Part meditation, part martial art, and because of its reported health benefits – part “medication,” according to Harvard Health. All of those descriptions are associated with tai chi, also known as tai chi chuan.
The exercise earned its “medication” credentials through testimonies and studies that indicate its slow, constant, fluid movements can help reduce pain, relieve stress, build lower body strength, promote weight loss and mitigate symptoms for Parkinson’s disease, fibromyalgia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
While some assertions about tai chi lack proof for their claims, there is ample evidence that the practice, which began as an ancient martial art, can mitigate certain medical conditions. Along with getting the professional advice of a physician, understanding the research and tai chi’s various forms can help in deciding if the exercise is appropriate for you.
There are five styles of tai chi, and the level of force, number of movements, speed and depth of crouching vary across types. But what they all have in common is slow, circular, fluid motions. Bruce Lee famously described it as running water that never goes stale, requiring constant flowing.
Tai chi traces its origin to China and Taoism, a philosophy that emphasizes living in balance with the universe, or the Tao. However, that’s not the primary focus of its practice in the West, where Tai Chi slowly began gaining notice about 60 years ago before surging in popularity in the 21st century.
Data from national health surveys show that the number of people in the United States practicing tai chi, yoga and qigong more than doubled in 12 years.
In 2002, approximately 6% of people in the U.S. engaged in those three exercises, and by 2017, that number had increased to almost 15%. Statista provides information specifically for tai chi and estimates that nearly 4 million people in the U.S. were engaging in the exercise in 2018.
Self-reported benefits of reducing anxiety, improving mood and mitigating depression are among the reasons many more people began practicing tai chi.
Tai chi centers and practitioners describe qualitative health benefits derived from breathing techniques, the slow pace and emphasis on mindfulness. Those components can aid in managing stress by fostering a mind-body connection and finding emotional balance, they report.
As tai chi’s popularity and claims of health benefits increased, researchers started seeking quantifiable proof of its effect on medical conditions. Many concluded that tai chi improved some disease symptoms. However, some of the findings were not definitive or verifiable for several reasons.
The studies included too few participants. Some studies didn’t specify the style of tai chi evaluated or the quality of the instructors’ training.
In other cases, such as research that showed tai chi reduced blood pressure, investigators didn’t conduct follow-up assessments to determine if the benefit was lasting, temporary or replicable. That made some of the conclusions about tai chi’s benefits less certain.
However, for some conditions, tai chi’s health benefits are more definitive.
Harvard Health describes tai chi as “medication in motion.” It lists the regimen as beneficial for building muscle strength, boosting flexibility and improving balance.
Additionally, a comprehensive assessment of tai chi was conducted, evaluating 120 reviews and 500 clinical trials spanning 45 years. The study ranked the evidence supporting health improvement claims as excellent, good and fair.
Among the studies that produced excellent evidence, researchers found that tai chi improves symptoms and challenges associated with:
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) rehabilitation
- Cognitive capacity in older adults
- Osteoarthritis
- Parkinson’s disease
There is good evidence that practicing tai chi benefits people with:
- Cardiac and stroke rehabilitation
- Dementia
- Depression
Researchers categorized evidence of tai chi’s benefits for these conditions as fair:
- Cancer
- Fibromyalgia
- Hypertension
At its core, tai chi focuses on movement. And that is an integral factor in remaining healthy, according to many health professionals. Being physical, which supports mobility and cognitive function, is one of the eight elements of wellness.
And the American Heart Association promotes regular exercise as one of Life’s Essential 8 for heart health.
If after consulting with your healthcare provider, you’d like to explore tai chi, the Tai Chi for Health Institute provides a class and instructor finder.
