A
recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine showed
that practicing the meditative Chinese martial art tai chi may help
alleviate Parkinson’s symptoms, and resistance training might also help
with certain aspects of the disease. The study, conducted by scientists
from the Oregon Research Institute, compared three different types of
interventions in the study. One group practiced tai chi, another did
resistance training, while the third stretched in a classroom setting.
The interventions were practiced twice a week for an hour each time.
Following twenty four weeks of this training regimen, the research
team found that those in the tai chi group had improved strength,
balance, reach, and control of movement. The resistance training group
had some gains, but the gains were not as large as the tai chi group.
Both the tai chi group and the resistance training group experienced
fewer falls than the stretching group.
This study is not a huge surprise, as it builds on previous research in this general area. For example, a recent study in
Age Ageing demonstrated that tai chi can
improve balance and proprioception in visually impaired adults over 70. Tai chi has been proven to be effective for pain management as well. A study in the
New England Journal of Medicine showed that
tai chi may also ease pain in fibromyalgia sufferers. Another study showed that tai chi can be effective for
managing lower back pain.
If you are interested in finding a tai chi class, you may want to try the list at the
World Tai Chi Day website.
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