Tai Chi Therapeutic & Clinical Benefits

The Therapeutic and Clinical Benefits of Tai Chi

written by: Master McCorry


Tai Chi is a Chinese martial art famous for its medicinal and clinical benefits. The therapeutic and preventive value of Tai Chi was known in China for thousands of years. Recent studies have brought this wealth of tradition to the public eye outside China and have made Tai Chi one of the most desirable martial arts.

Tai Chi Through Ages
The roots of Tai Chi date back to the ancient Chinese faith-cum-philosophy of Taoism, which stresses the harmony and balancing of contradicting elements as the path to truth. Tai Chi is supposed to be the invention of a 17th century warrior Wang Ting Chen. It remained within the Chen family circles for nearly two centuries. In the late 19th century, Chang Xing Chen, a descendant of Wang Ting, brought Tai Chi to outside the bounds of the family and taught it to Lu Chan Yang and his followers. They, in turn, propagated Tai Chi all over China. By 1956, two milestones happened in the development of Tai Chi:

* Government took initiative to reduce the multiple and complex variants of Tai Chi to 24 simplified styles

* The purpose of Tai Chi shifted from self-defense to health


The 70s saw Tai Chi being introduced to the US. It remained an esoteric art till 1996. Steven Wolf’s study of the health benefits of Tai Chi in 1996 made it popular all over US, and gradually, in the rest of the world as well. At present, Tai Chi is a celebrated martial art with millions of learners all over the world.

The Clinical Benefits of Tai Chi
Many studies since 1990s have expounded the health benefits of Tai Chi. Taken together, they can be summed up under the following notions:

1. Tai Chi can enhance balance, improve control and reduce falls in adults and seniors.

2. It improved the Unified Scale score of patients suffering from Parkinsonism (MS Lee, 2008)

3. In patients suffering from osteoarthritis, Tai Chi was found to reduce pain and inflammation (Lee, 2008)

4. Studies in rheumatic arthritis patients found that Tai Chi improved the flexion of their ankles (A Han, 2004)

5. Usually bone density diminishes in women in post-menopause stage. Women who learnt Tai Chi, however, was found to maintain their bone density. This means reduced risk of osteoporosis in women.

6. A study by A. Dechamps et al (2007) pointed out that Tai Chi can foster belief in one’s own ability and enhance mood.

7. Regular practice of Tai Chi can bring down blood pressure and diabetes to normal. It can also reduce the chances of CVD (Cardio-Vascular Diseases) by preventing hypertension and abnormal lipid levels.

8. When Tai Chi was paired with medical treatment in cancer patients, it was found to boost their will power and thereby increase the chances of survival. It can develop self-esteem in cancer survivors as well (P. Mansky, 2006)

9. Tai Chi can augment aerobic capacity and reduce stress


Bruce McCorry’s Lessons in Tai Chi
Tai Chi is often hailed as a medication technique in motion, a phrase which proves how important it is to practice it scientifically. Bruce McCorry’s Martial Arts Academy (Peabody, Massachusetts) offers professional training in Tai Chi to learners of all age groups. Tai Chi coaching at Bruce McCorry’s starts with simpler low-intensity forms for beginners and gradually proceeds to higher levels. For patients, systematic Tai Chi learning at Bruce McCorry’s can be coupled with medicinal treatment to achieve better clinical results. Private instruction is also available to better work with the students needs.  Visit www.brucemccorrys.com today or call for your free trial course, at (978) 535-7878.