. 29 (HealthDay News) -- Want to improve that osteoarthritis in your knee? New research suggests that regular Tai Chi exercise can reduce pain and help your knee function better.

"Tai Chi is a mind-body approach that appears to be an applicable treatment for older adults with knee osteoarthritis," Dr. Chenchen Wang, co-author of a study published in the November issue of Arthritis Care & Research, said in a news release from the journal's publisher.

In the United States, an estimated 4.3 million adults over 60 suffer from this form of arthritis. As many as half of American adults may develop symptoms by age 85, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported recently.

Wang and colleagues from Tufts University School of Medicine recruited 40 patients, with an average age of 65, who had been diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis.

Half of the group took part in Yang-style Tai Chi sessions for an hour at a time, twice weekly over a period of three months. The Tai Chi session consisted of 10-minutes of self-message and review, a half hour of movement, 10 minutes of breathing exercises and 10 minutes of relaxing.

The other participants took two 60-minute classes per week for three months and learned about issues such as diet and nutrition, and treatments for osteoarthritis. They also stretched for 20 minutes.

Those who practiced Tai Chi had significantly less knee pain than the other group and also reported less depression, more physical function and better overall health.

"Our observations emphasize a need to further evaluate the biologic mechanisms and approaches of Tai Chi to extend its benefits to a broader population," Wang said.

[GLW]

They said Yang but did the MEAN Yang or something else.

Many people call 24 Posture Simplified Yang style...even though it is based on concepts from Yang mixed with influences from Wu and Sun...and simplified to make it easier to learn and easier on the knees due to the use of the rock step in moving Gong Bu.

If they were taught Cheng Manching's 37 posture, the higher stances and easier movements make it easier on the knees and also not in the mainstream of Yang style.

So...not all Yang style is Yang style.

[Skip J.]

They said Yang but did the MEAN Yang or something else.

Many people call 24 Posture Simplified Yang style...even though it is based on concepts from Yang mixed with influences from Wu and Sun...and simplified to make it easier to learn and easier on the knees due to the use of the rock step in moving Gong Bu.

If they were taught Cheng Manching's 37 posture, the higher stances and easier movements make it easier on the knees and also not in the mainstream of Yang style.

So...not all Yang style is Yang style.

Newbies in their 60's and up, all with knee problems - would be starting out with the 24 Simplified I think.... Advanced movements will come later, years later - if any of them stick with it. That first year is really tough on the old folks... and they come in thinking that they want to do taiji because it looks soooo easy...

[mawali]

Level of instruction, if good enough then even Beijing (24) shi taijiquan is a great way towards health. It has shown excellent effects for well being and general welfare as evidenced by a Japanese study done about 5 years ago, if I recall rightly.

[Skip J.]

Level of instruction, if good enough then even Beijing (24) shi taijiquan is a great way towards health. It has shown excellent effects for well being and general welfare as evidenced by a Japanese study done about 5 years ago, if I recall rightly.

Absolutely right!

Those old folks that will stay with a beginners course all the way thru the 24 will improve their health in many ways.... including me...

And a few stay on after that.... I don't believe that there is a limit to their (our) health improvement other than dropping out...

[GLW]

I have had students with MS as well as Rheumatoid and Osteo Arthritis...knee surgeries, and so on.

All of them were able to start with 24 Posture Taijiquan. (I can also say that none of those would have ever been able to approximate traditional Yang style without a number of major modifications in stance work.)

The ones with knee or joint issues, should they continue after learning 24 Posture (and 32 sword), I will teach differently. I include things like 20 Postures for Longevity Qi Gong and even Sun Style Taijiquan since its stance requirements can be slackened off a bit...and it is quick enough to hold the interest as far as spirit and complexity.

The only real issue I have ever had with older students is when a couple comes in. The men end up quitting. I think it is that their wives seem to pick up on things easier....and the old male ego rears its head and they quit.

[Skip J.]

The only real issue I have ever had with older students is when a couple comes in. The men end up quitting. I think it is that their wives seem to pick up on things easier....and the old male ego rears its head and they quit.

Almost always..... I have heard one say he felt like a dancing bear and quit after two weeks. Most men who stay with it for years come on their own because they wanted to. For me, this is the one activity I have separate from my wife. I have no interest in her coming to class, and she has no interest.... she does her yoga on occasion, and is so far ahead of me physically I'll never catch up, so I don't feel guilty about it. We have a new guy that just retired that has come to 4 classes with his wife. She has been coming over a year, so maybe he won't feel like he should be in competition with her. His attitude is good so far.

[GLW]

Funny thing is that in each instance where a couple came in and the husband quit, two things of note:

(1) of the two, the husband NEEDED to to Taijiquan more than the wife. He was always one of those guys who would have said "I need to get BACK into shape." but was NEVER in shape in the first place...unless you consider ROUND a shape.

(2) when the man quit, soon after, he began to pressure the woman to quit too...and eventually she did...and in each case she quit reluctantly.

I still give family and couple discounts...I just don't expect too much out of it until BOTH show an interest. I teach the same...I just don't externalize my expectations any longer.

[Skip J.]

