Any form of exercise is good, says Shailendra Singh, MD, a rheumatologist in Batesville, Arkansas, because it helps people with psoriatic arthritis improve their pain, maintain their range of motion, enhance their mood, and lessen their risk of joint deformities. But tai chi offers something else: It helps those with psoriatic arthritis enhance their balance and develop better overall functionality, says Stephan Berwick, owner of True Tai Chi, a martial arts school in Falls Church, Virginia, which offers classes in the traditional Asian martial art. Some of Berwick’s clients have arthritis, he says.
What Is Tai Chi?
Tai chi is an ancient Chinese mind-body practice that involves deep breathing, relaxation exercises, and gentle, graceful movements. During tai chi, you’ll perform a series of slow, flowing movements while you breathe deeply and focus on the movement. It may not be the traditional, standardized medicine approach, says Donna Everix, a physical therapist from Fremont, California, “but tai chi is [a] very good, slow form of what we call ‘isometric exercise’… it teaches people to use their muscles to support the joints.” In the practice of tai chi, there is a focus on “hard” and “soft,” which means that if a person exerts energy on one side of the body, the other side needs to remain soft. This hard/soft balance greatly increases joint mobility, flexibility, and use, and improves dexterity and strength, Berwick says. And tai chi, which puts minimal stress on muscles and joints, may be a particularly good form of exercise for people with psoriatic arthritis. While research on the relationship between psoriatic arthritis and tai chi is limited, there are a number of studies on tai chi and other forms of arthritis. A small study published in March 2010 in BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders found that patients with rheumatoid arthritis who practiced tai chi had enhanced lower limb muscle function, reduced pain while exercising and during daily life, and improved balance and physical condition. And a review published in April 2013 in PLoS One found improved symptoms in people with osteoarthritis. In fact, the study authors suggested tai chi be included in arthritis rehabilitation programs. Tai chi has numerous benefits specific to psoriatic arthritis, according to Berwick and the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, including:
Pain reductionIncreased blood circulation leading to improved dexterity and flexibilityImproved function (picking up a cup of coffee more easily, opening a door, holding onto a banister, or massaging yourself)Greater functional strength and flexibilityImproved balance and stability.
Tai chi is probably the best thing for rebuilding balance, especially as we age, because it has the functional lower body element to it, Berwick says. It combines leg strength, flexibility, and range of motion — all of which are needed to stay upright. Constantly shifting your weight back and forth as you flow through the movements also helps improve stability. The meditative aspect of tai chi can also be beneficial for emotional well-being. Being able to relax has a deep impact on anxiety, Berwick says. “Think about it,” Everix adds. “If you have the flu, you have the flu for like one or two days, you can manage it. But if you feel lousy for like a week or two, it’s going to affect your whole demeanor. So having something to be able to focus on and being able to de-stress is a really good thing.”
How to Get Started
Before beginning any new exercise program, talk to your doctor to ensure that it’s safe for you. While there are books and videos available that demonstrate how to practice tai chi, your best bet is to take a class led by a qualified teacher who has experience working with people who have arthritis. Not all tai chi classes are created equal, Berwick says. In other words, the content of a class can be “wildly uneven” across various studios. That said, in his Virginia studio, the first part of a tai chi class is devoted to warming up by turning at the waist and moving your entire mid-section in a circle. The next step is to do the same with your knees. Then, people learn to stand properly and rebuild their “structural integrity,” he says. It’s much like the “planking” people do at the gym, Berwick explains. “Basically you’re engaging your core, so the whole body comes together to hold you up.” After that, the class moves to the lower body. You have to learn to shift your weight, then you learn to step, Berwick notes. Some of the practice is performed on one leg, Everix says, “so it really teaches you how to support the joints.” If you’re interested in finding a tai chi class in your area, check out the resource finder at the Arthritis Foundation website.
