Cancer Support Community-Benjamin Center has a tai chi class that meets every Tuesday from 5 -6pm. At no cost for those affected by cancer. Just drop in or call 310-314-2555 for information.
May 2009, Harvard Medical School Article
This gentle form of exercise can prevent or ease many ills of aging and
could be the perfect activity for the rest of your life.
Tai chi is often described as "meditation in
motion," but it might well be called "medication in motion."
There is growing evidence that this mind-body practice, which originated in
China as a martial art, has value in treating or preventing many health
problems. And you can get started even if you aren't in top shape or the best
of health.
In this low-impact, slow-motion exercise, you go without
pausing through a series of motions named for animal actions — for example,
"white crane spreads its wings" — or martial arts moves, such as
"box both ears." As you move, you breathe deeply and naturally,
focusing your attention — as in some kinds of meditation — on your bodily
sensations. Tai chi differs from other types of exercise in several respects.
The movements are usually circular and never forced, the muscles are relaxed
rather than tensed, the joints are not fully extended or bent, and connective
tissues are not stretched. Tai chi can be easily adapted for anyone, from the
most fit to people confined to wheelchairs or recovering from surgery.
"A growing body of carefully conducted research is
building a compelling case for tai chi as an adjunct to standard medical
treatment for the prevention and rehabilitation of many conditions commonly
associated with age," says Peter M. Wayne, assistant professor of medicine
at Harvard Medical School and director of the Tai Chi and Mind-Body Research
Program at Harvard Medical School's Osher Research Center. An adjunct therapy
is one that's used together with primary medical treatments, either to address
a disease itself or its primary symptoms, or, more generally, to improve a
patient's functioning and quality of life.
Belief systems
You don't need to subscribe to or learn much about tai chi's
roots in Chinese philosophy to enjoy its health benefits, but these concepts
can help make sense of its approach:
• Qi — an energy
force thought to flow through the body; tai chi is said to unblock and
encourage the proper flow of qi.
• Yin and yang —
opposing elements thought to make up the universe that need to be kept in
harmony. Tai chi is said to promote this balance.
Tai chi in motion
A tai chi class might include these parts:
Warm-up. Easy
motions, such as shoulder circles, turning the head from side to side, or
rocking back and forth, help you to loosen your muscles and joints and focus on
your breath and body.
Instruction and
practice of tai chi forms. Short forms — forms are sets of movements — may
include a dozen or fewer movements; long forms may include hundreds. Different
styles require smaller or larger movements. A short form with smaller, slower
movements is usually recommended at the beginning, especially if you're older
or not in good condition.
Qigong (or chi kung).
Translated as "breath work" or "energy work," this consists
of a few minutes of gentle breathing sometimes combined with movement. The idea
is to help relax the mind and mobilize the body's energy. Qigong may be
practiced standing, sitting, or lying down.
Getting started
The benefits of tai chi are generally greatest if you begin
before you develop a chronic illness or functional limitations. Tai chi is very
safe, and no fancy equipment is needed, so it's easy to get started. Here's
some advice for doing so:
Don't be intimidated by the language. Names like Yang, Wu,
and Cheng are given to various branches of tai chi, in honor of people who
devised the sets of movements called forms. Certain programs emphasize the
martial arts aspect of tai chi rather than its potential for healing and stress
reduction. In some forms, you learn long sequences of movements, while others
involve shorter series and more focus on breathing and meditation. The name is
less important than finding an approach that matches your interests and needs.
Check with your doctor. If you have a limiting
musculoskeletal problem or medical condition — or if you take medications that
can make you dizzy or lightheaded — check with your doctor before starting tai
chi. Given its excellent safety record, chances are that you'll be encouraged
to try it.
Consider observing and taking a class. Taking a class may be
the best way to learn tai chi. Seeing a teacher in action, getting feedback, and
experiencing the camaraderie of a group are all pluses. Most teachers will let
you observe the class first to see if you feel comfortable with the approach
and atmosphere. Instruction can be individualized. Ask about classes at your
local Y, senior center, or community education center. The Arthritis Foundation
(www.arthritis.org; 800-283-7800, toll-free) can tell you whether its tai chi
program, a 12-movement, easy-to-learn sequence, is offered in your area.
If you'd rather learn at home, you can buy or rent videos
geared to your interests and fitness needs (see "Selected
resources"). Although there are some excellent tai chi books, it can be
difficult to appreciate the flow of movements from still photos or
illustrations.
Talk to the instructor. There's no standard training or
licensing for tai chi instructors, so you'll need to rely on recommendations
from friends or clinicians and, of course, your own judgment. Look for an
experienced teacher who will accommodate individual health concerns or levels of
coordination and fitness.
Dress comfortably. Choose loose-fitting clothes that don't
restrict your range of motion. You can practice barefoot or in lightweight,
comfortable, and flexible shoes. Tai chi shoes are available, but ones you find
in your closet will probably work fine. You'll need shoes that won't slip and
can provide enough support to help you balance, but have soles thin enough to
allow you to feel the ground. Running shoes, designed to propel you forward,
are usually unsuitable.
Gauge your progress. Most beginning programs and tai chi
interventions tested in medical research last at least 12 weeks, with
instruction once or twice a week and practice at home. By the end of that time,
you should know whether you enjoy tai chi, and you may already notice positive
physical and psychological changes.
