Chiropractic Treatment and Tai Chi Practice Relieve Knee Pain
Knee X-ray
New research coming out of Tufts University School of Medicine has determined that patients 65 years of age and over who’ve been diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis (OA), and who practice Tai Chi, increased their physical capability and experienced less pain. Osteoarthritis is a common form of arthritis that brings about a breakdown of joint cartilage. Chiropractors provide therapy for many men and women suffering from OA in a number of areas of the body, including the joints of the knee. Knee pain and disability is one of the most prevalent conditions of the musculoskeletal system, second only to spinal complaints. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) there are a surprising 4.3 million people in this country over 60 years of ag diagnosed with knee OA, and the CDC predicts that by age 85, half of American adults may incur symptoms of OA. Knee osteoarthritis results in pain, immobility, functional disabilities, and a reduced quality of life.
Are you wondering why so many adults develop OA? As with the majority of the musculoskeletal dysfunctions that we develop as we age, abnormal stress to a joint day after day is a major determinant. That is why as people age they are more likely to develop OA in their joints, including the knees. Incorrect mechanics of the knee, poor gait, compensatory foot mechanics as a consequence of foot pain, and overload of the knee joint all produce undue stress on the knees. Consequently arthritic changes in the knee joint develop. In addition to chiropractic treatment, chiropractors wholeheartedly endorse natural, drug-free practices, such as Tai Chi (Chuan), that can mitigate knee pain. Tai Chi (Chuan) is a traditional style of Chinese martial arts that features slow, rhythmic movements that create peace of mind, as well as an enhancement of balance, an increase in strength, and more flexibility.
The 40 men and women selected for the Tufts study were on an average 65 years of age, overweight, and with confirmed OA, but in otherwise good health. Patients were chosen 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 current exercise recommendations for osteoarthritis. Furthermore, researchers found that the “mental feature” of Tai Chi promoted a sense of well-being, life enjoyments, and perceptions of health that aided the participants in dealing differently with chronic pain. Significantly, the group practicing Tai Chi displayed a considerable decrease in knee pain compared with those in the control group.
Full findings of the study are published in the November 2009 issue of Arthritis Care & Research, a journal of the American College of Rheumatology.
Tags: chiropractic, chiropractor, knee OA, knee pain, osteoarthritis, Tai Chi, Tufts University School of Medicine