This month is National Arthritis Awareness Month. Many of the case stories on the Metarobic Facebook Page are from “Tai Chi Therapy: The Science of Metarobics.” Benefits for arthritis have been reported for more than almost any other condition. It again comes down to a choice. Regular Tai Chi practice, or a life of limited movement, pain, and drugs. Many of the case stories are from people whose Rheumatoid Arthritis got so bad, that they were confined to a wheelchair. Then they started Tai Chi, and regained their full mobility. The choice may seem obvious, but surprisingly, it can be a hard choice to make. Entropy can be a powerful force, until you come to know the joy and peace of practicing a mindful exercise such as Tai Chi. There is also the question – will Metarobic exercises benefit all people for all forms of arthritis?
Based on research (see the study below), and the abundance of case stories on the web (as well as those personally related to me), it would be nice to think Metarobic exercise will benefit all people with all forms of arthritis. Further research may support this, but many factors will need to be evaluated before a firm case can be made. Some factors to consider are style of Tai Chi, pace, frequency, and duration of practice. Genetic disposition and other physiological factors may also play a role. The two primary goals of the Metarobic Institute are to research these factors, as well as education on how and why these exercises benefit chronic conditions. Towards this end, a GoFundMe site has been set up for the Metarobic Institute, to support research, education and grant development (A link to the GoFundMe site is below).
Dr. Paul Lam is one of the earliest pioneers of Tai Chi for arthritis. His Tai Chi programs have been accredited by the United States Arthritis Foundation. As he discusses in his autobiography “Born Strong,” Dr. Lam suffered osteoarthritis since his early teens. During medical school, his condition got so bad that he could not even carry a briefcase. Tai Chi reversed and controlled his condition. His case story was posted Saturday, with a link to his website. Make sure to check out all of the case stories for this month on the Metarobics Facebook Page, as well as the variety of user friendly exercises on the Metarobics YouTube Channel.
PubMed, a resource of the National Institute of Health, lists over 93 journal articles documenting the use of Tai Chi for arthritis. Dr. Lam mentions one of the largest studies to date, led by Dr. Leigh Callahan, with the University of North Carolina. In this study, 354 participants were divided into two groups, a wait list group, and the group which learned Tai Chi for eight weeks. By the end of the eight weeks, the Tai Chi group experienced significantly less pain and stiffness, and better management of life. Participants also improved balance, an important consideration for older adults (Falling is the leading cause of accidental death and injury in those aged 65 and older). Benefits were reported for all types of arthritis, including rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, as well as for fibromyalgia. Next week I will post more research on the benefits of Metarobic exercises for arthritis, including relaxation and breath focused forms of Yoga and Qigong.
Based on research (see the study below), and the abundance of case stories on the web (as well as those personally related to me), it would be nice to think Metarobic exercise will benefit all people with all forms of arthritis. Further research may support this, but many factors will need to be evaluated before a firm case can be made. Some factors to consider are style of Tai Chi, pace, frequency, and duration of practice. Genetic disposition and other physiological factors may also play a role. The two primary goals of the Metarobic Institute are to research these factors, as well as education on how and why these exercises benefit chronic conditions. Towards this end, a GoFundMe site has been set up for the Metarobic Institute, to support research, education and grant development (A link to the GoFundMe site is below).
Dr. Paul Lam is one of the earliest pioneers of Tai Chi for arthritis. His Tai Chi programs have been accredited by the United States Arthritis Foundation. As he discusses in his autobiography “Born Strong,” Dr. Lam suffered osteoarthritis since his early teens. During medical school, his condition got so bad that he could not even carry a briefcase. Tai Chi reversed and controlled his condition. His case story was posted Saturday, with a link to his website. Make sure to check out all of the case stories for this month on the Metarobics Facebook Page, as well as the variety of user friendly exercises on the Metarobics YouTube Channel.
PubMed, a resource of the National Institute of Health, lists over 93 journal articles documenting the use of Tai Chi for arthritis. Dr. Lam mentions one of the largest studies to date, led by Dr. Leigh Callahan, with the University of North Carolina. In this study, 354 participants were divided into two groups, a wait list group, and the group which learned Tai Chi for eight weeks. By the end of the eight weeks, the Tai Chi group experienced significantly less pain and stiffness, and better management of life. Participants also improved balance, an important consideration for older adults (Falling is the leading cause of accidental death and injury in those aged 65 and older). Benefits were reported for all types of arthritis, including rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, as well as for fibromyalgia. Next week I will post more research on the benefits of Metarobic exercises for arthritis, including relaxation and breath focused forms of Yoga and Qigong.
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