Just wondering if Tai chi might be a rather good exercise for folks with PMR?
Before Covid and then PMR stopped my competitive table tennis and sailing I kept pretty fit, but a recent ‘gentle’ game of table tennis was a brutal reminder of deterioration! Age no doubt a contributor (77) but having acquired a boat once more I would like to be a bit fitter in case we get a summer!
Anyone out there doing / tried Tai chi?
Hi Hopingsail,
I've just started learning Tai Chi and have found it gentle on my body, easy to execute and definitely a regime that improves balance, coordination and muscle strength.
As with any exercise that we undertake with PMR, it's always important to go at your own pace and gauge what level of involvement is right for you. Most importantly though..... enjoy it.
Tai chi was recommended when I first got PMR about three years ago. It was during lockdown and I did a zoom class with a local instructor. My thought was I could continue in person once we could meet up.
It was very gentle movement. I couldn’t do some elements very easily (my balance is rubbish) but got better. However it just didn’t really do anything for me and I haven’t continued. But that’s a personal thing and I definitely recommend you try it.
There have been in the past. I agree it is a pretty good one for us mind, body and spirit.
Absolutely. Tai Chi and Qigong are wonderful exercises. Find a good class with a good teacher. Local U3As may have classes. Above all enjoy a new experience and opportunities.
Its wonderful for loosening up tight muscles. But for boating you will probably need to get your muscles in stronger order as well.
I think we have a tai chi expert on the forum - taichikung - he might be able to give you some advice if he sees your post.
Now you have posted you can see the Related Posts which have been generated in the past. Always worth having a look.
I’ve found Tai Chi really useful - definitely helps with some of the PMR stiffness & the mindful element of properly taught Tai Chi is very therapeutic. Occasionally I struggle with some of the more extreme moves and I sometimes need to factor a bit of rest into my day to recover, but on balance it’s a great way to stay flexible & keep moving.
Thanks for all your replies folks - I shall give it a go!
I’m a novice to qigong but love it. There seem to be different types, as with yoga. Possibly qigong is generally more gentle than some tai chi but others here will know more than me. Hopefully you will find a suitable in person class. I do zoom qigong when I can Tuesdays 6pm and Thursdays 11am with Sue Weston who also teaches mindfulness. £8 per class and no need to commit to a batch of classes. She is so compassionate and supportive with a sense of humour.
I don’t have PMR but have to be careful as I have osteoporosis and have had several stress fractures. Good Luck!
I practised Tai Chi previous to GCA and began the gentler practice of QiGong after my diagnosis . I did both throughout my time with GCA . I also practiced isometric exercises, took short walks daily and swam when I could or did gentle aqua exercises . When I am able to I increase my walking distances and use Nordic sticks for balance and to gently exercise my arms and upper body. I also use a recumbent bike . Low impact Pilates and dancing for fun are also good options. I also have Fibromyalgia and Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (which causes spontaneous dislocations of looser joints) these exercises are also good to reduce pain and fatigue and keep fit with these conditions while coping with inflammation or an injury.
Both Tai Chi and Qigong are good for improving flexibility and maintaining muscle strength without putting too much pressure on the joints, They also help with relaxation, blood pressure and heart rate. They are a great way to improve balance , gait , posture and breathing after you may have spent some time of illness or inactivity.
They help you to prevent muscle weakness and loss , maintain bone health and prepare you for the time you may be able to restart doing more physical exercises.
With exercise consistency is more important than increasing your intensity. Listen to your body and don't push passed its limits , eventually if you work within your comfort zone your comfort zone expands , things become easier and you can do more and feel better doing it.
Keep active and remember that other things like domestic chores , playing with children , gardening , running errands are all exercise related to.
Do little amounts but often during the day with proper rests in between and hydration while you are busy or work out , short intervals of activity are as beneficial as longer exercise classes and easier to keep up.
I do Tai Chi and love it for its calming effects and it does use and strengthen muscles - go for it
yes, I would recommend it, I do it everyday, I had started years before PMR, and it is a 'gentle' exercise but can really help energy levels, balance, and helps me keep parts moving which are painful!
A relative, who continues to work despite arthritis, swears by it. It gets you out the house, introduces you to a new circle of friends, and is gentle on tender bodies.
Note that it's not weight-bearing or impact-loading, so it is not so good for those at risk of osteoporosis.
The evidence in 2008 wasn't convincing according to a study involving Ernst (the complementary medicine chap) but tai chi is weightbearing and may be useful for osteoporosis prevention.
getwellen.com/well-guide/ta....
You are standing, therefore weight bearing, and it is causing movements of the muscle attachments to the bones which is thought to be the mechanism by which exercise influences bone density.
My mistake. I hadn't realised doctors class merely standing up as doing weight-bearing exercise, these days! The point I was making about tai chi is that many people who do it don't feel well enough to do anything more. And they are not just people so frail they spend all day in bed, or in a chair.
Just standing maybe not, but movement in standing will have some effect.
Tai Chi has many benefits. It improves muscle strength and sense of balance. It apparently also helps with maintaining bone density. I'm sure it has no more direct benefit for PMR than any other exercise, which is basically zilch, but the improvement in other areas is really beneficial. For those with time and patience the meditative aspect is also interesting. I've found although I'm too shy to go outdoors to do my daily practice simply doing it where I have a view of the outdoors is very pleasant. (Ideally, Tai Chi should be practiced with a group outdoors!)
One tip: it can take time to master the moves. Just because we can't do what you see on the many YouTube videos we can find doesn't mean our own effort isn't perfectly helpful for us. After a couple of years of not doing Tai Chi owing to knee injuries I found I could barely lift a leg from the floor. But, I thought, even a few inches is good enough. It wasn't long before I was back to "normal" whatever that means for my body! I also remember the instructor telling us as we were all struggling to understand the different moves, it would still benefit us if all we did was repeat the opening move over and over again for a couple of minutes. We were taught the moves one a time week by week for eight classes. I had to repeat the class several times, and practice in between by watching YouTube (posterior or back view most helpful for copying), before I felt confident.
I do Tai Chi its a lovely gentle way to get a bit fitter and toned.
You could collect a load of PMR-ers and have a class on the sea front! Just like in China ...
I teach an over 50’s yoga class to my older martial art students , before the class we always do 15 mins of Qigong , similar to tai chi but I think even more relaxed , YouTube it , a guy called Geoff Chand has some great free routines on there , 👍
Gosh - must have been great. I would love to try it but no options here and I'm scared to try on my own using a video,
I do Qi gong regularly online and have done for a few years. When I was diagnosed in November I was struggling to do any of it, but after going on steroids, I was gradually able to do more. And a lot of it sitting down, which is always an option. I find it a beautiful, flowing, meditative practice, unlike any exercise I’ve done before. Like you I was very fit and active before PMR. Qi gong has been a lifeline. Good luck!
Jaya Rudgard is the teacher. She is also a very experienced meditation teacher:
Haha - I'm actually nearer Innsbruck than Verona. We never developed an affinity with the west side of Lake Garda for some reason, only stayed that side once. Stopped in Cremona in an amazing little guest house/restaurant on the way to and from Monaco on business too.
How do you know when you are ready to come off steroids completely?
Happy Holidays 
Different symptoms on reducing
Gaining or keeping muscle tone?
