The Health Benefits of Tai Chi Exercise: A Public Health Perspective

Abstract

Tai Chi originated in china about 300 hundreds years ago and began as a form of martial arts like boxing. It has continued to evolve from being originally used as a combative and self-defense form to a health-enhancing exercise, practiced by individuals of all ages to maintain health and prevent disease. As an alternative exercise, Tai Chi has drawn increasing research interest, with accumulating evidence showing the therapeutic value of Tai Chi to overall health and well-being the goal of this talk is to provide a historical review of existing documentation of reputed Tai Chi benefits. In particular, the speaker will summarize current research findings with a particular focus on older persons, discuss findings with respect to public health implications, and highlight future research directions.