Knee X-ray
Research done by Tufts University School of Medicine has found that patients that are at least 65 years of age or older with knee osteoarthritis (OA), and who practice Tai Chi, enhanced their physical function and encountered a decrease in pain. Osteoarthritis is a prevalent form of arthritis that brings about a breakdown of joint cartilage. Chiropractors help many people who have developed OA in a number of places in the body, including the knee joints. Knee pain and disability is one of the most commonplace dysfunctions of the musculoskeletal system, second only to spinal complaints. In fact, an astounding 4.3 million US adults over 60 years of age have been diagnosed with knee OA, according to the CDC, and it anticipates that half of the men and women in America may incur symptoms of OA in at least one knee by age 85. Knee osteoarthritis results in pain, mobility limitations, dysfunction and disability, and a decreased quality of life.
You may be asking why so many men and women develop OA. Inordinate stress over a period of time is a major determinant in the majority of musculoskeletal conditions that develop as we get older. Therefore, as people age they are more susceptible to developing OA in their joints, including the knees. Abnormal mechanics of the knee, improper gait, compensatory foot mechanics as a consequence of foot pain, and overuse of the knee joint all produce excessive stress on the knees. Eventually arthritic changes in the knee joint take place. In addition to chiropractic care, chiropractors wholeheartedly advocate natural, drug-free practices, such as Tai Chi (Chuan), that can decrease knee pain. A traditional style of Chinese martial arts,Tai Chi features slow, rhythmic movements that produce mental relaxation, as well as improved balance, an increase in strength, and improved flexibility.
The 40 men and women selected for the Tufts study were, on average, 65 years of age, overweight, and with confirmed osteoarthritis of the knee. Otherwise they were healthy. Individuals were picked at random to take part in 60-minute “Yang style” Tai Chi sessions twice weekly for 12 weeks. Each session included a 10-minute self-massage and a review of Tai Chi principles, 30 minutes of Tai Chi movement, 10 minutes of breathing technique, and 10 minutes of relaxation.
Tai Chi practice involves the type of range of motion, flexibility, muscle conditioning, and aerobic workout that is compatible with prevailing exercise advice for osteoarthritis. Furthermore, researchers noted that the “mental aspect” of Tai Chi promoted a sense of well-being, life satisfaction, and personal concepts of health that helped the participants to deal differently with chronic pain. Compared with the control group, the group practicing Tai Chi experienced a substantial decrease in knee pain.
Full findings of the study are published in the November 2009 issue of Arthritis Care & Research, a journal of the American College of Rheumatology.
