Tai Chi for Fibromyalgia.

PMID: 29800175 DOI: 10.1001/jama.2018.6255

Clinical Trials Update
May 22/29, 2018
Tai Chi for Fibromyalgia
Anita Slomski, MA
JAMA. 2018;319(20):2069. doi:10.1001/jama.2018.6255
Tai chi is equally or more beneficial than aerobic exercise for people with fibromyalgia, according to a trial published in BMJ. Fluctuations in symptoms may limit aerobic exercise, the standard nondrug treatment for fibromyalgia.

The 226 patients with fibromyalgia were randomly assigned to either supervised aerobic exercise (60 minutes twice weekly for 24 weeks) or to 1 of 4 supervised tai chi interventions (60-minute sessions once or twice weekly for 12 or 24 weeks).

At 24 weeks, scores on the fibromyalgia impact questionnaire improved in all 5 treatment groups but were greater in the tai chi groups. The only clinically significant difference in improvement between the 2 groups, however, was in the highest intensity tai chi group (twice a week for 24 weeks) compared with the same intensity aerobic exercise.