Tai Chi Lessens Arthritis Pain

Tai Ch is a Chinese wellness practice that has been previously associated with a variety of physical and mental health benefits.  Leigh F.  Callahan, from the University of North Carolina (North Carolina, USA), and colleagues studied 354 men and women, ages 18 years and over, with any type of self-reported, doctor-diagnosed arthritis.  Subjects were randomly assigned to two groups: the intervention group received the 8-week, twice-weekly Tai Chi course immediately, whereas the other group was a delayed control group (received the Tai Chi course after 8 weeks).  At the end of eight week study period, those men and women who had received the immediate 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.