NEMJ: Tai Chi Improves Balance of People with Parkinson’s Disease

Patients with Parkinson’s disease have substantially impaired balance, leading to diminished functional ability and an increased risk of falling. Although exercise is routinely encouraged by healthcare providers, few programs have been proven effective. However, there is encouraging news from an original study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, in which a randomized, controlled trial determined whether a tailored Tai Chi program could improve postural control in patients with idiopathic Parkinson’s disease. The results showed Tai Chi training appeared to reduce balance impairments in patients with mild to moderate Parkinson’s disease, with additional benefits of improved functional capacity and reduced falls.