Encyclopedia of Health and Medicine

T
tai chi A gentle form of martial art that features
slow, fluid movements (called forms) combined
with MEDITATION. Tai chi forms represent imagery
found in nature. Tai chi improves balance,
STRENGTH, FLEXIBILITY, and breath control. Most
people participate in tai chi in groups with a
leader (master) who guides the session’s movements
and length, though some choose to do tai
chi as a solitary practice. Many community centers,
health clubs, programs for seniors, and sometimes
colleges offer tai chi classes.
A typical tai chi session may take 10 minutes to
an hour, depending on the form. Most people
begin a tai chi session with a few minutes of meditation
and BREATHING EXERCISES to help cleanse the
body and focus the thoughts. Sometimes the focus
on performing the motions of the form is its own
meditation, and sometimes the person has a specific
meditative focus that he or she holds for the
duration of the session. Though tai chi is not typically
aerobic because its movements are so slow, it
does stretch and exercise the entire body. Often tai
chi groups meet outdoors, and some people like to
do tai chi barefoot to symbolically and tangibly
connect themselves with the Earth and nature.
Anyone of any age can benefit from tai chi as a
meditation practice and for improved balance and
coordination. Doctors often recommend tai chi for
people who
• are older and have increased risk for agerelated
falls, to help prevent injuries such as
fractured hip
• have chronic health conditions such as
OSTEOARTHRITIS or RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS that
threaten to restrict mobility
• have degenerative conditions such as PARKIN-
SON’S DISEASE or MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS, to maintain
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as much mobility as possible for as long as possible
• have ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE, to encourage social
engagement and for the sense of comfort that
the routine of tai chi imparts
• have CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE (CVD) such as
HYPERTENSION (high BLOOD PRESSURE), ATHEROSCLE-
ROSIS, mild to moderate HEART FAILURE, or PERIPH-
ERAL VASCULAR DISEASE (PVD), to improve blood
flow and strengthen the HEART
• have OBESITY or are overweight and need a mild
method to ease back into physical activity
• have CEREBRAL PALSY or other congenital disorders
that affect coordination and movement
Because tai chi’s movements are slow and gentle,
there are few risks for most people. A tai chi
master can help individuals modify tai chi forms
to accommodate specific limitations and needs.
People who have significantly impaired balance
should do tai chi only in a group or with a partner,
in case they do stumble or fall. Medications that
cause drowsiness may decrease stability and balance.
Most people feel relaxed yet invigorated following
a tai chi session.
See also HIP FRACTURE IN OLDER ADULTS; TRADI-
TIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE (TCM); YOGA.
therapeutic massage
See MASSAGE THERAPY.
traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) A philosophy
of holistic HEALING that dates to about 100
B.C.E., anchored in the premise that the energy
that sustains the universe also sustains the body.
Energy in balance is health; energy in imbalance is
illness. Disease reflects blockages of energy that
TCM therapies attempt to clear. The primary