No improvement in a pilot study of tai chi exercise in rheumatoid arthritis

Tai chi, originally a Chinese martial arts, practises physical and mental integration with large, slow, and gracious movements. Tai chi has been shown to improve balance and prevent falls,1 increase flexibility,2 improve physical function,3,4 and has recently been applied in osteoarthritis.5,6 Little is known about possible beneficial effects of tai chi in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We therefore performed an 8 week pilot study to explore the efficacy of a tai chi instruction programme on disease related measures in patients with RA. Fifteen women with RA aged 40–70 years (mean (SD) age 57.0 (8.6) years, mean (SD) disease duration 12.3 (5.7) years) with at least moderate disability (modified Health Assessment Questionnaire (MHAQ) …