Tai Chi for specific conditions
By Ron Perfetti
Arthritis & Rheumatism
In terms of being a movement study, T'ai Chi is emphatically joint oriented. The basic idea is that the joints govern movement in the body, both physical and energetic. The joints were often referred to as "gates" which implied that they controlled how much energy would move through the body. Therefore a recognized to necessitate the need to maintain a high degree of joint flexibility and strength.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, § there is a foundational life philosophy called the Five Elements. § This is a model of the cosmos in respect to five component factors; fire, earth, metal, water, and wood. Each of these elements contribute an essential ingredient to one's complete health experience. The wood element is that which governs the joints.
If one were to imagine a blade of grass, or a bamboo shoot, one would have the perfect example of the wood quality; supple strength. In T'ai Chi as an internal art, it is recognized that this quality of suppleness can not come from muscle strength. Muscles must supply good tone, but the quality that we look for in T'ai Chi is much more joint oriented. The ancient Taoist sage Lao Tzu taught that, "It is the stiff old tree that snaps in the strong wind, while the blade of grass bends and lives to see another day". So the practice of T'ai Chi has been developed with this in mind.
The result of doing T'ai Chi is that all the joints of the body benefit. In Chinese medicine, conditions like arthritis and rheumatism are considered the result of stagnation (toxicity), or poor circulation. So T'ai Chi practice supports the improvement of circulation due to a strengthening and expanding of range of movement of the joints, especially those of the ankles and hips.
If a joint condition such as arthritis is at an advanced stage, T'ai Chi might offer some relief and improvement. If the situation is at an earlier stage, practice can be enormously beneficial as a preventative and curative therapy.
Back Problems
Certainly
the experience of having back problems can be one of the most painful and debilitating
of physical conditions. In my 20 years of teaching, no where have I seen such
dramatic benefit in respect to T'ai Chi practice as in the instances of people
suffering from this condition.
Many, if not most, back problems originate in poor movement patterns. The tendency to bend, lean, and twist the trunk places great stress on the muscle groups and vertebrae located in the lower back. These muscles are not designed for strength. The muscles of the lower back (lumbar-sacral area) are intended to supply support for the lower back area, not to be work oriented or weight bearing.When we use our body in ways that distort the trunk position, as previously mentioned, work that should be performed by the large muscle groups in the legs is transferred up to the lower back. This sense of poorly defined muscle use is a prime contributor to back problems.
Back problems are a good example of the idea in
T'ai Chi of the importance of "doing simple things well", or in this
case, the results of doing a simple thing poorly over the course of time. Even
though some people have the experience of traumatically "throwing their
back out", which seems to denote a one time experience, this situation
actually is an example of the cumulative effect of many, many poorly done
movements. When we understand our daily actions (such as shifting weight,
turning the trunk, and stepping) as being movements that are repeated hundreds
of times a day, we begin to see the importance of doing these simple things
well.
With students who have back problems I strongly emphasize breaking the poor movement habit of twisting, which is the separating of the head and shoulders off of the base of the hips, resulting in a shortening and tightening of the lower back muscles. Not only does this instill tremendous tension in these muscles but also causes compression in the discs and vertebra in the area as well. The intention of T'ai Chi is to learn to move the trunk as a whole (T'ai Chi Trunk § ) from the Tan T'ian § or pelvis, without twisting, therefore eliminating much of the cause of lower back stress and discomfort. This, along with the willingness to allow the legs to bear more of the weight of the body, can be truly miraculous in terms of alleviating much of the cause of lower back discomfort.
Balance Improvement
T'ai Chi
views balance, the single most important movement skill, as the relationship
between the body and the natural force of gravity. The ancient Taoists referred
to gravity as the "Heavenly Chi seeking the Earth". This image is
actually very important because it describes gravity as being a source of
energetic movement rather than a simply a sense of body weight. The potential
for positioning the body well while moving, which we would consider good
posture, is that aspect of study which allows us to utilize the energy of
gravity well.
In T'ai Chi we imagine a perfect plumb line
descending from the heavens, entering into the crown of the head, continuing
down through the trunk, exiting the pelvic floor and going into the earth. This
is our guideline for the upper body's contribution towards good balance. Next
we need to position this erect upper body unit (T'ai Chi Trunk § ) correctly over
the lower body structure of the legs and feet. When applied well, in
conjunction with proper body tone which we call relaxation, gravity and the
ability to remain balanced within movement becomes a powerful therapeutic tool.
