Tai Chi may help ease arthritis pain

ATLANTA, Nov. 8 (UPI) -- Tai Chi, a martial art originating in China known for fluid movements, helps relieve arthritis pain, stiffness and improves well-being, U.S. researchers say.

Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine found participants diagnosed with arthritis who took part in an program of Tai Chi also showed improvement in their ability to reach while maintaining balance.

"Our study shows that there are significant benefits of the Tai Chi course for individuals with all types of arthritis, including fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis," study lead author Leigh Callahan said in a statement. "We found this in both rural and urban settings across a Southeastern state and a Northeastern state."

Callahan and colleagues randomly assigned 354 participants recruited from 20 sites in North Carolina and New Jersey to either the intervention group receiving eight weeks of twice-weekly Tai Chi course immediately while the other group was a control group. All participants received baseline and eight-week evaluations, after which the control group also received the Tai Chi course.

The findings were presented at the annual scientific meeting of the American College of Rheumatology held in Atlanta.