Tai Chi Fights Fibromyalgia

The ancient Chinese martial art called tai chi may be helpful for people with fibromyalgia. In this condition, patients often experience widespread muscle pain and severe fatigue as well as sleep difficulties and cognitive impairment. Researchers in Boston compared the effects of tai chi classes twice weekly to those of stretching classes. Although tai chi is exercise, it is very slow and gentle and includes deep breathing and relaxation. The study lasted 12 weeks, and by the end, the group that had been practicing tai chi had a significantly lower score on a fibromyalgia scale than the control group. The improvement was maintained for an additional three months and offers one potential therapy for this hard-to-treat condition.

[New England Journal of Medicine, August 19, 2010]