What is Tai Chi?

Tai Chi originates from ancient China and is part of the Traditional Chinese Medicine, just as acupuncture is. Nowadays, it is practiced throughout the world as an effective exercise for health. Tai Chi consists of fluid, gentle movements that are relaxed and slow in tempo. It can be practiced almost anywhere and is a suitable form of exercise for just about anyone.

The ancient practice of Tai Chi is clinically proven to be one of the most effective ways to both strengthen and relax body and mind.

How does it work?

Health and exercise experts advise that an exercise program for people with arthritis should incorporate exercises that improve muscular strength, flexibility, and fitness. Tai Chi is proven to improve all of these components. It also has many additional benefits including improved relaxation, balance, posture, and immunity.

Muscle strength is important for supporting and protecting joints, which will reduce pain.

Flexibility exercises also help to reduce pain and stiffness, enabling you to move easier.

Stamina or fitness is important for overall health and proper function of your heart, lungs, and muscles. Doing everyday tasks such as climbing stairs or walking to the shops will be easier with good stamina.

Tai Chi movements emphasize the importance of weight transference, which helps balance and prevents falls.

Tai Chi for Arthritis (TCA) is adapted by Arthritis Foundation of America, supported by Arthritis Care UK, Arthritis Foundation of Australia and many other arthritis organizations worldwide.

TCA is simple, safe and effective. It is designed especially for people with arthritis.

There are many forms of Tai Chi, a specially designed program will maximize the potential benefit of Tai Chi for arthritis. Dr Lam's team has created a simple, safe and effective program for arthritis. The composing team consists of five Tai Chi experts headed by Dr Paul Lam who is a world-renowned Tai Chi teacher and family physician, and a panel of medical experts including Professor John Edmonds, Director of Rheumatology Department at St George Hospital, Dr Ian Portek, a prominent Rheumatologist and Guni Hinchey, Senior Rheumatology Physiotherapist. The Tai Chi members of the composing team are: Julie King, Ian Etcell, Robyn Nicholls and Michael Ngai.

Instructors of this program are trained to understand and take special care of people with arthritis.

The program is being taught to many thousands of people worldwide in many countries since 1997. A recent clinical study conducted by the Korean National University has found people with arthritis who practice TCA have gained significant pain relief and improved lifestyle.

The program is supported by many arthritis foundations worldwide, it includes warm-up, wind-down, sets of Tai Chi forms and a Qigong exercise for relaxation.

The Objectives of the program

• To provide a safe, easy-to-learn and enjoyable program for people without prior knowledge of Tai Chi
• To relieve pain and stiffness through utilizing the most appropriate forms of Tai Chi
• To improve health in general, especially relaxation
• To improve well-being and the quality of life for people with arthritis
• As a introduction to Tai Chi for anyone

The Characteristics of This Program

This set is based on the Sun style Tai Chi, one of the 5 major recognized styles. Sun's style is particularly effective for arthritis because it is characterized by:

• Agile steps: whenever you step forward or backward with one foot the other foot follows
• This improves mobility, essential for people with arthritis
• Many Qigong exercises to improve breathing, relaxation and facilitate healing
• Higher stances make it easier for beginners and older people to learn
• Having much depth of the art to hold learners' interest as they progress

Tai Chi improves all aspects of health.

What are the Benefits of the Program?

• Helps to relieve pain and stiffness
• Relieves stress
• Improves coordination
• Improves concentration
• Improves balance
• Improves posture
• Improves heart and lung function
• Integrates body and mind
• Increases body awareness
• Easy to learn
• Proven to be safe and effective
• Designed to meet the goals of exercise (i.e. improve muscular strength, flexibility and fitness)
• Contains essential Tai Chi principles, warm-up and wind-down exercises, Qigong and two sets of forms
• Ideal for beginners with or without arthritis

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