JAMA Internal Medicine has recently published the results of a randomized clinical trial comparing the effect of an unsupervised online tai chi intervention (My Joint Tai Chi) in combination with access to a purpose-built website with information about exercise and osteoarthritis, to just the general website/information. Participants in the tai chi group had access to video-based instruction and were encouraged to use an app to increase adherence.
One hundred seventy-eight participants were enrolled in this free 12-week program, a majority of women with an average age of a little over 60. The primary outcomes were a change in knee pain during walking and difficulty with physical function (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index), with multiple secondary outcomes ranging from sleep quality to mental well-being.
The tai chi group reported significantly greater improvements in knee pain (-1.4 difference between groups on 0-10 scale) and function (-5.6 on 0-68 scale) compared to the control group. 73% in the tai chi group achieved minimally clinically important improvements in pain (vs. 47% control) and 72% achieved this for function (vs. 52% control). Most of the secondary outcomes also favored the tai chi group, with no serious adverse effects. While it’s possible that this study favors people more likely to be digitally engaged and thus adherent, it’s also encouraging that an unsupervised class led to meaningful benefits for both pain and function in a majority of participants, within just a few months, with no safety concerns. This program is provided free to anyone with an interest by the University of Melbourne.