"Man, I must be getting older, my knees hurt..."
Alright, so here’s the deal with the changing seasons, especially going from winter to spring and summer to fall – it can be a real challenge for older folks dealing with osteoarthritis. You know, those temperature shifts mess with the air pressure, and when it gets cold, it can actually make things worse for people with osteoarthritis, as well as for those dealing with congestive heart failure and COPD. And don’t even get me started on hot and humid weather – that’s no picnic either.
Now, here’s the thing researchers are thinking: those ups and downs in the weather might actually make joint stiffness and swelling worse for folks with arthritis. And that’s a big deal because the pain from all that can make older folks less likely to get moving and active. And let’s be real, a lot of the treatments out there for arthritis can have some not-so-great effects, especially for seniors.
So, what’s the plan? Well, doctors are suggesting that regular, not-too-crazy exercise can help ease those osteoarthritis woes. And guess what’s turned out to be pretty awesome for seniors? TaiJi! It might just be one of the coolest things for arthritis this year.
Let’s talk about a study from 2016 where they pitted TaiJi against physical therapy for 200 people with osteoarthritis. Usually, people have been using physical therapy to deal with this condition. But the scientists had a hunch that folks who tried out TaiJi might actually feel better after dealing with that pesky and sometimes super serious illness for a while.
They divided up the participants into two groups and gave them either physical therapy or TaiJi:
– The physical therapy group had a couple of 30-minute one-on-one sessions each week for six weeks, and then they did a home-based version of the treatment for another six weeks.
– The TaiJi folks, on the other hand, got to do some seriously cool moves. They had two one-hour sessions every week for a full 12 weeks. They got the hang of this joint-friendly workout, and by the end, things were looking up.
So, guess what happened? Both groups said they felt better, but the ones doing TaiJi were the real winners. They had less pain, they moved better, and they even felt mentally and physically healthier. You might wonder why something like TaiJi, which seems all calm and easy, could have such a big impact. Well, turns out, it’s not just about the slow and gentle movements – it’s also about building up strength and flexibility.
See, when you’re dealing with joint pain, even the tiniest motions can be a struggle. And if you end up not moving much, your joints can get even stiffer. But TaiJi changes that. It’s all about stretching things out gently, which helps with flexibility and pain. Plus, those muscles around the achy joints get stronger, so there’s less pressure and less swelling.
And don’t be fooled by its seemingly simple moves – TaiJi might look easygoing, but it’s no joke. It’s not hard on your body, but it’s totally gonna give you more strength and endurance. Oh, and they even teach you some seriously chill breathing techniques that help you relax and de-stress. So, if you’re looking for a way to tackle arthritis without all the hassle, TaiJi might just be your new best friend.
Here’s the Original Article:
https://www.sunriseseniorliving.com/resources/tips-for-seniors/using-tai-chi-to-manage-osteoarthritis-pain
And if you’re ready to start looking into TaiJi for yourself, here’s a link for the best class near you:
https://www.ghosthand.org/taijiseniorsqr
