Tai chi may help slow down the symptoms of Parkinson's disease for several years, a five-year Chinese study has suggested, with the researchers saying those who practised the martial art twice weekly had fewer complications and better quality of life than those who didn't.
The findings support previous studies on the benefits of exercise for those with Parkinson's, say experts.
The traditional Chinese exercise combines slow, gentle movements with deep breathing and relaxation, with Parkinson’s UK describing tai chi as a low-intensity physical activity that can “help to lift your mood and help you live well”.
The study, from Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, monitored the health of hundreds of Parkinson’s patients for up to five years, reports BBC News. One group of 147 people practised regular tai chi while another group of 187 did not.
The researchers found that the disease progressed more slowly in the tai chi group on measurements of symptoms, movement and balance.
This group also saw fewer falls, less back pain and dizziness, with memory and concentration problems also lower than in the other group.
At the same time, sleep and quality of life continuously improved.
A previous trial of people with Parkinson’s who practised tai chi for six months found greater improvements in walking, posture and balance than those not on the programme.
Writing in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry, Dr Gen Li and co-authors said their study shows “that tai chi retains long-term beneficial effect on Parkinson’s disease”.
They said tai chi could be used to manage Parkinson’s on a long-term basis and prolong quality of life, while still helping to keep patients active.
But they also acknowledged that the study is relatively small and could not prove that tai chi was the reason for the positive outcomes experienced by one group.
‘Positive effects’
Professor K Ray Chaudhuri, professor of movement disorders and neurology at King’s College London, said: “It is too early to claim any neuroprotection based on this study, although the positive effects on aspects of motor and non-motor functions are impressive.”
He said ballet had also been found to have similar effects on Parkinson’s.
Professor Alastair Noyce, professor in neurology and neuroepidemiology at Queen Mary University of London, called it “an important study” but said there were limitations in its design, and more trials were needed.
“We already recommend tai chi, as well as other forms of exercise, but understanding which forms of exercise are most beneficial is an important goal to enhance the long-term management of patients,” he said.
Study details
Effect of long-term Tai Chi training on Parkinson’s disease: a 3.5-year follow-up cohort study
Gen Li, Pei Huang, Shishuang Cui, Yachao He, Yuyan Tan, Shengdi Chen.
Published in The Journal of Neurosurgery & Psychiatry (BMJ) on 25 October 2023
Abstract
Background
Tai Chi has shown beneficial effects on the motor and non-motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD), but no study has reported the effect of long-term Tai Chi training.
Objective
To examine whether long-term Tai Chi training can maintain improvement in patients with PD.
Methods
Cohorts of patients with PD with Tai Chi training (n=143) and patients with PD without exercise as a control group (n=187) were built from January 2016. All subjects were assessed at baseline and in November 2019, October 2020 and June 2021. A logarithmic linear model was used to analyse rating scales for motor and non-motor symptoms. The need to increase anti-Parkinsonian therapies was presented as a Kaplan–Meier plot and as a box plot. The bootstrap method was used to resample for statistical estimation.
Results
Tai Chi training reduced the annual changes in the deterioration of the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale and delayed the need for increasing anti-Parkinsonian therapies. The annual increase in the levodopa equivalent daily dosage was significantly lower in the Tai Chi group. Moreover, patients benefited from Tai Chi training in motor symptoms, non-motor symptoms and complications.
Conclusion
Tai Chi training has a long-term beneficial effect on PD, with an improvement in motor and non-motor symptoms and reduced complications.
BBC article – Tai chi may slow Parkinson's symptoms for years, study finds (Open access)
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