Tai Chi: an ancient art
with modern benefits

Restoring health and stability through mindful body awareness

By Craig Cormack

Edited, May 7, 2025

Tai Chi, much more than just a martial art, is a subtle discipline that invites harmony between body and mind while refining stability and balance. For centuries, its benefits have been passed down from generation to generation, carried by the stories of practitioners and embodied in the steady steps of millions of elderly people in China, some well into their nineties, who continue to praise the daily benefits of this ancient practice.

Studies have found that Tai Chi impacts positively on the stability, posture, and proprioception of test participants.

After more than two decades of teaching Tai Chi, I have witnessed remarkable transformations both in myself and in my students: improved balance, a more grounded posture, and greater confidence in everyday movements. These personal observations are now supported by numerous scientific studies confirming Tai Chi’s positive impact on stability, posture, and body awareness.

Proprioception: A Key Element of Balance

Proprioception, sometimes called the “sense of movement,” is the body’s ability to unconsciously sense the position and movement of its limbs in space. This sense relies on sensory receptors found in the muscles, tendons, and joints-especially in the feet, ankles, and knees.

As we age, muscle strength decreases, posture becomes less stable, and proprioception tends to decline, which significantly increases the risk of falls. It’s well known that a large proportion of falls among seniors are due to improper weight transfer, and that those who fall often walk more slowly and take shorter steps.

From their very first class, Tai Chi students learn to shift their weight correctly, root themselves in their hips, keep their back straight, shoulders relaxed, head high, and eyes looking forward. These fundamental principles directly contribute to improved stability and gait, especially for older adults, by encouraging more mindful and controlled movement.

Tai Chi may offer a unique benefit, in that it is beneficial in enhancing ankle joint proprioception.

Several cross-sectional and longitudinal studies have provided convincing evidence that Tai Chi practitioners not only have better cardiorespiratory function but also perform better in balance, flexibility, and muscle strength tests. Wolf and colleagues reported that practicing Tai Chi can reduce the number of multiple falls by up to 47.5%-a a particularly significant figure in the context of an aging population.

Other studies have shown that long-term Tai Chi practitioners have better awareness and control of knee and ankle movement than sedentary individuals, and even better ankle awareness than runners and swimmers.

Parkinson’s Disease and Knee Osteoarthritis

Tai Chi has generated strong interest for its potential effects on various conditions, particularly Parkinson’s disease and knee osteoarthritis. Recent studies have shown that Tai Chi can provide significant benefits for people with Parkinson’s, slowing the progression of symptoms and improving walking, posture, and balance.

In a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers examined 195 patients with Parkinson’s disease, divided into three groups: Tai Chi, resistance training, and stretching. The results showed that the Tai Chi group performed better than the other two groups, with a significant reduction in the number of falls. Even more remarkably, the benefits of Tai Chi training were still present three months after the intervention, suggesting a lasting impact, possibly related to brain plasticity.

The researchers concluded that Tai Chi helps to mitigate falls in patients suffering with mild-to-moderate Parkinson’s disease.

Tai Chi also shows encouraging results for people suffering from knee osteoarthritis. Research conducted in 2013 found moderate improvement in knee joint awareness and control in people with severe osteoarthritis after twelve weeks of practice, though further studies are needed to confirm these long-term effects.

Adapting Practice to Individual Needs

Teaching Tai Chi to seniors comes with its challenges. A traditional Tai Chi class requires students to practice and memorize a series of movements, which can be difficult for some older adults with memory problems or dementia. To address this, Tai Chi can be simplified to just a few essential movements while maintaining the fundamental principle of weight shifting. This adaptation makes it easier for older adults to follow along and fully benefit from the exercise.

All these studies demonstrate that Tai Chi can have a powerful effect on developing proprioception in people of all ages, with particularly interesting applications for seniors and those with specific conditions such as Parkinson’s disease or knee osteoarthritis.

For some seniors, traditionally learning Tai Chi works perfectly well. For others, especially those who are more frail or have cognitive challenges, adapting the practice is necessary to maximize their benefits. In every case, Tai Chi stands out as a holistic approach with great promise for improving mobility, balance, and quality of life-regardless of age or health status.

Image: Wilson Hui – StockPholio.com

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