Funny thing is that in each instance where a couple came in and the husband quit, two things of note:

(1) of the two, the husband NEEDED to to Taijiquan more than the wife. He was always one of those guys who would have said "I need to get BACK into shape." but was NEVER in shape in the first place...unless you consider ROUND a shape.

(2) when the man quit, soon after, he began to pressure the woman to quit too...and eventually she did...and in each case she quit reluctantly.

I still give family and couple discounts...I just don't expect too much out of it until BOTH show an interest. I teach the same...I just don't externalize my expectations any longer.

Yes and yes to both..... unfortunately.... as you say, these guys start out round, and they want to stay round..... except we're talking about old folks here.

The young ones (in their '40's) - well, the wife wants the husband to come but that does not affect whether she comes or not. If anything, they are less distracted with the husband gone and progress faster...

[GeneChing]

...what style of tai chi?

Study finds tai chi helps treat osteoarthritis symptoms in elderly
By Health News Team • Nov 9th, 2009 • Category: Joint Health, True Health News

Tai Chi can help alleviate osteoarthritis symptoms, according to study

Treating arthritis pain may be possible with a relaxing alternative therapy, according to researchers. They say the ancient Chinese martial art known as tai chi may be effective in reducing knee pain in older people with osteoarthritis (OA).

The study, published in the November issue of the journal Arthritis Care and Researchsuggests that practicing tai chi can help seniors suffering from OA reduce their pain and improve their physical function.

A research team in Boston studied the effects of twice- weekly 60-minute tai chi sessions over a period of 12 weeks on a group of seniors with confirmed cases of knee OA. The sessions included practicing tai chi movements as well as breathing and relaxation techniques.

At the end of the 12-week study period, patients practicing tai chi exhibited a significant decrease in knee pain compared with those in the control group. In addition, researchers say they observed improved physical function, self-efficacy, depression, and health status in the group that took part in the exercise.

Tai chi features slow, rhythmic movements to induce mental relaxation and enhance balance, strength, flexibility, and self-efficacy. Components of the martial art are consistent with current exercise recommendations for OA, which include range of motion, flexibility, muscle conditioning, and aerobic workout.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention there are 4.3 million U.S. adults over age 60 diagnosed with knee OA, a common form of arthritis that causes wearing of joint cartilage.

Nutritional supplements containing glucosamine and chondroitin are also believed to help reduce symptoms associated with joint pain.

This link is worth clicking just for the tai chi pic...

[Skip J.]

...what style of tai chi?


This link is worth clicking just for the tai chi pic...

I can say for a fact that we have never had an elderly student that looks like that....

[GeneChing]

I should really netsearch the details of SMILE, just to find out if there's anything notable there. Or maybe someone else here should...

Tai Chi therapy against depression encouraging: Australian scientist
English.news.cn 2010-01-20 15:29:38

CANBERRA, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Australian scientist Liu Xin, who designed a Tai Chi exercise program to fight depression, diabetes and obesity said Wednesday that an initial trial of the program is encouraging.

Hailing the program as a breakthrough in the fight against depression, diabetes and obesity, the University of Queensland scientist said 50 volunteers took part in the three-month trial of the SMILE exercise regime.

The proportion of participants with clinical levels of depression dropped from 60 percent to 20 percent.

Participants also saw significant reductions in their body mass index and waist circumference.

"Without involvement of any dietary intervention and high intensity training, it was very encouraging to see such impressive results over a short period of time," Liu said.

In addition to the improvements in depression and obesity, participants also said they slept better, had more energy, higher self-esteem and improved confidence.

With one in five Australians experiencing depression at some stage of their lives, Liu said the program has great potential to ease suffering.
Editor: Fang Yang

[GeneChing]

More from University of Queensland researcher Liu Xin.

Tai Chi Moves May Benefit Those With Type 2 Diabetes
Thursday, February 11, 2010

An ancient form of Chinese exercise may hold hope for staving off a modern illness - type 2 diabetes, according to a university researcher.

People with - or at risk of developing - diabetes who took part in preliminary studies of a tai chi-based program recorded falls in blood pressure, weight and blood sugar levels.

Many reported decreases in depressive symptoms after their involvement in the classes, designed by University of Queensland researcher Liu Xin.

Dr Liu said the program had been tailored to benefit people with, or at risk of, type 2 diabetes and included movements to specifically exercise the pancreas, which is involved in digestion and in the regulation of blood sugar levels.

"Like in designing or producing medication, we need to target the disease specifically," Dr Liu said.

"Different movements target different internal organs."

Shirley Fraser said she signed up to a trial of Dr Liu's program after watching her father struggle with the effects of type 2 diabetes towards the end of his life.

She attended the tai chi classes for up to 90 minutes a day, three days a week, for three months and also performed the exercises at home. Although the program did not involve a change of diet, she lost 10kg.

She said her blood pressure and blood sugar levels had also improved.

[chusauli]

If Tai Ji were "medicine", you'd have to be licensed to practice it!

Any exercise would help Type II diabetes... and a better diet would, too.

[Skip J.]

If Tai Ji were "medicine", you'd have to be licensed to practice it!

Any exercise would help Type II diabetes... and a better diet would, too.

Hello Robert;

My grandson is 14 with Type 1 diabetes - is skinny as a rail and eats life a horse and gets moderate exercise with the other kids.

Any advice???