As is the case for most T'ai Chi principles, § the physical skill or quality is symbolic for a life experience that the practice intends to extend to include every aspect of our lives. The idea of being well balanced physically is simply a foundation for a similar ability to maintain a good sense of balance which includes the emotions and the mind.
High Blood Pressure
Contemporary
health statistics tell us that exercise is a must for anyone who wants to
maintain or regain their health. In our day and culture, most medical
conditions are understood to be stress related, to the extent that over 75% of
doctor visits are considered so.
For people with heart conditions, such as high blood pressure, the contemporary Western therapeutic approach consists of exercise, medication, and diet. As the exercise aspect of this program T'ai Chi offers a number of special benefits. Because of its gentle approach to movement, T'ai Chi allows even a person recuperating from a serious illness or operation the opportunity to begin moving the body. In T'ai Chi this quality of movement, which includes shifting the weight, trunk rotation, and taking steps, is used to enhance circulation throughout the body, including the circulation of the blood through the veins, arteries, etc.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine § one's health is evaluated in terms of quality and amount of circulation. The better one's circulation, the better one's health. T'ai Chi, as therapeutic movement, is designed to be a non-stressful use of physical movements in order to facilitate organ health (heart, lungs, liver, spleen, and kidneys), rather than an emphasis on muscle strength. This is the intention of T'ai Chi as an "internal" healing art.
Post-Operative Recovery
In recent
years contemporary Western medicine has become more aware of the benefits that accompany
the minimizing of a patients post-op down time, down time referring to
exclusive bed time. For a number of reasons, including increased cases of
pneumonia and slower recovery time, hospitals began to experiment with programs
that supported post-op patients, as quickly as possible, getting up and moving
in order to speed up their recuperative process. Recently a number of hospitals
have included T'ai Chi as an aspect of this approach.
In many ways T'ai Chi is perfectly suited for such a situation. It's emphasis on gentleness and relaxation implies an approach that allows the student/patient to practice comfortably.This permits even a person recovery from major surgery to participate with a sense of success. The therapeutic affects of T'ai Chi have always placed great emphasis on a movement experience that strengthens the immune system by increasing circulation throughout the body. This too is well suited for the post-op patient. Lastly, on the emotional and mental level, a major and understandable concern of many patients has to do with a question of being able to function after surgery. What are the long term affects of such an experience?
The practice of T'ai Chi, if presented in a skillful and appropriate manner, can greatly alleviate many of these concerns by offering a direct body experience that permits the patient, almost on a daily basis, to experience improvement; improvement in mobility, improvement in balance, improvement in strength and confidence. All these can be great emotional/mental contributors to the overall process of recovery after surgery.
Post-Traumatic Stress
For the
past several years I have had the opportunity to teach a class for the local
Let me state at this point that I make no
claims to be a psychiatrist or a psychologist, or to have any extensive
training in a Western approach to conditions which we might consider mental
disorders. It was the idea, as mentioned, of the medical professionals in the
In our day and age it is possible to experience intense and lasting stress in any number of different ways. Any traumatic abuse, be it physical, emotional, or mental, will result in an internal injury which can have lasting debilitating effects. In working with the afore mentioned group, I have made a few observations which I hope may be helpful.
The first is that it a natural response to intense trauma for the individual to want to escape the experience, either during or after or both.. Most individuals are not trained nor prepared to handle the discomfort, fear, and overall intensity the experience presents to them. Even a soldier, who goes through extensive training and seeks to develop a particular mind-set, is probably unprepared for the reality of war. How much more unprepared is a woman who is raped, or an abused child?
So there is a natural and probably necessary mental/emotional strategy to escape from the pain and horror. But unfortunately, if continued over a long period, the result of this escape mechanism is that there is a growing sense of alienation and separation from reality. Reality is a pretty heavy term, and can be a bit ambiguous. In using it what I mean is the ability for any individual to pay attention and function reasonably well (clearly) in respect to present moment circumstances. Because the trauma is experienced, either directly or indirectly, through the physical experience, much of the sense of alienation seems to express itself in the lessening of awareness and connection between the mental/emotional levels and the physical body.
