A free online Tai Chi program (My Joint Tai Chi) developed by researchers from the University of Melbourne is effective in improving pain and function for people with chronic knee pain, recent research shows. "Tai Chi is traditionally taught in person, often in groups that might involve cost, travel and scheduling. These barriers can make participation difficult, especially for people living in regional and remote areas," said lead author Julia Zhu, a physical therapist and PhD candidate at the university. The Melbourne team developed the program with a panel of expert Tai Chi instructors and people with arthritis to ensure it was effective and easily accessible.

The program consists of 12 pre-recorded 40-minute videos (one each week, practiced three times weekly over 12 weeks) led by a Tai Chi instructor. Each video includes a warm-up, cool-down, and a modified 10-form Yang-style Tai Chi routine tailored for people with chronic knee or hip pain and little or no prior Tai Chi experience. Movements start simple and gradually progress each week.

To test the effectiveness of the program, the researchers recruited 178 adults who were randomly assigned to either the online Tai Chi program or an online education control where they could learn about the benefits of exercise on their osteoarthritis.

Compared with the control group, those in the Tai Chi group had greater improvements in pain and physical function, with twice as many Tai Chi participants reporting an overall improvement in their knee condition. Tai Chi participants also reported improvements in quality of life, physical and mental wellbeing, and balance confidence, with no serious adverse events reported.

In interviews with the researchers, most participants described the program as relaxing, engaging and easy to follow, and they appreciated the positive experience of learning something new.

Zhu and her colleagues conclude, “These findings indicate that this freely available online tai chi intervention provides an effective, safe, accessible, and scalable option for improving access to a guideline-recommended exercise modality for knee OA.”

To try the full 12-week program for free, click here

To download the full study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, click here