Tai chi

Natural Medicines rates effectiveness based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Effective, Likely Effective, Possibly Effective, Possibly Ineffective, Likely Ineffective, Ineffective, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate.

The Effectiveness ratings for Tai Chi are as follows:

Possibly Effective for...

• Exercise performance. Practicing tai chi improves fitness levels.
• Fall prevention. While some conflicting results exist, most research shows that tai chi helps prevent falls in older adults. The style of tai chi and the frequency of exercise appear to influence the effect of tai chi. Yang style tai chi seems to prevent falls in older adults slightly more than Sun style tai chi. A specific type of tai chi called Tai Ji Quan Moving for Better Balance (TJQMMB) also seems to prevent falls better than other exercises such as stretching. Practicing tai chi more than three times per week seems to prevent falls better than practicing tai chi only once weekly .
• Heart failure. Most research shows that practicing tai chi helps people with heart failure walk farther.
• High blood pressure. Research shows that practicing tai chi for 6 -12 weeks can reduce blood pressure by as much as general exercise in people with high blood pressure.
• Low back pain. Early research shows that tai chi can reduce low back pain by a small to moderate amount. Some doctors recommend that people with long-term low back pain try exercises like tai chi to help reduce pain before trying to take pain medications.
• Osteoarthritis. Most research suggests that practicing tai chi up to 3 times per week improves function, stiffness, and pain, in people with osteoarthritis.
• Physical performance. Research shows that tai chi can improve how elderly people who are inactive or frail rate their physical function. This includes their ability to get around without help. Research also shows that tai chi might improve leg strength, balance, and flexibility in elderly people who are inactive. But some conflicting results exist.

Insufficient Evidence to Rate Effectiveness for...

• Age related mental decline. Early research shows that practicing tai chi for up to 12 months may slightly improve thinking skills in elderly people who show signs of slight mental decline.
• Breast cancer. Early research suggests that practicing tai chi three times a week might improve self-esteem in people with breast cancer. Also, tai chi might improve feelings of tiredness and flexibility and overall life quality.
• A lung disease called chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Early research shows that tai chi can help people with COPD walk farther. Tai chi might also improve lung function in people with this condition. But tai chi doesn't seem to improve quality of life or reduce shortness of breath in people with COPD.
• Mental function. Early research shows that tai chi might improve learning, memory, and thinking skills related to behavior in elderly people who are healthy.
• Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. Early research suggests that practicing tai chi up to 5 times weekly for a year might improve fitness in people that have had CABG surgery.
• Depression. Early research shows that practicing tai chi might improve symptoms in some people with major depression.
• Diabetes. Most early research shows that tai chi does not improve blood sugar control or insulin sensitivity in people with type 2 diabetes.
• Fibromyalgia. Early research suggests that practicing tai chi for 1 hour twice weekly might improve symptoms of fibromyalgia and quality of life.
• HIV/AIDS. Early research suggests that practicing tai chi once or twice weekly might improve quality of life and anxiety in people with HIV/AIDS.
• High cholesterol. Early research shows that practicing tai chi 5-10 minutes every day, while also using a treatment called auricular plaster, might lower levels of the bad cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.
• Sleep problems. Early research shows that tai chi can improve the quality and length of sleep in people with sleep complaints who are not diagnosed with insomnia. It is not clear if tai chi helps people diagnosed with insomnia sleep better.
• Obesity. Early research shows that tai chi may reduce body mass index by a small amount in overweight and obese people.
• Parkinson's disease. Tai chi might help prevent symptoms from becoming worse in people with Parkinson's disease who are also taking medication for the disease. Tai chi might also improve balance and prevent falls in these people. But tai chi doesn't seem to prevent falls in people with Parkinson's disease who aren't taking medication.
• Recovery from surgery. Early research suggests that practicing tai chi might improve lung function, walking distance, and quality of life in patients that have had surgery.
• Rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Early research suggests that practicing tai chi might reduce tiredness, joint pain and swelling, and improve mood and balance, in people with rheumatoid arthritis. However, other early research suggests that practicing tai chi may not benefit people with rheumatoid arthritis.
• Stress. Early research suggests that practicing tai chi might decrease stress and improve social function and wellbeing in young adults.
• Stroke. Early research suggests that practicing tai chi twice per week might improve social and general function in people recovering from a stroke.
• Tension headache. Early research suggests that practicing tai chi twice weekly might improve headache pain, fatigue, social function, and emotions in people with tension-type headaches.
• Trauma. Early research suggests that practicing tai chi twice weekly might improve mood but does not improve recovery in people that have had a traumatic brain injury.
• Inner ear problems affecting balance (vestibulopathy). Early research suggests that practicing tai chi once per week might help with stability in people with imbalance due to inner ear problems.
• Fatigue.
• Improving balance.
• Improving digestion.
• Improving general health.
• Pain.
• Promoting relaxation.
• Strengthening and conditioning muscles.
• Other conditions.

More evidence is needed to rate tai chi for these uses.