What I have experienced and observed in my work at the Veterans Center is that, in a number of ways, T'ai Chi presents a valuable and result oriented approach to help satisfy the needs of people dealing with this condition. First, and maybe most important, T'ai Chi places great emphasis in the mind/body relationship. A student, regardless of past experience, is supported in returning to a greater awareness of their body. This is emphasized as the basis for good physical health, but in reality, its primary importance is that of mental health. The condition of the mind disconnected from the body, and therefore from present moment experience, is viewed as the primary cause for all confusion, delusion, and mental/emotional pain. The need to reconnect mind to body is a step of the healing process that includes not only those who have experienced extreme traumatic stress, but just about everyone in some manner. In varying degrees, we all suffer from post traumatic stress syndrome.
For a beginner through intermediate level student, T'ai Chi emphasizes a few basic principles. These are to strengthen one's ability to pay attention, to connect that attention to the body experience, and then to relax. All of this is looked at as being very "grounding". In Traditional Chinese Medicine there is a tremendous emphasis placed on the experience and relationship one has to the earth. The earth qualities, the earth energy, is what keeps us physically healthy, emotionally confident, and mentally strong. People who suffer from post traumatic stress syndrome, from a traditional Chinese diagnostic view, would be considered to be deficient in "earth Chi". They lack the qualities of stability, balance, and confidence. So the intent of the practice is to facilitate the individual's ability to reestablish that earth connection, not only to the physical ground, but gradually, to that reality base of what's happening now, both internally and externally. During the process of establishing that sense of reconnection, one is required to look at and resolve or heal any obstruction that stands in the way. No small task, but T'ai Chi would ask "What is the alternative?"
A final idea concerning the place a practice like T'ai chi might have in a clinical setting where other modalities, like psychiatry, might be the dominant approach. The doctor that invited me to conduct this class was wise in his insight that different individuals respond to different methods. The value of T'ai Chi is that it addresses the effects of past trauma in a non-intellectual approach; things are not talked about, one doesn't have to express oneself verbally. Some people do not do well with words (intellect). Yet, in T'ai Chi, issues are dealt with very effectively, over time, because the practice requires that the student apply great amounts of attention towards themselves, initially to the body, but eventually to every level. A student explores their feelings, qualities of experience, and levels of comfort, or lack of. For some people, and I would include myself in this category, this body oriented way of dealing with emotional/mental stress can be a most effective tool.
Stress Reduction
T'ai Chi
might well be considered the world's oldest stress reduction program. For the
most part stress is understood to be a mental/emotional situation expressed
through the physical body. Anxiety, worry, fear, and a host of related negative
mental states can and do cause serious physical symptoms including increased
blood pressure, impaired organ function, and accumulated tension in the muscles
and joints which can lead to arthritis and other joint afflictions.
T'ai Chi, like contemporary Western psychiatry, understands that it is very difficult to directly influence the mental/emotional state. So what has developed over the centuries is a very simple yet highly sophisticated method of influencing mental/emotional changes through body experiences.
T'ai Chi , as a branch of Traditional Chinese Medicine, § looks at the mind, emotions, and body as interconnected. Their relationship is one of constant exchange of information and influence, and so, in a very real sense, mind, emotions, and body are one and the same. Therefore if we create a positive change in one, all then receive the information of that change, and then are changed themselves. So in T'ai Chi we use a process of relaxing muscular tensions, improving posture, and a deepening of the breathing process to affect in a positive way the stress levels of the mind and emotions.
T'ai Chi also places emphasis on the development of certain life-style
principles of which none is more important than that of balance. It is
understood that in a very real sense all tension and stress are expressions of
imbalance. Therefore the cultivation of improved balance, once again as a
mind/body experience, can only have the affect of reducing stress.
Athletic Performance
Starting at
a very young age, and continuing right through college, the single most important
aspect of my life was athletics. After college, as a substitute for sports, I
began my study of martial arts, eventually leading to T'ai Chi Ch'uan. I can
only say that at a younger age I wish I know what I do today about body
mechanics, strength, balance, and coordination. All this and more that I have
learned from T'ai Chi would have turned what was a good athlete into an
exceptional one.
I frequently get both amateur and professional athletes in my T'ai Chi classes. Golfers, tennis players, skiers, runners, surfers (I do live in Hawaii), and others who all marvel at how T'ai Chi practice improves their particular sport.
From T'ai Chi perspective, all movement, be it a
golf swing or a skier gliding down a mountain slope, is an expression of body principles. § Regardless of
the specifics of the particular sport, all athletics require a good sense of
balance, coordination, and, surprisingly to some, relaxation, which in T'ai Chi
is defined as being free to move.
