New study reveals the fluid movements of Tai Chi help various Parkinson's stages
According to Dr. Fuzhong Li, PhD, at the Oregon Institute of Research in Eugene, “Tai Chi fits very well to address the problem Parkinson's disease patients face.
In this study researchers compared a six month tailored program of Tai Chi to a six month program of resistance training and stretching to determine which program was more effective at improving functional movement, walking and balance for Parkinson's patients.
For the study, 195 participants, men and women aged 40 to 85 years, who were in stages one to four of Parkinson's disease. At random participants had been assigned to hour long twice weekly sessions of Tai Chi, resistance training or stretching for a six month period.
Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system. The motor symptoms from this disease result from the death of dopamine generating cells in a region of the mid brain. The cause of cell death is unknown. Early in the course of the disease, the most obvious symptoms are movement related which includes slowness of movement, difficulty walking and gait, shaking and rigidity.
Researchers had evaluated the participants status at the start of study, three months, six months and three months after study had ended.
The Tai Chi exercises were designed to improve balance with controlled movement of the center mass. Resistance training performed with ankle weights and weighted vests were used in a second group in order to strengthen muscles and improve posture, balance and gait. Third group had a class consisting of gentle stretching.
All three groups had started off with a similar 64 point score and 100 point scale which measured how far they could lean or shift their center of gravity without falling.
The Tai Chi group had better performance on a few measures; leaning without losing balance, having better directional control of their body and walking skills. When compared to the stretching group the Tai Chi group had out performed them on balance and stride. The Tai Chi group also had a reduction in the frequency of falls more than the stretching group and on par with the resistance group.
After the six months of classes, the stretching group an average score drop by two, suggesting there was some deterioration in their condition. The resistance group had seen a typical score increase by four points and ten point rise among the Tai Chi group.
Three months after the study the Tai Chi group had maintained the benefits that they had gained.
According to Dr. Li since many of the features in the program are functionally oriented the improvements that they demonstrated highlight the potential of Tai Chi based movements in the rehabilitation of patients with these type of problems and therefore, easing cardinal symptoms of Parkinson's disease and improve mobility, balance, flexibility and range of motion.
Dr. Li who was lead author of this study had in closing added in that Tai Chi has several advantages; low cost activity with on equipment, can be done anywhere and anytime and movements are easily learned. It also can be added into a rehabilitation setting as part of an existing treatment, because it's simplicity and certain aspects of this Tai Chi program can also be prescribed to patients as self/care at home activity.
This study appears in the February 9th New England Journal of Medicine.
Last year another study had appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine. In that study it had been reported that Tai Chi performed twice weekly demonstrated a reduction of pain, stiffness and fatigue in fibromylagia patients.
Tai Chi has been demonstrated to aide patients with chronic heart failure to live a better quality of life and state of mind when practicing Tai Chi on a regular basis. That study had been conducted by Harvard Medical School and Deaconess Medical Center.
Harvard Health Publications has noted that when combined with conventional treatments it appears to be helpful for several medical conditions including; arthritis, low bone density, breast cancer, heart disease and heart failure, hypertension, Parkinson's disease, sleep problems and stroke.
No matter what age you are you can do Tai Chi as long as you have some movement. It blends the body and the mind.
In Detroit and surrounding areas:
Boll Family YMCA
1401 Broadway
Detroit
313-309-3397
Taoist Tai Chi Society
413 N. Main Street
Royal Oak
248-546-9740
Comments