Abstract
Objectives This systematic review aims to summarize the existing literature on Tai Chi randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and recommend Tai Chi exercise prescriptions for different diseases and populations. Methods A systematic search for Tai Chi RCTs was conducted in five electronic databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, EBSCO, and Web of Science) from their inception to December 2019. SPSS 20.0 software and Microsoft Excel 2019 were used to analyze the data, and the risk of bias tool in the RevMan 5.3.5 software was used to evaluate the methodological quality of RCTs. Results A total of 139 articles were identified, including diseased populations (95, 68.3%) and healthy populations (44, 31.7%). The diseased populations included the following 10 disease types: musculoskeletal system or connective tissue diseases (34.7%), circulatory system diseases (23.2%), mental and behavioral disorders (12.6%), nervous system diseases (11.6%), respiratory system diseases (6.3%), endocrine, nutritional or metabolic diseases (5.3%), neoplasms (3.2%), injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes (1.1%), genitourinary system diseases (1.1%), and diseases of the eye and adnexa (1.1%). Tai Chi exercise prescription was generally classified as moderate intensity. The most commonly applied Tai Chi style was Yang style (92, 66.2%), and the most frequently specified Tai Chi form was simplified 24-form Tai Chi (43, 30.9%). 12 weeks and 24 weeks, 2-3 times a week, and 60 min each time was the most commonly used cycle, frequency, and time of exercise in Tai Chi exercise prescriptions. Conclusions We recommend the more commonly used Tai Chi exercise prescriptions for different diseases and populations based on clinical evidence of Tai Chi. Further clinical research on Tai Chi should be combined with principles of exercise prescription to conduct large-sample epidemiological studies and long-term prospective follow-up studies to provide more substantive clinical evidence for Tai Chi exercise prescriptions.
Highlights
Chronic diseases cause a large burden of disease in the world and affect the quality of life of individuals [1, 2]
Studies included in this review had to meet the following inclusion criteria: (1) the trial was a randomized control trial (RCT), either individual or cluster randomized; (2) any study participants were included, regardless of region, age, gender, and current health condition; (3) Tai Chi was the main intervention, without a limitation based on the type of Tai Chi prescribed; (4) the control group was nonexercise or the exercise was not Tai Chi; (5) outcome indicators were not restricted
Among the 139 Tai Chi RCTs included in this review, there were certain differences in the style, exercise cycle, frequency, time, and intensity of Tai Chi included in exercise prescriptions for different disease systems and healthy individuals. is systematic review will, summarize the exercise intervention programs for diseased and healthy populations and determine the most commonly used Tai Chi exercise prescriptions for different diseases and populations based on clinical evidence and the exercise prescription principles of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). e supplementary tables in various sections of this review describe Tai Chi exercise prescriptions for specific groups of patients and healthy individuals
Summary
Chronic diseases cause a large burden of disease in the world and affect the quality of life of individuals [1, 2]. Almost half of the global population suffers from at least one chronic disease and may be at risk of functional decline and disability [3, 4]. Exercise therapy is a safe way to improve physical function and reduce disability in patients with chronic diseases [5]. In the past few decades, exercise has been widely used in the treatment of chronic diseases, and experts have begun to adopt the terms “exercise prescription” and “exercise therapy” [5]. Exercise prescription mainly includes the type, frequency, duration, and intensity of exercise. It is a scientific, systematic, and individualized exercise intervention program for disease prevention and health promotion
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