Day: April 2, 2021

Tai Chi for Chronic Illness Management: Synthesizing Current Evidence from Meta-Analyses of Randomized Controlled Trials

The American Journal of Medicine, February 2021

by Liye Zou, PhD , Tao Xiao, PhD , Chao Cao, MPH, Ulf Ekelund, PhD, Yikyung Park, ScD, Lin Yang, PhD , et.al

 

 

 

Abstract

An umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted to evaluate the existing evidence of Tai Chi as a mind-body exercise for chronic illness management. MEDLINE/PubMed and Embase databases were searched from inception until March 31, 2019, for meta-analyses of at least two RCTs that investigated health outcomes associated with Tai Chi intervention. Evidence of significant outcomes (P value < 0.05) was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system.
This review identified 45 meta-analyses of RCTs and calculated 142 summary estimates among adults living with 16 types of chronic illnesses. Statistically significant results (P value < 0.05) were identified for 81 of the 142 outcomes (57.0%), of which 45 estimates presenting 30 unique outcomes across 14 chronic illnesses were supported by high (n = 1) or moderate (n = 44) evidence. Moderate evidence suggests that Tai Chi intervention improved physical functions and disease-specific outcomes compared with nonactive controls and improved cardiorespiratory fitness compared with active controls among adults with diverse chronic illnesses. Between-study heterogeneity and publication bias were observed in some meta-analyses.
 
Clinical Significance
  • This review synthesized evidence from more than 200 meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials with 142 unique health outcomes.
  • Moderate evidence supports that Tai Chi improves physical and mental health among adults with cancer, neurological disorders, metabolic diseases, cardiopulmonary diseases, musculoskeletal diseases, and cognitive-psychological disorders.
  • Future research should investigate the biological pathways and accelerate the application of Tai Chi as a viable and low-impact method of exercise for managing comorbidity.
 
 

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Essential SSL

Tai Chi, Qigong and the Treatment of Disease

by Robert W. Mcgee
 
Biomedical Journal of Scientific and Technical Research, March 2021
 
 
 
Abstract
 
Qigong has been around for more than 4,000 years. It contains aspects of martial arts, philosophy, theology, mindfulness, meditation, exercise, and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). It is a subfield of both tai chi and health economics. Practicing qigong exercises on a regular basis can improve health and cause the body to function more efficiently. Thus, it is also a subfield of applied microeconomics in the sense that it increases efficiency. Numerous medical studies have been done on the effect of qigong and tai chi on various health conditions. The present paper presents a brief overview of some recent applications of qigong to the treatment of various diseases.
 
Full text available HERE
 
About the author:
 
Robert W. McGee: “I’m eclectic in my research and writing. My main academic projects at the moment involve the ethics of tax evasion and the ethics of bribery. I am also working on several novels – political thrillers that cast the individual against the state.”
 

Tai-Chi and Baduanjin during treatment and rehabilitation of older adults with COVID‑19

Asian Journal of Gerontology and Geriatrics January 2021 15(2):96-96

by Siukan Law, Albert Wingnang Leung, Xu Chuanshan

In the COVID-19 outbreak, older adults have a higher infection rate because of their weak immune system. Tai-Chi and Baduanjin are common Qigong exercises that combined deep breathing and relaxation with flowing movements to improve respiratory muscles, whole-body movement, and mental rehabilitation.

 

 

 

 

(PDF) Tai-Chi and Baduanjin during treatment and rehabilitation of older adults with COVID‑19. Available  HERE [accessed Apr 02 2021].

About the authors:

Siukan Law: Department of Science, School of Science and Technology, The Open University of Hong Kong, Ho Man Tin, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Albert Wingnang Leung: School of Graduate Studies, Lingnan University, Hong Kong
Chuanshan Xu: Key Laboratory of Molecular Target and Clinical Pharmacology, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China