Tai Chi Therapy

Il Tai Chi è spesso descritto come "meditazione in movimento", ma potrebbe anche essere chiamato – così come fa la Harvard Medical School - "il farmaco in movimento."

Il Tai Chi può essere facilmente adattato per chiunque, dalle persone su sedia a rotelle a coloro che necessitano di un recupero dopo un intervento chirurgico. Questa disciplina non ha solo valore preventivo ma anche di trattamento complementare per patologie conclamate.

La Tai Chi Therapy si basa si esercizi al rallentatore (individuali, a coppia e in gruppo), si respira profondamente e naturalmente, focalizzando l'attenzione - come in alcuni tipi di meditazione - sulle sensazioni corporee permettendo di riaddestrare l'attenzione. I movimenti sono di solito circolari e mai forzati, i muscoli sono rilassati e non tesi, le articolazioni vengono mantenute 'morbide e aperte' e non sono mai completamente estese o piegate, i tessuti connettivi non sono allungati.

Permette di trattare situazioni di disagio psichico, fisico e sociale. Di seguito un breve elenco – non esaustivo - di disagi che beneficiano della Tai Chi Therapy.

Disagi fisici

Parkinson
Mal di Schiena
Osteoartrite del ginocchio
Osteoporosi
Problemi cardiovascolari
Fibromialgia
Ipertensione
Ipermotricità
Diabete
Sclerosi multipla
Malattie croniche

Disagi Psichici

Ansia
Insonnia
Depressione
Disturbi dell'umore
Remissività / Aggressività
Stress

Disagi Sociali

Difficoltà di parlare in pubblico
Bullismo
Incertezza decisionale
Incapacità di gestire conflitti (di coppia, in famiglia, nel lavoro)

Bibliografia

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Does Tai Chi/Qi Gong help patients with Multiple Sclerosis?, di N. Mills, J. Allen, S. Carey Morgan, tratto dal “Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies”).
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Dobson, S, "Tai Chi and Qigong Can be Applicable in the Acute-Care Setting" Advance for Physical Therapists 17:3 Jan 16 2006: 36.
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Wang R, Lee EK, Wu T, Benson H, Fricchione G, Wang W, Yeung AS. The effects of Tai Chi on depression, anxiety, and psychological well-being: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Behav Med. 2013 (Sept 28 –pages yet to be determined on PubMed)
Astin JA e.a. The efficacy of mindfulness meditation plus Qigong movement therapy in the treatment of fibromyalgia; a randomized controlled trial. Journal of Rheumatology, 2003;30 (10), 2257-62.
Hernandez-Reif M, Field T, Thomas E. Attention deficit hyperactivity Disorder: Benefits from Tai Chi. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, 2001; Vol 2 Issue 2, 120-123
Lee MS,e.a. Effectiveness of Tai Chi for Parkinson's disease: a critical review. Parkinsonism Relat Disord, 2008;14(8),589-94.Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2015 Feb;21(1):57-60. doi: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2014.09.002. Epub 2014 Nov 27.Effect of Tai Chi Chuan on balance in women with multiple sclerosis. Azimzadeh E1, Hosseini MA2, Nourozi K1, Davidson PM3.
Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2015 Feb;21(1):57-60. doi: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2014.09.002. Epub 2014 Nov 27.Effect of Tai Chi Chuan on balance in women with multiple sclerosis. Azimzadeh E1, Hosseini MA2, Nourozi K1, Davidson PM3.
T. Field, “Tai Chi research review,” Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, vol. 17, no. 3, pp. 141–146, 2011
S.-M. Fong and G. Y. Ng, “The effects on sensorimotor performance and balance with Tai Chi training,” Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, vol. 87, no. 1, pp. 82–87, 2006
C. Lan, S. Chen, M. Wong, and J. Lai, “Tai Chi training for patients with coronary heart disease,” Medicine and Sport Science, vol. 52, pp. 182–194, 2008
S.-H. Yeh, H. Chuang, L.-W. Lin et al., “Regular Tai Chi Chuan exercise improves T cell helper function of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus with an increase in T-bet transcription factor and IL-12 production,” British Journal of Sports Medicine, vol. 43, no. 11, pp. 845–850, 2009
Li, P. Harmer, K. Fitzgerald et al., “Tai chi and postural stability in patients with Parkinson's disease,” New England Journal of Medicine, vol. 366, no. 6, pp. 511–519, 2012