Tai Chi as a Body-Mind Exercise for Promotion of Healthy Aging in Nursing Home Residents: Appropriateness, Feasibility, and Effectiveness

The effect of Tai Chi on elderly depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Objective

This systematic review and meta-analysis assess the impact of Tai Chi on emotional well-being and quality of life in elderly individuals with depression.

Methods

Searching six databases until October 20, 2024, including Embase, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, SinoMed, and CNKI, for randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Participants were aged ≥60 and diagnosed with depression. Tai Chi served as the main intervention in the treatment group, with the control group receiving no exercise, or only health education. The primary outcomes focused on the improvement of depressive symptoms and quality of life. Data synthesis and meta-analysis were performed using Stata 15.1 software. The protocol of this study was registered on PROSPERO (ID: CRD42023479305).

Results

Tai Chi, as the main intervention, significantly improved depressive symptoms as measured by the Geriatric Depression Scale (WMD = -5.99, 95% CI: -10.80 to -1.19, p = 0.015) compared to no exercise or health education. Subgroup analysis favored a six-month duration of Tai Chi, showing even greater benefits (WMD = -9.79, 95% CI: -13.90 to -5.69, p < 0.001). However, Tai Chi did not demonstrate a significant advantage in improving participants' scores on the Hamilton Depression Scale (WMD = -1.04, 95% CI: -3.84 to 1.76, p = 0.468).

Conclusion

Our results indicate that Tai Chi can significantly improve depressive symptoms and quality of life in elderly individuals with depression. As a daily exercise and mind-body therapy to alleviate the mood of the elderly, it is necessary to conduct more large-sample RCTs. Further research on the details of Tai Chi, such as movements, frequency, duration, and exercise periods, is essential for a dose-response relationship, contributing to the standardized promotion of Tai Chi.

A trend of Tai Chi in osteoporosis research: A bibliometric analysis

BACKGROUND

Tai chi has been used to treat different forms of osteoporosis and increase bone density without the use of pharmaceuticals.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to use bibliometric analysis to methodically examine trends and hotspots of tai chi treatment for osteoporosis in order to generate references for further investigation.

METHODS

The articles on Tai Chi to treat osteoporosis was obtained from China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wan Fang, Web of Science (WOS) and PubMed between inception and November 8,2023. The annual publication volume, authors, institutions, and keywords, along with co-citation, clustering, and burst analysis, were analyzed using CiteSpace.

RESULTS

Totally, 328 publications were included. The number of annual publications has been rising rapidly in recent years. Beijing University of Chinese Medicine and Shanghai University of Sport are two of the best universities for Tai Chi treatment in osteoporosis. This area of research is dominated by Zhou, Y; Yu, DH; Pence, BC and Qin,L. Core authors and core institutions having a relatively low level of collaboration indicates that there may be limited interaction and cooperation between these key players in the field. China had the highest volume of publications, followed by the United States. Furthermore, the majority of the study subjects and influence mechanism are the focus of current research in this field.

CONCLUSION

Tai Chi in osteoporosis research field is in a stage of stable development. Universities and higher education institutions are the leading institutions in this field. China and the United States emerging as high productivity nations. The study of Tai Chi in osteoporosis not only focuses on the applicable population, effects and intervention methods, but also gradually shifts to the mechanism study such as "secretion of beneficial factors", "physical exercise load" and "oxidative stress status".

Chiropractic Management of Lumbar Disc Herniation in a Patient With Co-existing Liver Cancer: A Case Report

The current case report outlines the chiropractic management of a 30-year-old male construction worker who presented with symptoms of lumbar disc herniation with co-existing stage IV liver cancer. The patient reported experiencing substantial lower back pain and decreased sensation in his right leg following a fall at work, impacting his mobility and quality of life. The complexity of this case is underscored by the challenge of differentiating between pain due to metastatic disease and that related to the fall. The chiropractic treatment plan included gentle joint mobilization, instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization, and low-impact exercises tailored to the patient's overall health status. The treatment protocol markedly improved pain levels, range of motion, and overall quality of life. This case highlights the potential role of chiropractic care in managing complex cases of lumbar disc herniation, even in the presence of severe illnesses such as liver cancer. This study provides valuable insights into the importance of personalized and adaptable treatment strategies in managing such cases, contributing a unique perspective to the scientific literature.