The Health Benefits Of Tai Chi For Seniors

April 8, 2020 Health Benefits No Comments

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Introduction

Tai Chi is a slow and gentle exercise that originated in China centuries ago. It is considered a martial art, but the fact that it is low-impact and emphasizes balance and concentration has made it the focus of increasing attention for scientists who wish to help older adults fight the effects of aging and stay fitter for longer.

T’ai chi chuan, to give it its full name, roughly translates as supreme ultimate fist. There are 5 styles, 2 slow, and 3 relatively faster. It is generally considered to be a defensive form of martial art. As with all martial arts, it requires mental focus to master physical actions.

In the past few decades, as Western scientists have become more interested in Eastern healing modalities and traditional Chinese medicine, they have begun to study the benefits of tai chi for certain chronic illnesses. The ease of digital publishing and research has also lead to English-language based studies from China, Hong Kong and Singapore supporting the use of tai chi as a safe and effective healing modality.

Tai chi offers several key physical benefits:
+increased flexibility
+muscle strengthening
+endurance training.

It also enhances mental focus and aids in relaxation through meditation.

While it is a martial art, the emphasis in tai chi for health is on training without a sparring partner.

Because it is easy to do and does not require a lot of special equipment, older adults are likely to start and then stick to a tai chi routine as part of their overall daily activity and regular fitness routine. You can learn from a range of free resources online, from videos to websites. There are also a number of tai chi DVDS you can stream online or buy.

For those who attend classes, it is a good way to make new friends with people of all ages. There is no need to be self-conscious. It is not competitive like yoga and only required loose, comfortable clothes, not the latest in expensive designer gym wear.

It can strengthen muscles like yoga without you turning yourself into a pretzel, or straining something trying to do aerobics or zumba.

Tai chi also has a strong mind-body component that has been shown to improve mood, focus and concentration.

If all of this sounds like a great exercise with multiple benefits that you can do even if you have a serious health concern like arthritis or heart problems, it is!

In this special report, we will be looking at the specific health benefits of tai chi for older people, to help readers maintain optimal health, fitness and mobility well into their senior years.
So let’s get started with a review of some of the main benefits of tai chi for senior health.

The Health Benefits of Tai Chi for Seniors

In this chapter, we will be discussing the benefits of tai chi in relation to many of the most common long-term chronic illnesses associated with aging.

Arthritis

Arthritis is a painful, debilitating disease which can occur at any age, but tends to affect older people and lead to pain, limited mobility, and in some cases, joint replacement of knees and hips.

Arthritis is caused by inflammation in the body; there are a number of forms of arthritis such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and fibromyalgia.

Benefits Those with Knee and Hip Osteoarthritis

In one study which measured the effects of both tai chi and hydrotherapy (water aerobics in a pool for knee and hip pain relief, both exercises were shown to be beneficial as compared with the control group, which did neither form of exercise. For those who do not live close to a pool or gym, they can still learn tai chi and practice it themselves at home with the help of online videos, DVDs, free websites, and so on.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17443749

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is an auto-immune disorder in which the body attacks itself, leading to joint damage and potential bone damage. The majority of those affected are women between the ages of 45 and 65.

At the end of a 12-week training program, those who participated noticed increase muscles in their lower limbs, confidence in moving, balance and less pain during exercise, and in their daily lives. Other non-physical benefits reported were stress reduction, increased body awareness, confidence in moving and the ability to exercise despite illness. Tai chi can therefore be done by almost anyone, even those with painful joints.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20205741

Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a complex cluster of symptoms with no known cause. Its most common symptoms are pain, fatigue and problems sleeping. Because it is so little understood, many doctors used to dismiss those suffering as the problem being ‘in their head’ or them as being lazy or hypochondriacs. Fortunately, we have moved on from the Dark Ages and there are now effective treatments for this condition, including tai chi.
http://www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/nejmoa0912611

Arthritis and Depression

Depression often accompanies serious health challenges such as heart disease and arthritis. One recent study has demonstrated that tai chi and the similar qigong help relieve depression, both through the mood enhancing aspects of exercise, and what they speculate to be the mind-body component of the meditative aspects of tai chi.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4467075/

Back Pain
A ten-week tai chi course was shown to refuse the pain and disability associated with lower back pain. The study concluded it was safe for those with chronic lower back pain.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22034119

Cardiac Rehabilitation

Cardiac rehabilitation is offered most of the time after a patient has experienced a significant heart-health-related event, such as a heart attack. Unfortunately, a lot of heart patients are unaware of this option. Of those who start cardiac rehab, many do not continue.

