According to an article published in Medscape, “tai chi is as good as, or better than, aerobic exercise, for improving the overall severity of fibromyalgia symptoms, new research shows.”
The results of a 52-week single-blind trial suggest that tai chi not only eases symptoms of fibromyalgia, but is also associated with improvements in depression, anxiety, self-efficacy, and quality of life.
“Compared with aerobic exercise, the most commonly prescribed non-drug treatment, tai chi appears as effective as or better for managing fibromyalgia,” the investigators, led by Chenchen Wang, MD, Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, Massachusetts, write. “This mind-body approach may be considered a therapeutic option in the multidisciplinary management of fibromyalgia.”
Read the full study in the BMJ at www.bmj.com/content/360/bmj.k851.