Comparative Effectiveness of Tai Chi Versus Physical Therapy for Knee Osteoarthritis
Year: 2016
Type: article
Study designs: Randomized Controlled Trial, Clinical Trial
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Few remedies effectively treat long-term pain and disability from knee osteoarthritis. Studies suggest that Tai Chi alleviates symptoms, but no trials have directly compared Tai Chi with standard therapies for osteoarthritis. OBJECTIVE: To compare Tai Chi with standard physical therapy for patients with knee osteoarthritis. DESIGN: Randomized, 52-week, single-blind comparative effectiveness trial. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01258985). SETTING: An urban tertiary care academic hospital. PATIENTS: 204 participants with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis (mean age, 60 years; 70% women; 53% white). INTERVENTION: Tai Chi (2 times per week for 12 weeks) or standard physical therapy (2 times per week for 6 weeks, followed by 6 weeks of monitored home exercise). MEASUREMENTS: The primary outcome was Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) score at 12 weeks. Secondary outcomes included physical function, depression, medication use, and quality of life. RESULTS: At 12 weeks, the WOMAC score was substantially reduced in both groups (Tai Chi, 167 points [95% CI, 145 to 190 points]; physical therapy, 143 points [CI, 119 to 167 points]). The between-group difference was not significant (24 points [CI, -10 to 58 points]). Both groups also showed similar clinically significant improvement in most secondary outcomes, and the benefits were maintained up to 52 weeks. Of note, the Tai Chi group had significantly greater improvements in depression and the physical component of quality of life. The benefit of Tai Chi was consistent across instructors. No serious adverse events occurred. LIMITATION: Patients were aware of their treatment group assignment, and the generalizability of the findings to other settings remains undetermined. CONCLUSION: Tai Chi produced beneficial effects similar to those of a standard course of physical therapy in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health of the National Institutes of Health.
Source: Annals of Internal Medicine
DOI: 10.7326/m15-2143
Language: English
Subfield: Rheumatology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
Funders: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Pfizer, Rheumatology Research Foundation, Brown University, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Astellas Pharma, European League Against Rheumatism, Fidia Farmaceutici, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Aging, National Center for Research Resources, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Awards: G1281661303, Improving Outcome Measurement for Medical Rehabilitaiton Clinical Trials, Tufts Clinical and Translation Science Institute (UL1), Tufts Clinical and Translational Research Institute, Mentoring and Research in Patient-Oriented Integrative Medicine, G5659566681, Tufts Clinical and Translation Science Institute (UL1), Tai Chi and Knee Osteoarthritis, G6978208629, G746482790, G9000208770, Boston OAIC: A Translational Approach to Function Promoting Therapies
OpenAlex ID: W2397437154