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Tai Chi and Postural Stability in Patients with Parkinson's Disease

Tai chi training appears to reduce balance impairments in patients with mild-to-moderate Parkinson's disease, with additional benefits of improved functional capacity and reduced falls. (Funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00611481.)

Read entire report in New England Journal of Medicine


Harvard Health Publications

Parkinson's disease. The New England Journal of Medicine published a study showing that Tai Chi can improve both balance and movement control for people who have Parkinson's disease. The study at the Oregon Research Institute included 195 people who had mild-to-moderate Parkinson's disease; they were randomly assigned to twice-weekly sessions of Tai Chi, or strength-building sessions, or to stretching ... after six months, those who did Tai Chi were stronger and had much better balance than those in the other two groups. In fact, their balance was four times better than those in the stretching group and about two times better than those in the resistance-training group. The Tai Chi group also had significatntly fewer falls and slower rates of decline in overall motor control. (Harvard Medical School Guide to Tai Chi. Pages 121 and 122.)

Parkinson's disease. A 33-person pilot study from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, published in Gait and Posture (October 2008), found that people with mild to moderately severe Parkinson's disease showed improved balance, walking ability, and overall well-being after 20 tai chi sessions. (Harvard Medical School Guide to Tai Chi. Pages 121.)

Read more at Harvard Health Publications ...


PARKINSON'S DISEASE /improving motor-skill control. Parkinson's support groups recommend T'ai Chi, and many students claim significant reduction in tremors.

While the overall consensus of the review was that more rigorous studies need to be completed to make any assertions about the use of Tai Chi for PD patients, the study did note that there is favorable evidence in support of Tai Chi with the PD population.

- Medscape Today, from WebMD, 10/26/2010

Read entire article at:
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/729132


Parkinson's disease. A 33-person pilot study from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, published in Gait and Posture (October 2008), found that people with mild to moderately severe Parkinson's disease showed improved balance, walking ability, and overall well-being after 20 tai chi sessions.

Harvard Medical School's Health Publications, May, 2009


QIGONG HELPS REDUCE THE MOTOR & NON-MOTER SYMPTOMS OF PARKINSON'S DISEASE

Schmitz-Hubsch et al. of Germany published their study in a recent issue of Movement Disorders: Qigong exercise helps reducing the motor and non-motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease: A randomized controlled pilot study.

ABSTRACT: Irrespective of limited evidence, not only traditional physiotherapy, but also a wide array of complementary methods are applied by patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). We evaluated the immediate and sustained effects of Qigong on motor and nonmotor symptoms of PD, using an add-on design. Fifty-six patients with different levels of disease severity (mean age/standard deviation [SD], 63.8/7.5 years; disease duration 5.8/4.2 years; 43 men [76%]) were recruited from the outpatient movement disorder clinic of the Department of Neurology, University of Bonn. We compared the progression of motor symptoms assessed by Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale motor part (UPDRS-III) in the Qigong treatment group (n = 32) and a control group receiving no additional intervention (n = 24). Qigong exercises were applied as 90-minute weekly group instructions for 2 months, followed by a 2 months pause and a second 2-month treatment period.

Click here, for more . . .



Benefits were perceived by participants in physical, psychological, and social domains. Thirteen of the survey respondents, including 6 of the 8 respondents with Parkinsons reported perceiving a physical benefit attributed to tai chi practice. Improved balance was reported most frequently. Instructor observations and participant testimony suggest movement capability for individuals with Parkinsons may also be improved by performing tai chi.

-- Journal of Neurology and Physical Therapies, 30, 22-7


Havard Medical School video on Tai Chi for Parkinson's

[The Harvard Guide to Tai Chi cited
WorldTaiChiDay.org's global educational work)

Harvard Medical School Releases Historic
Tai Chi Medical Research Lecture to Commemorate
World Tai Chi & Qigong Day!

The new Harvard Medical School Guide to Tai Chi is a powerful reference book for all tai chi and qigong advocates, teachers, etc., and the guide cites WorldTaiChiDay.org's expansion of global awareness of tai chi and qigong!





