NIH Record: Evidence Grows of Tai Chi’s Benefits, Including for Seniors

Posted On: December 20th, 2016

Ellen O'Donnell

Wayne NCCIH post talk w attendees Nov 2016

Read the article in NIH Record, (Nov. 2016) about Dr. Wayne’s collaborative research regarding tai chi and its benefits for seniors.

Drawn from his presentation at the September, 2016 NCCIH Integrative Medicine Lecture Series,  Dr. Peter Wayne discusses the overall evidence on tai chi’s use for medical purposes, as well as some of his team’s studies on its use to prevent falls and protect cognitive function in older people.

“It’s surprisingly difficult for anyone to walk and think—let alone chew gum—at the same time. For seniors, walking and mental processes can become even more difficult, with falls and cognitive decline often major fears as well as high public-health burdens.

One nondrug complementary approach being studied for healthier, safer aging is tai chi. In a recent NIH lecture, Dr. Peter Wayne discussed the overall evidence on tai chi’s use for medical purposes, as well as some of his team’s studies on its use to prevent falls and protect cognitive function in older people.”

Photo credit: Lisa Helfert