T’ai chi for individuals with COPD: an ancient wisdom for a 21st century disease?

Abstract

Even when receiving optimal medical treatment, individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) commonly experience daily symptoms of dyspnoea and fatigue [1, 2]. Consequently exercise intolerance may render activities of daily life problematic, leading to a downward spiral in which there is a progressive reduction in physical activity [3–8]. Thus, individuals with COPD can end up in a vicious circle of physical deconditioning, including loss of lower limb muscle mass and strength, loss of balance and osteoporosis [8–11]. In the past 20 years, pulmonary rehabilitation has become an integrated part of the management of individuals with moderate to very severe COPD [12, 13]. Pulmonary rehabilitation, defined as an evidence-based, multidisciplinary and comprehensive intervention for patients with chronic respiratory diseases who are symptomatic and often have decreased daily life activities, is designed to reduce symptoms, optimise functional status and increase participation in activities of daily living [14]. Pulmonary rehabilitation, which usually involves an initial assessment, exercise training, education and behaviour change, is safe and effective in individuals with COPD [14–16]. Indeed, improvements in health-related quality of life, functional mobility and lower limb muscle function have been reported [17]. Exercise training is the cornerstone of pulmonary rehabilitation and mostly consists of aerobic exercises (stationary cycling, treadmill walking and/or ground walking) in combination with muscle strengthening exercises (resistance training and/or transcutaneous neuromuscular electrical …