Abstract
Evidence of the health and wellbeing benefits of Tai Chi and Qigong (TQ) have emerged in the past two decades, but TQ is underutilized in modern health care in Western countries due to lack of promotion and the availability of professionally qualified TQ instructors. To date, there are no government regulations for TQ instructors or for training institutions in China and Western countries, even though TQ is considered to be a part of Traditional Chinese medicine that has the potential to manage many chronic diseases. Based on an integrative health care approach, the accreditation standard guideline initiative for TQ instructors and training institutions was developed in collaboration with health professionals, integrative medicine academics, Tai Chi and Qigong master instructors and consumers including public safety officers from several countries, such as Australia, Canada, China, Germany, Italy, Korea, Sweden and USA. In this paper, the rationale for organizing the Medical Tai Chi and Qigong Association (MTQA) is discussed and the accreditation standard guideline for TQ instructors and training institutions developed by the committee members of MTQA is presented. The MTQA acknowledges that the proposed guidelines are broad, so that the diversity of TQ instructors and training institutions can be integrated with recognition that these guidelines can be developed with further refinement. Additionally, these guidelines face challenges in understanding the complexity of TQ associated with different principles, philosophies and schools of thought. Nonetheless, these guidelines represent a necessary first step as primary resource to serve and guide health care professionals and consumers, as well as the TQ community.
Highlights
Tai Chi and Qigong (TQ) are traditional Chinese mind–body exercises designed to produce functional balance in the body and emotions and to promote healing
Public Safety officers were invited to oversee consumer protection. The results of this collaboration are codified as Association policies and procedures and standards for achieving certification as a Medical Tai chi Qigong Instructor
We believe that we have considered the fact that there are a multitude of Tai Chi and Qigong forms that originate from Daoist philosophy and practice, religion, martial art and traditional Chinese medicine
Summary
Tai Chi and Qigong (TQ) are traditional Chinese mind–body exercises designed to produce functional balance in the body and emotions and to promote healing. An emerging evidence base validating the health benefits of TQ practice has resulted in a growing acceptance of these exercise arts in Western countries including Australia and the USA. Recent research has suggested that TQ has favorable impacts on anxiety [16], depression [17,18,19], balance [20,21,22], insomnia [23] and sleep quality [24,25], stress management [26,27], cognitive function [28,29] Parkinson’s disease [30,31], inflammation [32,33], antiviral immunity [24,34] and physical function in elderly [35,36]. The review identified issues relating to difficulty of finding qualified TQ instructors in the community who have the required TQ skills and appropriate clinical training to safely deliver Tai Chi to diverse populations with varying medical conditions
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