The Dragon's Head Blog: Tai Chi Is as Effective as Physical Therapy for Knee Osteoarthritis
A study by Dr. Wang to evaluate the effectiveness of Tai Chi in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis (OA) symptoms concluded that tai chi reduces pain and improves physical function, self-efficacy, depression, and health-related quality of life for knee OA.
“Dr Wang has been quoted as saying: “The value of Tai Chi goes beyond physical therapy because it includes movement, meditation, mindfulness, breathing, social support, and strength training.”
TRUTH! Tai chi keeps me moving. My knee is so painful these days that without tai chi I think I’d be in a wheelchair now.
1. Tai chi gently massages the tendons, muscles and joint, keeping blood & lymph and synovial fluid plentiful (keeps my knee “juicy”)
2. Tai chi puts me in a balanced calm place so that I can live with the pain much more easily
3. Use it or lose it. Despite the pain, we NEED to keep on moving or we will lose that capability
4. Within the culture of FLK: service to others takes you beyond your own pain and focuses you on where your POWER lies…(to make the world a better place, to help others iwth their suffering makes your own look so much smaller and easier to live with)
5. Tai chi makes me feel JOY.
6. After knee surgery, the physiotherapists sent me home when I was able to bend my knee 90 degrees (about 6 months of physio). Health recovery classes, then regular playing of tai chi gave me only 2 inches less of bend than my un-operated knee.
The first time I was able to come up from “snake creeps through grass” into “golden cockerel stands on one leg” I could NOT STOP SMILING for the rest of the class!!! That felt SO GOOD!!!
I would DEFINITELY recommend that anyone experiencing arthritis in knees take up playing tai chi!