Tai Chi to Protect Bones: Does It Work?

Osteoporosis is a concern for older adults. Osteoporosis is a loss of bone mineral density (BMD). Loss of bone mass increases the risk for fracture. The Surgeon General has said that Tai Chi is a good exercise to maintain bone density and to prevent falls. In this report, researchers review studies on Tai Chi. They target postmenopausal women with low bone mineral density (BMD). They also offer ideas for future studies to assess the benefits of Tai Chi on BMD. Tai Chi is an ancient Chinese form of martial arts. It includes breathing, movement, and meditation. Shifting weight from side to side can help with balance and the mechanical load placed on the joints needed for good joint health. Arm movements help improve natural arm swing while walking. Many other benefits of Tai Chi have been reported. After reviewing the studies of Tai Chi for reducing rates of BMD loss in postmenopausal women, here's what they found:

Tai Chi is a safe way to exercise for postmenopausal women with low BMD It may reduce the rate of BMD loss; Tai Chi practitioners have higher BMD than people their own age who don't do Tai Chi

Tai Chi does improve balance and strength; it also reduces the number of falls in older adults

The total available evidence isn't enough to prove Tai Chi actually reduces BMD loss The bottom line is that Tai Chi is a safe form of exercise for older adults. It has many benefits. For the postmenopausal woman with osteoporosis, even if it doesn't improve BMD, it reduces falls and fractures. That's an important benefit. Future studies are needed to find out if Tai Chi can prevent bone loss in the first place. Does it reduce how fast bone loss occurs? Does it work for men? If it does reduce how much or how fast BMD is lost, what's the mechanism behind it?

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