Tai Chi for Lower Back Pain Relief
In a recent review published in the journal Holistic Nursing Practice, researchers looked at 32 peer-reviewed studies on movement-based interventions on lower back pain specifically, with results ranging from pain reduction to lowering psychological distress, depression, and anxiety.
They found that yoga, in particular, showed longer-term reductions in lower back pain, while tai chi reduced severe lower back pain for men in their 20s. For both men and women across a larger age range, tai chi was also effective for lowering pain intensity and pain-related disability.
Researchers noted that two of the studies on yoga were done on military veterans, who tend to have high levels of chronic lower back pain and are affected by the issue more than the general population. In that research, yoga proved effective for improving mobility and lowering pain without medications and surgery.
These findings are important because they offer a path to pain relief that doesn’t necessarily involve medications, said study coauthor JuYoung Park, Ph.D., associate professor at Florida Atlantic University’s School of Social Work.
“While medications can control pain temporarily, they cannot cure the pain — and long-term use can lead to side effects, particularly with opioids…in this review, movement-based mind-body interventions were found to reduce pain intensity and improve physical function and emotional symptoms. It’s important for those who suffer from chronic back pain to consider mind-body interventions as treatment options” (Park 2019).
Why is something like yoga more impactful than other types of movement? Park said “it’s likely because of the combination of physical poses with mindful, focused relaxation and emphasis on breathing techniques. Not only do those work together to aid in gently stretching lower back muscles, but they also help turn off the stress response that tightens those muscles in the first place.” Another recent study about back pain and workplace stress supports this, highlighting the role of cortisol and adrenaline — stress hormones released when the body and brain perceive imminent threats — in causing chronic pain (Hannibal, 2014).
Tai Chi is a form of exercise that has recently been gaining popularity to relieve and/or manage back pain and neck pain. It is often easy to associate Tai Chi with groups of people in parks or gyms moving slowly and deliberately in synchronization. These people are using the same Tai Chi principles and movements created in ancient China and still practiced all around the world as a healing exercise. There are Tai Chi studios as well as, community centers that offer group classes.
Learn more about Pacific Rehabilitation Centers’ pain management program or contact us to see how we can help.
