The Dragon's Head Blog

Both Tai Chi and physical therapy positively impact pain, function and other symptoms of knee osteoarthritis — making Tai Chi a viable treatment alternative for people suffering with the degenerative disease, according to research presented this week at the American College of Rheumatology Annual Meeting in San Francisco. Read full article >

While many of us are working hard to improve our health, Bob, a participant from Colchester in Great Britain, is just focussing on staying alive. Here is his story: 2 years ago I broke my arm and had to do everything with my left hand. The doctor told me the cause of the break was […]

As the Weekend program got under way, our 150 participants explored their insides with the help of an Essential Anatomy app presentation, during which we had a real-life demonstration of the the importance of good posture on the position of our organs. Please don’t think we spent all week sitting around watching TV!

There was a conference for Family Doctors in upstate New York on Chronic Disease Management. It was hosted by the Upstate Medical University, Department of Family Medicine, in Syracuse, NY. The director of that program contacted the Society and asked for a program as a final social event of the day. Four from the Ithaca […]

Continuing our search for an understanding of the universe, and for simplicity, Marsha spoke about the effects of  Taoist Tai Chi® arts effects on our anatomy using a skeleton as a model of the body; Steve spoke of the same using a tea tray and a practise sword as a model of the skeleton.  

A Study by the University of British Columbia concluded that: “Tai Chi can improve some physical performance outcomes in four chronic conditions…but not at the expense of worsening pain or dyspnoea [breathlessness],” ……. “may provide a suitable exercise stimulus for people with several comorbidities,” and could be used as a complementary therapy in some long term conditions.” Read […]

In 2001, Barbara Patriquin, had reached a point in her life where, like many others, she found her job stressful. As a healthcare worker she took part in a committee on fall prevention. The topic of Tai Chi came up and the suggestion that it was a proven exercise for better balance and bone density. […]

Simple activities like putting on a coat were becoming a challenge for Assunta Scaini as she struggled with the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease such as constant tremors, stiffness, fatigue, poor balance and frequent falls. Assunta started practicing Taoist Tai Chi in Toronto 30 years ago. Within just a few weeks she started to feel good again […]

Group Health Research Institute recommends preventive steps including exercise as people age – not just any exercise, but those that can improve strength, balance and coordination. Tai chi is at the top of the list. Read full article >

More than 50 physiotherapy staff in the Edinburgh area (UK) will attend an event showcasing the health benefits of  tai chi. The free evening event takes place on 16 September at the National Taoist Tai Chi Centre in Edinburgh. Jo Gordon, an occupational health physiotherapist with the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh’s staff physiotherapy service, said: […]

I knew that this would not be like taking a pill where 20 minutes later you feel better. I understood that this was (and is) a developmental practice, that it takes time. And it takes what we in Taoist Tai Chi call intention. But it didn’t even take a year for the pain in my hip […]

My name is Pat and I have been a member of the Taoist Tai Chi Society of Great Britain for 15 years and an instructor for 10 years. 5 years ago I had an accident in my car. I woke up just as the airbag was deflating and because the car was tipped on its […]

Around April 2014 I developed a frozen right shoulder. Essentially that’s a tightening of the underside of the capsule of the shoulder – in your armpit, so to speak. There are actually changes in the cells of the capsule tissue for a period of about eighteen months (if you are unlucky, it’s longer). The classical […]

We’ve concentrated a lot lately on the upper limbs. We’ve emphasized that, because the hands form one end of a number of continuities running through the body, their proper use has a significant impact on all our movements. But the hands, although intimately connected to the centre, are situated out in the periphery. While they […]

For awhile now, we’ve been delineating hand to foot continuities that run throughout the body, providing strength, flexibility and a more developed sense of one’s body in space as they unfold. These patterns of uninterrupted flow, created by sequences of muscle, tendon, fascia and bone, come and go with movement. We saw, last time, how motion […]

Last time, we looked at how the bones of the elbow-forearm complex are designed so that the elbow bends and the hand turns. To better understand the influence of the hand and elbow on the strength and balance of our entire structure, we need to consider the ties binding the components of the upper limb […]

In an earlier article, it was mentioned that we are often asked in class to open Tiger’s Mouth, bring fingertips up, drop elbow, turn wrist or send out the hands. Why is that? What role do the upper limbs play in learning our art? How do they contribute to the balance and strength of our […]

In practicing our art, one of the things we discover is the steady rhythm of the body as it turns up and then down. Surprisingly, we also learn that attending to the placement of the hand and elbow helps us acquire that rhythm. We will focus today on the elbow-forearm complex, its anatomy and its […]

As reported in the New York Times and US News & World Report, a small but significant new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine shows positive results in pain relief from regular practice of tai chi for people suffering from fibromyalgia. One of our members in Australia has personally experienced the positive […]

Taoist Tai Chi® arts introduce a way of moving that is novel for all students. Because the focus is on balance in all its dimensions, we develop over time a newfound sense of comfort and ease as we practice the 108 moves of the set. It feels as if we are learning to move the […]