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* NOTE: World Tai Chi & Qigong Day advises consulting your physician before beginning any new exercise, herbal, diet, or health program. The research listed here is meant to stimulate a discussion between you and your physician, health insurance carrier, etc., not as medical advise. Research and comments provided here are hoped to stimulate a more robust discussion of powerful natural mind/body health tools.
Check for World Tai Chi & Qigong Day articles on various health conditions and Tai Chi & Qigong (Chi Kung) Therapy, that you may publish on your publication or website, by clicking here.

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Popular media, health media, and government must increase attention to stunning emerging research, including the UCLA study indicating Tai Chi participants enjoyed a 50% increase in immune system resistance to viral infection.


Many of these health listings are provided courtesy of excerpts from

Reprinting is strictly forbidden without express written consent from the
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Assessments were carried out at baseline, 3, 6, and 12 months. More patients improved in the Qigong group than in the control group at 3 and 6 months (P = 0.0080 at 3 months and P = 0.0503 at 6 months; Fisher's exact test). At 12 months, there was a sustained difference between groups only when changes in UPDRS-III were related to baseline.

Depression scores decreased in both groups, whereas the incidence of several nonmotor symptoms decreased in the treatment group only. (Movement Disorders, 2005 Oct 14).

http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/fulltext/112117934/HTMLSTART

Provided by: http://www.qigonginstitute.org/

http://pub21.ezboard.com/bqigonginstitute

For research citings and more information on this, read, Parkinson's and Tai Chi Therapy by WTCQD Founder.

SUPPORT GROUPS RECOMMENDING T'AI CHI: MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS FIBROMYALGIA PARKINSON'S DISEASE LUPUS MIGRAINES CHRONIC PAIN AIDS: Proper exercise [for AIDS sufferers] is typified by T'ai Chi. Dr. Laurence E. Badgley, M.D. PSYCHOLOGY: "T'ai Chi is a natural and safe vehicle for both clients and staff to learn and experience the benefits of being able to channel, concentrate and co-ordinate their bodies and minds: to learn to relax and to "neutralize" rather than resist the stress in their personal lives. This is an ability which we greatly need to nurture in our modern fast-paced society. Dr. John Beaulieu, N.D., M.T.R.S. Bellevue Psychiatric Hospital, N.Y.C. [Refer to the T'ai Chi book "The Supreme Ultimate" for full text]


Click here for specific PARKINSON'S DISEASE & TAI CHI MEDICAL RESEARCH


Qigong exercise helps reducing the motor and
non-motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease


Contributed by Kevin Chen:


Schmitz-Hubsch et al. of Germany published their study in a recent issue of

Movement Disorders: Qigong exercise helps reducing the motor and non-motor

symptoms of Parkinson's disease: A randomized controlled pilot study.

ABSTRACT: Irrespective of limited evidence, not only traditional

physiotherapy, but also a wide array of complementary methods are applied

by patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). We evaluated the immediate and

sustained effects of Qigong on motor and nonmotor symptoms of PD, using an

add-on design. Fifty-six patients with different levels of disease severity

(mean age/standard deviation [SD], 63.8/7.5 years; disease duration 5.8/4.2

years; 43 men [76%]) were recruited from the outpatient movement disorder

clinic of the Department of Neurology, University of Bonn. We compared the

progression of motor symptoms assessed by Unified Parkinson's Disease

Rating Scale motor part (UPDRS-III) in the Qigong treatment group (n = 32)

and a control group receiving no additional intervention (n = 24). Qigong

exercises were applied as 90-minute weekly group instructions for 2 months,

followed by a 2 months pause and a second 2-month treatment period.

Assessments were carried out at baseline, 3, 6, and 12 months. More

patients improved in the Qigong group than in the control group at 3 and 6

months (P = 0.0080 at 3 months and P = 0.0503 at 6 months; Fisher's exact

test). At 12 months, there was a sustained difference between groups only

when changes in UPDRS-III were related to baseline. Depression scores

decreased in both groups, whereas the incidence of several nonmotor

symptoms decreased in the treatment group only. (Movement Disorders, 2005

Oct 14).

http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/fulltext/112117934/HTMLSTART

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