Osteoarthritis is the third leading risk factor for disability in older adults. New research finds the efficacy of Tai Chi, Baduanjin, Yijinjing, on knee osteoarthritis patients is superior to that of usual care. Baduanjin had the best effect in improving stiffness, physical function and overall score, and both Baduanjin and Tai Chi were the best options for improving pain.
Forty-two studies involving 2843 patients were reviewed. Tai Chi, Baduanjin and Yijinjing were confirmed to improve the symptoms of pain, stiffness and dysfunction in knee osteoarthritis patients, and all of them are more effective than usual care or conventional exercise.
The study results ranked Baduanjin first in terms of reducing pain, joint stiffness, and increasing physical function, suggesting that Baduanjin may be the best exercise for knee osteoarthritis patients. Baduanjin can enhance muscle function and increase synovial fluid secretion to alleviate pain, and also promote nerve function and improve body awareness. Baduanjin will not lead to knee injuries, and can exercise the muscles to increase muscle strength, especially the quadriceps muscle to improve the function of the joint.
For reducing stiffness, physical function and pain score, Tai Chi ranked second. Practicing Tai Chi inhibits sympathetic nerve activity and reduces inflamation. Tai Chi training can also cause an analgesic pathway response to reduce the body's susceptibility to pain. This may explain why Tai Chi effectively reduces pain symptoms in knee osteoarthritis patients.
Yijinjing ranked second in the overall symptom score by improving the stability of the knee joints to varying degrees, which may be related to the fact that Yijinjing effectively reduces the level of serum inflammatory factors and decreases the destruction of articular cartilage.
Read more here https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/10538127241290902
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