Tai chi was studied as a useful addition to the usual cardiac rehab. The goal was also to determine if patients would keep up with the tai chi even after they no longer went for their cardiac rehab sessions. This study showed not only increased heart health benefits, but a range of other valuable effects, including:
+aerobic endurance
+improved balance
+increased strength
+ increased flexibility
+better verbal retrieval/recall
+better attention
+better concentration

Those who participated also felt they had better physical health and balance and felt more confident and empowered that they could do tai chi at home.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21095159

Heart Failure

Those with advancing heart failure often cannot do strenuous exercise. But since the heart is a muscle, not exercising can lead to worsening heart failure. This being the case, researchers wanted to see if tai chi could benefit even this seriously ill population. They showed an increased quality of life and mood enhancement, as well as feelings of empowerment.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21518942

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

COPD is a common cause of illness and death in the US and increasing around the world as well. It causes significant breathing problems, which leads to exercise intolerance. People commonly compare COPD to trying to breathe through a straw. One study has shown that tai chi helped COPD sufferers through relaxation and meditation, and was effective even in those with severe COPD.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3280096/

Diabetes

Those with diabetes suffer from elevated blood sugar levels that will usually need to be brought down by medicine, including insulin sometimes, weight loss if needed, and physical activity. Tai chi has shown overall health improvement in those with elevated blood glucose and diabetes.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23143590

One of the most common side effects of diabetes is diabetic neuropathy, or nerve pain. Tai chi has been helped to ease the pain therefore increase the quality of life.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3513979/

Falls=reduces the risk

Reducing the risk of falling is important because falls can lead to a range of injuries, including head and facial injuries and broken bones, such as broken hip. Any injury which results in a need for large amounts of bed rest sets back your health because you will not be able to exercise and will be less active. Bedridden seniors often all prey to pneumonia and blood clots in the legs (such as deep vein thrombosis [DVT].

A recent study conducted by Kaiser Permanente has shown that older women who break a hip are 3 times more likely to die within a year than women with similar health and age who have not fallen and broken a hip.
http://share.kaiserpermanente.org/article/elderly-women-who-break-a-hip-at-increased-risk-of-dying-within-a-year/

According to the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), those who survive a hip fracture, experience significant levels of disability and loss of quality of life. Their statistics show that a year after fracturing a hip, 90% of those who needed no assistance climbing stairs before the fracture will not be able to climb five stairs; 66% won’t be able to get on or off a toilet without help; 50% won’t be able to raise themselves from a chair; 31% won’t be able to get out of bed unassisted; and 20% won’t be able to put on a pair of pants by themselves.

Therefore, anything we can do to stop falls from happening in the first place is obviously good sense and a step in the right direction.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4139769/

High Blood Pressure

Many studies have shown that tai chi lowers high blood pressure, in part due to the physical movement, and in part what researchers believe is the meditative, mind-body aspect of tai chi.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17222413

Kidney Disease

Those with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and cardiovascular issues (CVD) were seen to benefit from tai chi. CKD seems to trigger CVD, so anything that can be done to prevent CVD is helpful. It is thought that tai chi in these patients helps lower cholesterol, reducing wear and tear on both kidneys and heart.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4242943/

Mental and Physical Function

One study has shown that seniors living in a supportive care facility who were trained in tai chi experienced better physical function, balance, mobility and walking speed, and more mental alertness while walking, than those who did not take the course.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4196697/

Natural Pain Relief in the Elderly

When it comes to pain relief, there are two approaches, pharmacological (using drugs) and non-pharmacological (using other methods besides drugs). Physical activity such as tai chi, which emphasizes movement, has been found to be ‘a core component of managing persistent pain in older patients’. It can be used in combination with other therapies and is a safe and in inexpensive way to reduce pain compared with many medications on the market.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4372897/

Now that we have discussed the benefits of tai chi in relation to many of the most common health conditions associated with seniors, let’s look in the next chapter at other surprising health benefits of tai chi.

Other Health Benefits of Tai Chi

As we discussed in the last chapter, there is a great deal of concrete evidence pointing to tai chi as offering benefits to those with severe age-related illnesses. If you do not yet have any of them, great. In this chapter, we want to offer other health benefits to consider as you explore why tai chi could be right for you or a loved one.