In world class sports, trainers often video an athlete in their activity, and watch in slow motion in order to diagnose deviations in good form or body mechanics. This is exactly what we attempt to do in T'ai Chi. Most of our practice is done slowly, not because it is felt that one should always move at that speed, but rather to take advantage of the learning opportunity that this provides. By doing T'ai Chi an athlete refines those movement qualities that are essential in order to bring the body up to peak performance capabilities. These capabilities, developed by moving slowly, actually include a sense of both strength and speed.
The intention is to use our exercises to develop a heightened sense of body awareness so that we can begin to detect our poor movement habits and replace them with more skillful ones. This requires a strengthening of one's concentration, the ability to slow down, and the willingness to change old habits. The result of these three steps is that of a greatly improved athlete.
Issues of Aging
For a
number of reasons I feel that T'ai Chi is one of the best possible exercise
systems for seniors (defined as those 55 years of age or older). I have taught for
Senior Citizen Centers for over 5 years now and never cease to be amazed at the
results that seniors derive from T'ai Chi practice.
To begin with, T'ai Chi is a study that places great emphasis on balance, both physical and mental. It is very common for people, as they get older, to begin to lose their sense of balance and therefore become much more susceptible to falls and subsequent injuries. It has been documented that the fear of falling is one of the greatest concerns of Senior Citizens. In T'ai Chi practice, the principles of balance, which include joint involvement (ankle, knee, and hip), lower body awareness, and posture as it is involved in all body movements are explored and improved. This leads to a better sense of body movement and a growing confidence that permits a person of any age to live a fuller and more productive life.
Another major benefit of T'ai Chi as it relates to
seniors is its emphasis on gentleness and relaxation. Truly any individual can
begin T'ai Chi because the best place to start your study is right where you
are. In fact one of the most valuable aspects of the practice is to better
define who you are in this very moment so that, knowing that, you can then
chart your course of improvement and growth. I feel that a minimum entry level
ability would be that of being able to walk, although a variation of practice
can be adapted even for that individual who is unable to presently accomplish
this. Lastly, I feel that a major value for the senior (or for that matter any
adult) is the challenge of getting involved in a new study, accepting the fact
that one is a beginner, and refining one's ability to learn. In my classes with
seniors I de-emphasize the importance of evaluating their practice on a
physical basis. This is not to imply that the physical aspect is not important,
but rather to place the emphasis where it should be, which is on the challenge
of learning. Over time, with practice, one begins to see that any life
experience, including health and happiness, can be a learned experience.
Weight Management
The study
of T'ai Chi is traditionally considered a "homeostatic" practice.
This term implies that the nature of the result catalyzed by the practice is
one which supports one's ability to return to balance. This quality of balance,
at least in my view, is really the heart of the study, and as in the case of
most aspects of T'ai Chi, it is a multifaceted experience.
There certainly are a number of major contributors to a successful approach in managing one's weight; diet, exercise, self-esteem, metabolic rate, and toxicity are all important elements of the overall program. T'ai Chi , with its gentle yet effective approach, works on all of them.
Initially, when one practices T'ai Chi , the common observation is that one's physical balance isn't very good. Recognizing this state of imbalance, using the slow, smooth exercises, one begins the work of improving their physical balance. The beauty of the art is that at the very same time the student is sending this same message of balance throughout all aspects of their body/emotions/mind.
In T'ai Chi there is an understanding and respect for each individual as a unique expression of life's creative process. The operational word here is "unique". Unfortunately in our culture, because of the media, we are imprinted with very narrow ideas of beauty, desirability, and sense of worth. In Traditional Chinese Medicine § there is this basic tenet called the Five Elements; § those of fire, water, metal, and wood. Each of these different elements represents a completely different body type, from tall and thin, to short and broad. None of the types are considered more beautiful, more desirable, nor healthier. The intention of the practice is to engage in the process of learning who and what you are, and then going about improving what that is to the best of your ability. This is never to be confused with the frustrating attempt to try to be someone else, or something that you're not.
