Scientific Data, Medical Reports & Studies:
There are many articles that have been published. Here are a few highlights:
- Harvard Women’s Health Watch & Harvard Health Publications, “The health benefits of tai chi”, May 2009: “This gentle form of exercise can prevent of ease many ills of aging and could be the perfect activity for the rest of your life”.
- Mayo Clinic Health Letter Special Report, “Yoga and Tai Chi”, October 2009, “Pathways for health and wholeness”.
- Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, Vol. 44 No. 5 May 1966, Reducing Frailty and Falls in Older Persons: An investigation of Tai Chi and Computerized Balance Training (FICSIT Study), “Tai Chi was found to reduce the risk of multiple falls by 47.5%”.
- The Journal of Gerontology Series A, 2005, 60(2) 187-194, Fuzhong Li et al, “Tai Chi and Fall Reduction in Older Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial”, “The Tai Chi program was effective in decreasing the number of falls, the risk for falling and the fear of falling and it improves functional balance and physical performance in physically inactive persons aged 70 years or older”.
- New England Journal of Medicine, “Effects of Tai Chi Mind-Body Movement Therapy in Functional Status and Exercise Capacity in Patients with Chronic Heart Failure: A Randomized Controlled Trial”, October 15, 2004, “Tai Chi was a positive contributing factor in heart health among patients at risk of Chronic Heart Failure”.
- The Behavioral Medicine Report, “Tai Chi Improves Balance and Reduces Falls In Elderly”, March 27, 2011, “Significantly fewer falls, fewer numbers of elders who fell, and fewer injurious falls were observed in the Tai Chi group compared to the stretching group. These gains were maintained during the six-month post intervention follow-up”.
- Self Healing by Dr. Andrew Weil, September 2004, “Chill Out with Qigong”.
We are very interested in and excited by the scientific work published in the New England Journal of Medicine, October 15, 2004. This study was supported by the NIH and carried out by Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the New England School of Acupuncture, entitled “Effects of Tai Chi Mind-Body Movement Therapy in Functional Status and Exercise Capacity in Patients with Chronic Heart Failure: A Randomized Controlled Trial”. This extensive body of work concluded that Tai Chi was a positive contributing factor in heart health among patients at risk of Chronic Heart Failure.
As studies and findings continue to grow, the evidence regarding this body of knowledge point clearly in the direction of a significantly enhanced quality of life for those who have adjusted their lifestyle to include involvement in these wellness activities. We at OHAA invite the providers of more traditional western approaches to explore the possibilities of treatment therapies offered by these eastern disciplines. We are especially heartened by the opportunity to assist in these explorations as more and more practitioners become aware of the possibilities for their client-patients.