Abstract
Background: Ai Chi is a specific form of mindful aquatic intervention related to Qigong and Tai Chi. Although evidence suggests that Qigong and Tai Chi are effective in reducing pain and improving balance, functional mobility, and quality of life (QOL), limited studies have explored the therapeutic benefits of Ai Chi. Purpose: To summarize available research on Ai Chi for balance, pain, functional mobility, and QOL in adults. Methods: Systematic search included PubMed, CINAHL, Health Source Nursing, PsycINFO, and SPORTDiscus databases. Selection criteria included randomized controlled trials (RCTs), nonrandomized controlled trials (NRCTs), and cohort studies with Ai Chi as the main intervention for adults with report of at least one standardized outcome measure for balance, pain, functional mobility, or QOL. Results: Twenty-two articles, with a total of 710 participants, met the inclusion criteria including 11 RCTs, 5 NRCTs, and 6 cohort studies. The age of participants ranged from 20 to 75 years. The most frequent study population was persons with Parkinson disease. This review also included studies with other populations such as adults with fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, chronic stroke, chronic low back pain, balance deficits, intellectual disability, and knee osteoarthritis, as well as healthy adults. Ai Chi intervention treatment dosage varied from 20 to 60 minutes, 1 to 12 times per week, for 1 to 20 weeks. Comparison groups included alternative aquatic interventions, land-based exercise, acupuncture, and nonintervention control. Six of the 22 studies were considered moderate to high quality. Discussion: The qualitative analysis reveals a number of favorable results with benefits from Ai Chi intervention and can guide future research. Conclusions: Heterogeneity between all studies precludes conclusive findings of results about the efficacy of Ai Chi from this review. Current evidence suggests a need for better designed controlled trials with a larger sample size to carefully control for bias and judiciously select outcomes.
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