Effect of Tai Chi versus Aerobic Exercise for Fibromyalgia

Recently there has been a study on tai chi versus aerobic exercise for fibromyalgia. Tai chi or maybe better tai ji quan (太极拳), has a long history in China. Tai ji quan combines physical exercises and meditation. One can find balance between tension and relaxation. So it’s interesting to have a study in a syndrome, where patients have lost the ability to relax.

Ch. Wang and colleagues published this study: “Effect of tai chi versus aerobic exercise for fibromyalgia: comparative effectiveness randomized controlled trial” [1]. The authors concluded: “Tai chi mind-body treatment results in similar or greater improvement in symptoms than aerobic exercise, the current most commonly prescribed non-drug treatment, for a variety of outcomes for patients with fibromyalgia. Longer duration of tai chi showed greater improvement. This mind-body approach may be considered a therapeutic option in the multidisciplinary management of fibromyalgia.”

There is a little shortcoming, however: “Participants attended the tai chi training sessions more often than participants attended aerobic exercise.”

All in all, we should encourage fibromyalgia patients to include tai chi into their exercise plan.

Links:

[1] BMJ 2018;360:k851 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.k851

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