New Study Finds Surprising Help For Knee Osteoarthritis
Knee X-ray
Men and Women that are at least 65 years of age or older with knee osteoarthritis (OA), that practice Tai Chi, improve their physical performance and encounter decreased pain, according to a new Tufts University School of Medicine study. Osteoarthritis is a prevalent form of arthritis that produces a wearing away of joint cartilage. Chiropractors provide therapy for quite a few people who have developed OA in a number of places in the body, including the knee joints. Knee pain and disability is one of the most commonplace problems of the musculoskeletal system, second only to spinal dysfunctions. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) there are a shocking 4.3 million people in this country over 60 years of ag diagnosed with knee OA, and the CDC conjectures that by age 85, half of the people in America may suffer from symptoms of OA. Knee OA causes pain, immobility, functional disabilities, and a diminished quality of life.
Why do so many people develop OA? As with the majority of the musculoskeletal problems that we develop as we get older, undue stress to a joint day after day is a major factor. That is why as people age they are more at risk for developing OA in their knees, as well as other joints. Improper function of the knee, improper gait, compensatory foot mechanics as a consequence of foot pain, and repetitive use of the knee joint all produce inordinate stress on the knees. Consequently arthritic changes in the knee joint develop. In addition to chiropractic therapies, chiropractors fully support natural, drug-free practices, such as Tai Chi (Chuan), that can help to reduce knee pain. A traditional style of Chinese martial arts,Tai Chi features slow, rhythmic movements that generate mental relaxation, as well as an enhancement of balance, an augmentation of strength, and enhanced flexibility.
Though in good health otherwise, the 40 participants with confirmed OA that were chosen for the Tufts study were on an average 65 years of age and overweight. Patients were randomly chosen to engage in 60-minute “Yang style” Tai Chi sessions twice weekly for 12 weeks. Each session included a 10-minute self-massage and a review of Tai Chi principles, 30 minutes of Tai Chi movement, 10 minutes of breathing technique, and 10 minutes of relaxation.
Tai Chi practice incorporates the variety of range of motion, flexibility, muscle conditioning, and aerobic workout that is in harmony with with prevailing exercise advice for osteoarthritis. In addition, researchers found that the “mental aspect” of Tai Chi encouraged a sense of well-being, life satisfaction, and personal concepts of health that assisted the participants in dealing differently with chronic pain. Significantly, the group practicing Tai Chi displayed a considerable decrease in knee pain compared with those in the control group.
Full findings of the study are published in the November 2009 issue of Arthritis Care & Research, a journal of the American College of Rheumatology.
Tags: chiropractic, chiropractor, knee OA, knee pain, osteoarthritis, Tai Chi, Tufts University School of Medicine