Tai Chi and New Approaches to Treating Osteoarthritis
A new article from the Wall Street Journal discusses why physicians are increasingly questioning the conventional wisdom about how to deal with joint pain and are now recommending physical activity to help osteoarthritis patients. The article recommends Tai Chi, Yoga, and some specific stretching exercises for treating osteoarthritis. Tai Chi is widely known to be an excellent practice for people of all ages to maintain healthy joints.
From the article: “The new treatment approach comes as osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease once considered a problem of old age, has begun showing up in more middle-aged and young adults as a result of obesity and sports injuries. Studies have shown that weight loss, combined with exercises aimed at improving joint function and building up muscles that support the joints, can significantly improve patients' health and quality of life compared with medication alone.”