Joint Problems
T'ai
Chi has different methods for curing many different ailments and/or
problems. Joint problems are usually very receptive to T'ai Chi
training. Arthritis and rheumatism are common ailments of T'ai Chi
students before they begin instruction. However, this exercise is most
beneficial as a preventative therapy. Ron Perfetti explains that
"T'ai Chi is emphatically joint oriented [and] the basic idea is that the
joints govern movement in the body, both physical and energetic." By
experiencing T'ai Chi, all the joints of the body, as well as muscles,
profit. T'ai Chi helps arthritis and rheumatism by "the improvement
of circulation due to a strengthening and expanding of range of movement of the
joints" (http://www.maui.net/~taichi4u/specifics.html).
Back Problems
Ron
Perfetti also says that some of the greatest responses he has seen to T'ai Chi have
been from people suffering from back problems. The study of T'ai Chi
stresses the importance of moving the trunk as a whole, therefore it helps to
break the habit of twisting one's back, which reduces tension and compression
in the discs and vertebra. Moving from the pelvis and allowing the legs
to hold more body weight reduces much of the discomfort in the back. This
quality of movement, which enhances circulation throughout the body, is also
advantageous for increasing blood circulation throughout the veins.
Traditional Chinese Medicine evaluates one's health "in term's of quality
and amount of circulation; the better one's circulation, the better one's
health" (http://www.maui.net/~taichi4u/specifics.html).
Stress Reduction
Another very useful aspect of T'ai Chi is its aid in the reduction of stress. Stress affects people in many different ways, however, it is usually expressed through stiffness and/or pain in the body. Ron Perfetti relates that "anxiety, worry, fear, and a host of related negative mental states can and do cause serious physical symptoms including increased blood pressure, impaired organ functions, and accumulated tension in the muscles and joints which can lead to arthritis and other joint afflictions" (http://www.maui.net/~taichi4u/specifics.html). T'ai Chi's entire body experience commands relaxation and a cleared, focused mind. Through deep breathing, proper posture, and muscle relaxation, this exercise is calming and focuses on connecting one with one's body, while stress tension and feelings are overcome.
T'ai Chi for the Elderly
There are few scientific studies on the effectiveness of T'ai Chi for improving one's way of life, reducing stress, or increasing energy; however, two studies are found on the Internet about reducing the number of falls in elderly people through T'ai Chi training. The two studies were sponsored by the National Institute on Aging and "are the first involoving T'ai Chi to be reported by scientists in a special fraility reduction program" (http://www.nih.gov/nia/new/press/taichi.htm). The first study, ran by Steven L. Wolf, Ph.D., and colleagues at the Emory University School of Medicine, included 200 participants whose minimum age was 70. The study found that "older people taking part in a 15-week T'ai Chi program reduced their risk of falling by 47.5 percent." This form of exercise, although condensed from the usual 108 moves to the ten that would be most beneficial, was ideal for these elderly people who may have a hard time remembering moves as the form grows longer and more complex. The participants "were divided into groups for T'ai Chi, computerized balance training, and education." The participants practiced at home, without be monitored, two times a day for at least 15 minutes, in addition to 15 progressive weekly sessions. The computerized balance training group used a "computer-operated balance platform" on which they were aligned and trained to improve their balance, like an interactive video game. The education group maintained their usual exercise routine and attended health awareness classes. The subjects in the T'ai Chi group reduced their rate of falling, whereas the subjects of the computer balance training did not show a substantial decrease. The T'ai Chi participants also found at the end of the study that they "took more deliberate steps, decreased their walking speed slightly, . . . [and reduced their] fear of falling" by 15% (http://www.nih.gov/nia/new/press/taichi.htm).
The second study, headed by Leslie Wolfson, MD., and colleagues at the University of Connecticut Health Center, observed a group of elderly participants over a 6-month period practicing T'ai Chi exercises. The purpose of this study was to find various means to "improve balance and strength among older people" (http://www.nih.gov/nia/new/press/taichi.htm). This group included 110 participants, averaging age 80, whose training lasted for three months. They were divided into four groups of various training sessions, and all four groups took weekly T'ai Chi classes for six months after the training period. The subjects were evaluated before any training, immediately after, and 6-months after a follow-up T'ai Chi program. All subjects participated in the T'ai Chi training, and without a control group to compare results to, it is difficult to report the sole effects of T'ai Chi on balance and strength. After the 6-month follow up T'ai Chi training, however, results of the gains immediately following the balance training somewhat decreased. This study suggests that T'ai Chi could be a low intensity work out to maintain strength and balance among the elderly.
