I have recently been approached by a lady in her late forties, who was fascinated to hear me talk about Yang Family Tai Chi. She asked me whether she could practice it herself. The problem was that she had a problem of arthritis in her right knee which hurt her. The doctors had even suggested that she had an operation on it, but dua to recent advances in medicine she has not done it as she expects new treatments in the next couple of years, based on stem cells.
I know that Tai Chi is very good for just about everything, but I did not know what to tell her. So I told her that one does not have to press ones'self hard and that one could adopt the pressure accortding to his/her capability, but I could say no more. So I told her that I know of a source of wisdom regarding the matter, meaning the forums, and here I am posting the question.
I would very much appreciate your suggestions.
Practicing Tai Chi and knees
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Bob Ashmore
- Posts: 754
- Joined: Wed Aug 31, 2005 6:01 am
- Location: Frankfort, KY, USA
The only advice I can give you is to have her consult her physician. As far as I know, and that's not very far, as long as her doctor OK's her practice then she should benefit greatly from Tai Chi Chuan training.
There are many articles that you can reference online about Tai Chi Chuan's healing properties and many that are specifically about it's healing effects on arthritis. You should do a search and reference those materials.
But above all, get her to talk to her physicians about training TCC and get their approval before she begins to train. That way there is much less of a possibility that she would cause herself further harm by training TCC rather than helping her with the pain and stiffness of arthritis.
From a personal standpoint, I can tell you that TCC training is all that keeps me mobile.
I have multiple joint problems, one of them is arthritis, in my spine. If not for TCC I know that my mobility would be extremely limited. As it is, I have nearly complete mobility unless it is cold outside or I shirk my TCC training. Especially if it's both cold outside AND I shirk my training, them I'm in real trouble.
My doctors and physical therapists have all attributed my continued ability to walk and move nearly normally to training in TCC. They know of nothing else that I'm doing or that they're doing that could explain my ability to move so well with the problems that I have with my spine. They tell me that most people with the problems that I have can barely function, even with physical therapy.
So I'm a true believer in using TCC to combat joint ailments. I know from first hand experience that it works for me.
Bob
There are many articles that you can reference online about Tai Chi Chuan's healing properties and many that are specifically about it's healing effects on arthritis. You should do a search and reference those materials.
But above all, get her to talk to her physicians about training TCC and get their approval before she begins to train. That way there is much less of a possibility that she would cause herself further harm by training TCC rather than helping her with the pain and stiffness of arthritis.
From a personal standpoint, I can tell you that TCC training is all that keeps me mobile.
I have multiple joint problems, one of them is arthritis, in my spine. If not for TCC I know that my mobility would be extremely limited. As it is, I have nearly complete mobility unless it is cold outside or I shirk my TCC training. Especially if it's both cold outside AND I shirk my training, them I'm in real trouble.
My doctors and physical therapists have all attributed my continued ability to walk and move nearly normally to training in TCC. They know of nothing else that I'm doing or that they're doing that could explain my ability to move so well with the problems that I have with my spine. They tell me that most people with the problems that I have can barely function, even with physical therapy.
So I'm a true believer in using TCC to combat joint ailments. I know from first hand experience that it works for me.
Bob