No pain, big gains
Although tai chi is slow and gentle and doesn't leave you
breathless, it addresses the key components of fitness — muscle strength,
flexibility, balance, and, to a lesser degree, aerobic conditioning. Here's
some of the evidence:
Muscle strength. In a 2006 study published in Alternative
Therapies in Health and Medicine, Stanford University researchers reported
benefits of tai chi in 39 women and men, average age 66, with below-average
fitness and at least one cardiovascular risk factor. After taking 36 tai chi
classes in 12 weeks, they showed improvement in both lower-body strength
(measured by the number of times they could rise from a chair in 30 seconds)
and upper-body strength (measured by their ability to do arm curls).
In a Japanese study using the same strength measures, 113
older adults were assigned to different 12-week exercise programs, including
tai chi, brisk walking, and resistance training. People who did tai chi
improved more than 30% in lower-body strength and 25% in arm strength — almost
as much as those who participated in resistance training, and more than those
assigned to brisk walking.
"Although you aren't working with weights or resistance
bands, the unsupported arm exercise involved in tai chi strengthens your upper
body," says internist Dr. Gloria Yeh, an assistant professor at Harvard
Medical School. "Tai chi strengthens both the lower and upper extremities
and also the core muscles of the back and abdomen."
Flexibility. Women in the 2006 Stanford study significantly
boosted upper- and lower-body flexibility as well as strength.
Balance. Tai chi improves balance and, according to some
studies, reduces falls. Proprioception — the ability to sense the position of
one's body in space — declines with age. Tai chi helps train this sense, which
is a function of sensory neurons in the inner ear and stretch receptors in the
muscles and ligaments. Tai chi also improves muscle strength and flexibility, which
makes it easier to recover from a stumble. Fear of falling can make you more
likely to fall; some studies have found that tai chi training helps reduce that
fear.
Aerobic conditioning. Depending on the speed and size of the
movements, tai chi can provide some aerobic benefits. But in the Japanese
study, only participants assigned to brisk walking gained much aerobic fitness.
If your clinician advises a more intense cardio workout with a higher heart
rate than tai chi can offer, you may need something more aerobic as well.
Selected resources
Tai Chi Health www.taichihealth.com
Tai Chi Productions www.taichiforhealth.com
T
ree of Life Tai Chi Center www.treeoflifetaichi.com
Tai chi for medical
conditions
When combined with standard treatment, tai chi appears to be
helpful for several medical conditions. For example:
Arthritis. In a
40-person study at Tufts University, presented in October 2008 at a meeting of
the American College of Rheumatology, an hour of tai chi twice a week for 12
weeks reduced pain and improved mood and physical functioning more than
standard stretching exercises in people with severe knee osteoarthritis.
According to a Korean study published in December 2008 in Evidence-based Complementary
and Alternative Medicine, eight weeks of tai chi classes followed by eight
weeks of home practice significantly improved flexibility and slowed the
disease process in patients with ankylosing spondylitis, a painful and
debilitating inflammatory form of arthritis that affects the spine.
Low bone density.
A review of six controlled studies by Dr. Wayne and other Harvard researchers
indicates that tai chi may be a safe and effective way to maintain bone density
in postmenopausal women. A controlled study of tai chi in women with osteopenia
(diminished bone density not as severe as osteoporosis) is under way at the
Osher Research Center and Boston's Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
Breast cancer.
Tai chi has shown potential for improving quality of life and functional
capacity (the physical ability to carry out normal daily activities, such as
work or exercise) in women suffering from breast cancer or the side effects of
breast cancer treatment. For example, a 2008 study at the University of Rochester,
published in Medicine and Sport Science, found that quality of life and
functional capacity (including aerobic capacity, muscular strength, and
flexibility) improved in women with breast cancer who did 12 weeks of tai chi,
while declining in a control group that received only supportive therapy.
Heart disease. A
53-person study at National Taiwan University found that a year of tai chi
significantly boosted exercise capacity, lowered blood pressure, and improved
levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, insulin, and C-reactive protein in people
at high risk for heart disease. The study, which was published in the September
2008 Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, found no improvement in
a control group that did not practice tai chi.
Heart failure. In a 30-person pilot study at Harvard Medical
School, 12 weeks of tai chi improved participants' ability to walk and quality
of life. It also reduced blood levels of B-type natriuretic protein, an
indicator of heart failure. A 150-patient controlled trial is under way.
Hypertension. In a review of 26 studies in English or
Chinese published in Preventive Cardiology (Spring 2008), Dr. Yeh reported that
in 85% of trials, tai chi lowered blood pressure — with improvements ranging
from 3 to 32 mm Hg in systolic pressure and from 2 to 18 mm Hg in diastolic
pressure.
Parkinson's disease.
A 33-person pilot study from Washington
University School of Medicine in St. Louis, published in Gait and Posture
(October 2008), found that people with mild to moderately severe Parkinson's
disease showed improved balance, walking ability, and overall well-being after
20 tai chi sessions.
Sleep problems. In a University of California, Los Angeles,
study of 112 healthy older adults with moderate sleep complaints, 16 weeks of
tai chi improved the quality and duration of sleep significantly more than
standard sleep education. The study was published in the July 2008 issue of the
journal Sleep.
Stroke. In 136 patients who'd had a stroke at least
six months earlier, 12 weeks of tai chi improved standing balance more than a
general exercise program that entailed breathing, stretching, and mobilizing
muscles and joints involved in sitting and walking. Findings were published in
the January 2009 issue of Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair.
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