Tai Ji Quan Exercise for People with Parkinson’s Disease and Other Neurodegenerative Movement Disorders

Abstract

The merits of Tai Ji Quan in preventing or ameliorating chronic disease conditions are increasingly being explored in the biomedical research and clinical rehabilitation communities. Recent findings suggest that this ancient martial art's modality, when implemented as a complementary exercise regimen, can be therapeutically beneficial to people with neurodegenerative conditions. This article builds on a recent clinical trial that demonstrated the benefits of Tai Ji Quan for patients with Parkinson's disease by introducing an enhanced training approach that emphasizes integration of multiple facets of movement control mechanisms aimed at reducing or alleviating dysfunctional movement-related symptoms. This innovative approach to traditional Tai Ji Quan practice reflects the need for it to be adapted to modern behavioural medicine and the potential for it to fill a gap between research and clinical practice. The ultimate goal of this approach is to identify the extent of health benefits of Tai Ji Quan as an integrated and alternative intervention used to meet the increasing demand for adjunct clinical treatments for movement disorders and chronic disease prevention.