Medical Studies on T'ai Chi-
T'ai Chi and Cardiorespiratory Functions
A study by Lai, Lan, Wong, and Teng (1995) analyzed the effects of T'ai Chi on "the cardiorespiratory function of older individuals" (Lai, et.al. 1995: page 1222). The subjects of the study lived in the same community and practiced relatively active lifestyles. The study excluded subjects with a history of "significant cardiovascular, pulmonary, metabolic, and musculoskeletal diseases" (Lai, et.al. 1995: page 1223). The two subject groups, a T'ai Chi group and a sedentary group, were formed of 23 males and 22 females and 21 males and 18 females, respectively. The subjects' resting heart rates and blood pressures were tested before and after a bicycle exercise test, the flexibility of their thoracic/lumbar spines were evaluated, and their triceps and subscapular skin folds were measured.
Prior
to the study, subjects in the T'ai Chi group had practiced T'ai Chi for an
average of 6.7 years. The training sessions "included 20 minutes of
warm up (including stretching exercise, gentle calisthenics, and balance
training), 24 minutes of T'ai Chi practicing, and 10 minutes of cool down"
(Lai, et.al. 1995: page 1224). Throughout the baseline tests, subjects of
the T'ai Chi group had notably higher oxygen uptake and spine flexibility than
the control group. Also, the T'ai Chi group produced better results in
the skin fold tests than the control group. In the follow-up tests 2
years later, the T'ai Chi male group decreased its maximal oxygen uptake by
2.8%, and the male control group decreased its maximal oxygen uptake by 6.6%.
The T'ai Chi group of females decreased their maximum oxygen uptake by 2.9%,
which was not significantly different from that of the female control
group. However, in the sedentary female group, subjects displayed a
"greater decline of maximal aerobic capacity" (Lai, et.al. 1995: page
1225). These results proved that the practice of T'ai Chi is
"beneficial for maintaining the cardiorespiratory function in older
individuals" and it may "decrease the rate of decline in cardiorespiratory
function" (Lai, et.al. 1995: page 1227). The study supports the idea
that T'ai Chi increases flexibility, especially in elderly people.
However, the results of the maximal oxygen uptake tests displayed that T'ai Chi
is not significantly more aerobic than doing nothing at all. To be
considered an aerobic exercise, T'ai Chi ought to be more vigorous to elevate
the heart rate. Due to its light physical strain, however, it is evident
why T'ai Chi is becoming a more common form of exercise or movement for the elderly.
T'ai Chi and Post-stressor Recovery
.A
study conducted by Putai Jin (1992) from La Trobe University in
The
subjects of the study were 48 males and 48 females in their mid-thirties who
practiced T'ai Chi in eight T'ai Chi clubs in
The subjects' heart rates, urine samples, saliva samples, blood pressure, and anxiety levels were tested at various times throughout the experiment. The heart rates and the blood pressures of the T'ai Chi group and the brisk walking group were similar. However, the T'ai Chi subjects had significantly higher heart rates than those of the meditation and reading group during treatment. The study also showed that "systolic blood pressure was elevated for the T'ai Chi group but dropped for the meditation group and the reading group, and that the DBP was higher during T'ai Chi performance in comparison with meditation" (Jin, P. 1992: page 364). By means of the urinary test, they discovered that the adrenaline level after meditation was higher than that after T'ai Chi exercise. Finally, all subjects' moods increased after their respective activities; the T'ai Chi group, however, felt more vigorous and reduced more anxiety than did the reading group. The data obtained from this study supports the proposition that all four of the activities, T'ai Chi, brisk walking, meditation, and reading, are helpful for reducing mental and emotional stress. The practice of T'ai Chi, however, seemed to be superior than the other three activities for decreasing stress.
T'ai Chi vs. Balance, Flexibility, and More!
Yet another study was conducted on the health benefits of T'ai Chi for the elderly. The purpose of this study "was to evaluate the effects of T'ai Chi Chih, a modified form of T'ai Chi, on balance, flexibility, mood, health status, and blood pressure in a group of community-dwelling elders" with an average age of 70 (Schaller, K. 1996: page 13). In this quasi-experimental design, the 46 subjects volunteered and chose to be in either the experimental group or the control group. The subjects of the T'ai Chi group attended an hour session once a week for 10 weeks and were asked to practice at home at least three times per week. The control group, throughout these ten weeks, continued their previous level of activity. All subjects were tested a week before intervention and one week after the final T'ai Chi lesson.
