| If you have ever seen a newscast of workers in | | | | negatively affects their day to day activities. I |
| China exercising en masse at the beginning of | | | | suspect that if the program would benefit arthritis |
| their day then you have seen a demonstration of | | | | sufferers that the increase in flexibility and |
| tai chi chuan in action. Tai chi is an ancient form of | | | | mobility would also benefit everybody else looking |
| Chinese martial arts characterize primarily by slow | | | | for a way to stretch and strengthen their body. |
| motion movements. For the last hundred years or | | | | Like it or not, there is a immovable group of us |
| so it has been adopted across China for its health | | | | will not put on tights and go to a yoga class under |
| benefits. | | | | any conditions. |
| A study published in the journal Arthritis Care & | | | | If you live in or near a big-city there is a very |
| Research looked at the benefits of this form of | | | | good chance on the availability of classes. As the |
| exercise for decreasing pain and increasing the | | | | newsreel footage suggests tai chi is usually |
| mobility and range of motion of people who | | | | practiced in groups but it can also be performed |
| suffer from the chronic musculoskeletal pain of | | | | individually and at home. You could probably pick |
| arthritis. The results were positive and although | | | | up a tai chi video or DVD from your local library. |
| the researchers stopped short of recommending | | | | If the martial aspects of traditional tai chi turn you |
| tai chi as an alternative to the conventional | | | | off, or if you think that the movements may be |
| medical treatment of arthritis they appeared | | | | too extreme for your current physical condition |
| enthusiastic about the benefits and the | | | | there is also a set of movements modeled on tai |
| improvement in the quality of life of the arthritis | | | | chi called tai chi chih, which despite its obvious |
| sufferers who participated in the study. | | | | Chinese sounding name was developed in the US |
| Although the study was not specifically focused | | | | in 1974. Tai chi chih is more of a meditative form |
| on golfers with arthritis it is not unreasonable to | | | | of exercise designed primarily to relieve stress. It |
| extend the good effects to golfers who | | | | is believed by its practitioners to balance the chi a |
| experience arthritis, stiffness in the joints, and a | | | | kind of spiritual energy. |
| general decrease in mobility due to physical | | | | If you have ever hit a drive out of bounds on the |
| inactivity. Arthritis is an extremely common | | | | 18th hole while leading a tournament by one |
| condition in the US, especially among people over | | | | stroke when you walked to the tee you might |
| the age of 50. Millions of younger people also | | | | appreciate something that would balance your chi |
| suffer from arthritis pain to an extent that | | | | at a time like that. |