Researchers at the University of Sydney, in New South Wales, Australia, determined the effect of tai chi exercise on persistent low back pain.

First, the details.

• 160 adults with persistent nonspecific low back pain were assigned to a treatment group for 10 weeks.
• Tai chi group: 18, 40-minute sessions in a group format by a qualified instructor
• Waitlist control group that continued their usual healthcare
• Change in bothersomeness of back symptoms was the primary outcome.
• Changes in pain intensity and pain-related disability were also measured.

And, the results.

• Tai chi exercise:
• Reduced bothersomeness of back symptoms by 1.7 points on a 0-10 scale
• Reduced pain intensity by 1.3 points on a 0-10 scale
• Improved self-report disability by 2.6 points on the 0-24 Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire scale.
• These results were considered a worthwhile treatment effect by researchers and participants.

The bottom line?

The authors concluded, “A 10-week tai chi program improved pain and disability outcomes and can be considered a safe and effective intervention for those experiencing long-term low back pain symptoms.”

The change in terms of numerical values may not seem like much, but for a person in pain, a change of about 2 points may make the difference between function and disability.

10/30/11 20:42 JR