73 Participants Needed

Tai Chi vs. Wellness Education for Osteoarthritis

CW
JI
EC
Overseen ByElise Coash, BS
Age: 18+
Sex: Any
Trial Phase: Academic
Sponsor: Tufts Medical Center

Trial Summary

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. However, if you have used antibiotics or probiotics in the last 4 weeks, you may not be eligible to participate.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Tai Chi for osteoarthritis?

Research shows that Tai Chi can help reduce pain and improve physical function in people with knee osteoarthritis, although the evidence is not entirely convincing and more studies are needed to confirm these benefits.12345

Is Tai Chi safe for humans?

Research shows that Tai Chi is generally safe for humans, with very few reports of adverse events (unwanted side effects) in clinical studies. However, adverse events are often underreported, so it's important to consult with a healthcare provider before starting any new exercise program.36789

How is Tai Chi different from other treatments for osteoarthritis?

Tai Chi is a gentle exercise derived from an ancient Chinese martial art that can help relieve knee pain caused by osteoarthritis. Unlike standard treatments, it combines physical movement with mindfulness, making it a unique and cost-effective option, especially for older adults and those with mild cognitive impairment.510111213

What is the purpose of this trial?

This exploratory study is to compares mechanisms of mind-body exercise with wellness education program on gut microbiota for osteoarthritis as a basis for a future large-scale trial.

Research Team

CW

Chenchen Wang, MD, MSc

Principal Investigator

Tufts Medical Center

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for individuals over 55 with symptomatic osteoarthritis and a pain score of ≥40 on the WOMAC scale. Participants should meet the American College of Rheumatology criteria for OA but can't join if they've used antibiotics or probiotics recently, have certain gut diseases, infections like hepatitis B or C, dementia, cancer, heart disease, kidney or liver problems.

Inclusion Criteria

Baseline (Month 0) WOMAC pain subscale score ≥ 40
Fulfills the American College of Rheumatology Criteria for symptomatic OA
I am 55 years old or older.

Exclusion Criteria

I haven't used antibiotics or probiotics in the last 4 weeks and don't have significant gut issues or infections.
I do not have any serious health conditions that would prevent me from participating.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants are randomized into Tai Chi or wellness education interventions for 12 weeks

12 weeks
Weekly sessions

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in gut microbiota and clinical outcomes

4 weeks

Treatment Details

Interventions

  • Tai Chi
  • Wellness Education
Trial Overview The study compares Tai Chi's effects on gut bacteria to those from a wellness education program in people with osteoarthritis. It aims to lay groundwork for future large-scale research by exploring how these interventions might work.
Participant Groups
2Treatment groups
Active Control
Placebo Group
Group I: Tai ChiActive Control1 Intervention
12 weeks of Tai Chi classes
Group II: Wellnes EducationPlacebo Group1 Intervention
12 weeks of Wellness Education classes

Find a Clinic Near You

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Tufts Medical Center

Lead Sponsor

Trials
264
Recruited
264,000+

Findings from Research

In a study of 40 individuals with knee osteoarthritis, Tai Chi significantly reduced pain and improved physical function compared to a control group, with notable improvements in WOMAC pain and function scores after 12 weeks.
Participants practicing Tai Chi also experienced enhancements in self-efficacy, depression levels, and overall quality of life, with no severe adverse events reported, indicating it is a safe and effective intervention for managing knee OA symptoms.
Tai Chi is effective in treating knee osteoarthritis: a randomized controlled trial.Wang, C., Schmid, CH., Hibberd, PL., et al.[2022]
Tai chi may help reduce pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis, as indicated by two out of five randomized clinical trials showing significant pain reduction compared to routine treatment.
However, the overall evidence for tai chi's effectiveness in improving physical function and pain reduction is not strong, highlighting the need for larger and longer-term studies with better controls.
Tai chi for osteoarthritis: a systematic review.Lee, MS., Pittler, MH., Ernst, E.[2022]
Tai Chi (TC) has been shown to effectively improve symptoms of knee osteoarthritis (KOA), including pain, stiffness, physical function, and mental quality of life, based on a review of seven systematic reviews and meta-analyses.
Despite these positive findings, the overall methodological quality of the studies was low, with only one deemed high quality, indicating that the results should be interpreted cautiously and highlighting the need for more rigorous research in this area.
Effects of Tai chi in knee osteoarthritis patients: An overview of systematic reviews and meta-analyses.Zhang, N., Cui, H., Li, H., et al.[2023]

References

Tai Chi is effective in treating knee osteoarthritis: a randomized controlled trial. [2022]
Effects of Tai Chi exercise on improving walking function and posture control in elderly patients with knee osteoarthritis: A systematic review and meta-analysis. [2023]
Tai chi for osteoarthritis: a systematic review. [2022]
Efficacy of Tai Chi on pain, stiffness and function in patients with osteoarthritis: a meta-analysis. [2022]
Effects of Tai chi in knee osteoarthritis patients: An overview of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. [2023]
What do we really know about the safety of tai chi?: A systematic review of adverse event reports in randomized trials. [2022]
Tai Chi for health and well-being: A bibliometric analysis of published clinical studies between 2010 and 2020. [2021]
The safety of tai chi: A meta-analysis of adverse events in randomized controlled trials. [2020]
Evidence base of clinical studies on Tai Chi: a bibliometric analysis. [2018]
A community-centric multi-disciplinary education program with the 8-section brocade Tai Chi therapy for patients with osteoarthritis of the knee - a pilot study. [2021]
11.United Statespubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Teaching Tai Chi to elders with osteoarthritis pain and mild cognitive impairment. [2021]
12.United Statespubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Teaching Tai Chi to elders with osteoarthritis pain and mild cognitive impairment. [2021]
13.United Statespubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Effectiveness of Tai Chi for Health Promotion of Older Adults: A Scoping Review of Meta-Analyses. [2022]
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