Healthy Aging with Janet
Tai Chi and Arthritis, Article 1: Movement is Medicine
Written by Janet Stewart Migliore, Certified Tai Chi for Arthritis and Pain Management Instructor
Did You Know?
Nearly 1 in 4 U.S. adults lives with arthritis.
Gentle movement is one of the best ways to reduce pain and improve mobility.
Tai Chi helps improve balance, flexibility, confidence, and healthy aging.
Regular Tai Chi classes and home practice have been shown in research to reduce falls by approximately 67%.
A New Community Health Series
Recently, I completed certification in Tai Chi for Arthritis and Pain Management. The experience reinforced what I have witnessed over years of teaching Tai Chi: gentle, mindful movement can make a meaningful difference in people's lives. This series shares practical, research-supported information to help our community better understand arthritis and discover safe ways to stay active.
Understanding Arthritis
For many people, an arthritis diagnosis feels like the beginning of giving things up. Yet arthritis does not have to mean giving up movement, independence, or the activities you enjoy. Arthritis is not a single disease but a broad term for more than 100 conditions affecting joints and surrounding tissues. The most common categories include osteoarthritis; autoimmune inflammatory arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis; and painful conditions outside the joints, including fibromyalgia. Gout and some infections can also cause significant joint pain. Although these conditions have different causes, they often share symptoms such as pain, stiffness, swelling, fatigue, reduced mobility, and balance challenges.
Why Movement Is Medicine
Many people avoid movement because they fear it will make arthritis worse. In most cases, appropriate movement does the opposite. Gentle, regular activity helps lubricate joints, strengthen the muscles that support them, improve flexibility and circulation, reduce stiffness, improve balance, and maintain independence. The goal is not to push through pain, but to move wisely, gently, and consistently.
Why Tai Chi?
Tai Chi combines slow, flowing movements with relaxed breathing and mindful awareness. It is gentle on the joints and can be adapted for nearly every fitness level, including seated practice.
Research consistently shows that appropriately taught Tai Chi can improve balance, flexibility, leg strength, posture, confidence, and physical function while helping many people reduce pain and stiffness.
Tai Chi also teaches safe weight shifting - the ability to move the body's weight smoothly from one leg to the other. This skill is essential for walking, turning, climbing steps, and recovering balance. Multiple studies of Tai Chi programs for older adults have reported substantial reductions in falls, with figures around 67% frequently cited in Tai Chi for Health research summaries.
Tai Chi is sometimes called meditation in motion. The slow, controlled movements improve coordination while relaxed breathing calms the nervous system. This combination supports both physical confidence and a greater sense of ease.
Janet's Healthy Aging Tip
Stand behind a sturdy chair or kitchen counter and hold it lightly for balance. Lift one foot a few inches from the floor and allow yourself to become steady. Lower that foot gently, then lift the other. Repeat 5-10 times on each side. This simple practice strengthens the legs, improves balance, and teaches safe weight shifting - one of the best ways to help prevent falls.
Looking Ahead
In future articles, we will explore the different forms of arthritis, how Tai Chi can ease pain and stiffness, ways to improve balance and reduce falls, and practical steps for staying active as we age. My hope is that this series encourages you to keep moving - because movement truly is medicine.