In a new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, ORI scientist Dr. Fuzhong Li and his colleagues report that a specially designed tai chi training program twice a week improved subjects’ postural stability and walking ability and reduced falls in subjects. Dr. Li noted, “These results have significant clinical implications because they suggest that low to moderate intensity exercise Tai Chi can be used as a complementary treatment to existing physical therapy to address some of the key clinical issues in Parkinson’s disease, such as postural and gait instability. Much of the training is characterized as functionally oriented training, and the improvements in balance and gait that we demonstrated suggest that Tai Chi exercises can be used for the rehabilitation of patients with these problems, as a result of improving the underlying symptoms of Parkinson’s disease and improving patients’ live flexibility, balance and range of motion.” The 4-year study was funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, and researchers randomized 195 patients to three exercise groups: a Tai Chi group, a resistance training group, or a stretching group. Patients participated in training for 60 minutes twice a week for 24 weeks. The results of the study showed that the balance of the Tai Chi group was significantly better than the stretching group in all directions of movement, which confirmed the significant improvement in trunk control and walking ability (e.g., increased walking distance). Subjects in the Tai Chi group also performed better than the resistance exercise group in terms of balance and walking distance. Finally, the Tai Chi group had a significantly lower rate of falls compared to the stretching group and was as effective as the resistance exercise group. Impaired motor function, especially loss of balance in the ability to maintain standing, negatively affects the function and activities of daily living of patients with Parkinson’s disease. As the disease progresses, patients lose stability, develop difficulty walking, have difficulty taking care of themselves in activities of daily living, and fall frequently. Exercise is an important part of the treatment of patients with Parkinson’s disease, as it has been shown to delay the deterioration of motor function and prolong functional independence. However, studies of alternative forms of exercise to improve balance, gait and function in Parkinson’s disease, such as Tai Chi, are rare. Dr. Li’s Tai Chi program, which included six Tai Chi exercises, was integrated with eight routines that focused on weight transfer, center of gravity control, ankle swing, and front-to-back lateral stepping. Natural breathing was also integrated into the routine. Dr. Li added, “There are a number of practical advantages to using Tai Chi to improve movement disorders in Parkinson’s disease. Tai Chi exercises can also be integrated into existing treatments as part of rehabilitation. Because of its simplicity and ease of learning, some of the movements of Tai Chi can be used as home exercises for patients.”