A Fitness Routine No Matter What Your Age

Tai chi is usually performed standing up, but one study has shown it can even offer health benefits when done sitting down in people who have suffered spinal cord injuries.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4320788/

Cancer-Related Pain Relief

Tai chi has been shown to relieve pain related to both cancer, and cancer-fighting treatments.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4332115/

Dementia and Alzheimer’s

Tai chi has been associated with improved brain function as part of a study using different modalities to try to reduce the impact of aging upon the brain.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4355335/

Dental Health

A recent study has shown that tai chi can actually improve dental health in older people who have been suffering from periodontal disease (tartar, bleeding gums and so on). Those who practiced tai chi had a high level of antioxidants in their saliva.

Antioxidants are considered to be powerful anti-aging and disease-fighting substances which can be found in a range of foods such as berries and green tea. Tai chi was shown to have an anti-inflammatory effect overall, which can be very helpful in reducing the wear and tear on the body in people who have arthritis.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3984794/

Gastrointestinal Issues

People who suffer from chronic digestive disorders have been turning in increasing numbers to complementary and alternative medicines, (CAM) including tai chi. Of those who report using CAM in the past year, 80% expressed the belief that it helped relieve their symptoms. Tai chi is most likely effective due to stress reduction, lowering of cholesterol, and improved digestion through physical activity.
http://www.clinmed.rcpjournal.org/content/7/3/224.long

Relief from Parkinson’s Symptoms

Parkinson’s disease is a neurological disorder that manifests in a number of ways, including tremor, balance and walking issues. The boxer Muhammad Ali and the actor Michael J. Fox are two good examples of people who have been living long-term with Parkinson’s. Tai chi has been shown to improve physical function, balance and mobility in this patient population.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4105461/

Elevating Your Mood

All physical activity energizes you and provides mood enhancement. The only time to avoid exercise such as tai chi is just before you plan to go to bed.

Reducing Social Isolation If You Attend Classes

As we get older, we can often get stuck in a rut. We can also find it difficult to get out of the house if we are feeling ill, and we might avoid socializing because we do not feel at our best. As we age, we also lose friends and loved ones, which can make us feel very isolated and alone. Joining an exercise class can help you get out of the house and socialize. And because tai chi is low impact, anyone can do it, so there is no need to feel self-conscious attending classes and interacting with others who share your interest in this ancient healing technique.

Improved Sleep

As we age, we can often experience problems in falling asleep, or staying asleep. We might also start to ‘sundown’, sleeping during the day but getting more active at night. This is a particular problem with those who have dementia, leading their caregivers to get stressed and feel burned out.

Good quality sleep is essential at any age. One study has shown the effects of sleep on inflammation in the body and posited that being well rested helps you become more resilient even as you age. Tai chi can help relax you and physically wear you out so you will feel more than ready for sleep at the end of each day.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4142016/

Reduces Frailty and Impedes Its Progression

Frailty has become of increasing interest to researchers hoping to help older people maintain a good quality of life as well as a long life. Some older people seem quite robust, while others appear more ‘bird-like’ and delicate.

Frailty has been associated with increased hospital readmissions and greater risk of death.
http://www.healio.com/internal-medicine/geriatric-medicine/news/online/%7B9fd813a1-af38-4a51-a0a3-0c9dc85ca3cc%7D/study-shows-frailty-a-risk-factor-for-hospital-readmission-death

With so much attention being paid to overweight people, it is easy to overlook frailty as not being an important health concerns. However, better muscle tone and a normal weight reduces the risk of falls and increases mobility. Since we lose muscle mass as we age, tai chi can be invaluable in maintaining muscle mass and overall physical strength.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4242909/

Reduces Inflammation

As we have mentioned above, inflammation in the body has been linked to a range of illnesses, including arthritis, diabetes and heart health issues. It is also thought to be a major culprit in aging. If we think of hay fever and the itching, swelling and sneezing associated with it, we can get an idea of the effects of inflammation on our body.

If we then think about these effects happening all day and night, we can see that anything we can do to lower inflammation can help our health and wellbeing overall. Tai chi has been shown to lower levels of inflammatory markers in the blood stream and can therefore prevent or ease the symptoms of auto-immune disorders.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21934474/

Conclusion

In this special report, we have outlined some of the main benefits of tai chi for senior health. Unlike other guides on this subject that probably make all sorts of grandiose claims, we have offered up to date, reliable research from a range of journals to support all we have said. It is our hope that this will inspire you to do more research in relation to any medical conditions you may have to understand how tai chi can help with your own individual circumstances.

As we age, and start to experience a range of age-related medical conditions, the last thing we might feel like doing is exercising. However, ‘use it or lose it’ should be your motto, because the less you exercise, the most stiffness and pain you will suffer. Tai chi can get you up and moving more in a safe, healthy way that can enhance both mind, body and spirit.

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