The T'ai Chi group improved its mean score by 50% in the eyes-open portion of the balance test, while the control group's scores decreased by 2%. In fact, "this is the first controlled study to report an improvement in balance after T'ai Chi intervention in older adults without previous T'ai Chi experience" (Schaller, K. 1996: page 15). Additional results of this study did not support the four other hypotheses established by the experimenter. These hypotheses included that the T'ai Chi participants would have greater flexibility than non-practitioners, T'ai Chi participants would have better mood scores than the control group, T'ai Chi participants would have better health statuses compared to the non-practitioners, and T'ai Chi participants would have lower blood pressures than the control group. It is possible that 10 weeks was not enough time to improve flexibility and mood with T'ai Chi in people that had had no previous experience with this martial art. The report also states that "while the reductions in blood pressure in the T'ai Chi group were not statistically significant, a 4.6% reduction in SBP and a 3.6% reduction in DBP might be clinically significant in someone with mild to moderate hypertension" (Schaller, K. 1996. page 15). Although the results of this study were far from impressive for the participation in T'ai Chi, the study of T'ai Chi is still beneficial for it's participant. This low intensity exercise is far from aerobic, however it can be advantageous to its older participants for maintaining balance, flexibility, good health status, and low blood pressure.
T'ai Chi and the Reduction of Falls
As reported above, the study by Wolf and associates was one of the first involving T'ai Chi to be reported by scientists in a special fraility reduction program. The official report of this study included much more information about the methods and results of this study than the evaluation on the Internet. The three groups, those studying T'ai Chi, those on computerized balance training, and the control group, were comprised of participants age 70 or older. The exclusion criteria for this study were "the presence of debilitating conditions such as severe cognitive impairments, metastatic cancer, crippling arthritis, Parkinson's disease or major stroke, or profound visual deficits that could compromise balance or ambulation" (Wolf, et.al. 1996: page 490).
The T'ai Chi classes consisted of ten moves of T'ai Chi that gradually reduced the "base of standing support until single limb stance was achieved, increased body and trunk rotation, and reciporcal arem movements" (Wolf, et.al. 1996: page 490). The computerized balance training progressively challenged balance skills and forced the participants to move their center of mass with no foot displacement. Lastly, the education group participants did not alter their exercise levels for the duration of the study and met weekly to discuss health topics of interest to older people.
The results of the study showed that participation in T'ai Chi "had less loss in left-hand grip strength, reduced ambulation speed, and lowered systolic blood pressure after a 12-minute walk" (Wolf, et.al. 1996: page 495). The T'ai Chi group also reduced its fear of falling as compared to the education group. The subjects of the T'ai Chi group also reduced their rate of fall occurrences substantially, wheras the balance training group did not. This information shows that T'ai Chi can benefit vital functions of older people and can be viewed as a productive form of exercise.
Internet Information v. Medical Information
There are very few studies, especially reported on the Internet, conducted on the benefits, physically or psychologically, of T'ai Chi. However, the Chinese feel very strongly about their form of exercise and relaxation, as a form of healing, as well. T'ai Chi has been practiced for thousands of years and recently has become a common form of exercise and rehabilitation. Every source of information found on the Internet about T'ai Chi was extremely supportive and very enthusiastic about sharing its knowledge of this treasured art form. There are many sources of information about this martial art available, however many are connected with class schedules, information about instructors, and locations. Many of the Internet sources make claims about the benefits of T'ai Chi without substantial evidence. T'ai Chi has been linked to benefiting almost every ailment, from joint problems to cardiovascular diseases, although there have been relatively few conclusive studies completed. There is absolutely no evidence that the practice of T'ai Chi has negative effects on anyone if practiced properly, however, the degree of its benefits are still disputed.
Conclusion
T'ai Chi has recently become
a common form of exercise in studios, rehabilitation centers, and even public
gyms. The distinction and attraction of this martial art is not the learning
of steps or movements, it is the entire body experience of relaxation and
peacefulness. As Ron Perfetti states, "The intention T'ai Chi is to
allow one the opportunity to become more aware of the natural laws which govern
change; not just change in the body as affects physical, structural movement,
but rather principles of change and movement that govern every aspect of our
lives and the world around us" (http://www.maui.net/~taichi4u/overview.html).
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Visit our Tai Chi related and recommended links
Yahoogroups – Kalis Ilustrisimo
Yahoogroups – Melbourne Tai Chi & Chi Kung