Tai chi for seniors
Tai chi is one of the best-studied gentle exercises for older adults. In a large review of trials, standing tai chi reduced the number of people who fell by about 20% (Cochrane review, 2019), and arthritis guidelines strongly recommend it for knee and hip osteoarthritis (arthritis guideline, 2019). Seated tai chi is a gentler start, with smaller studies showing benefits for mood and upper-body movement (Hsu et al., 2016) (Zhao et al., 2022).
Tai chi for beginners: what to expect
- Slow, continuous movement linked to your breath; nothing is fast or jerky.
- No equipment and no special clothes. A sturdy chair for the seated version.
- 10 to 15 minutes is a good start. Most programmes meet two or three times a week.
- NIH’s complementary health centre describes tai chi as generally safe; talk with your doctor first if you have a health condition (NIH NCCIH).
Start seated: eight chair tai chi moves
Dark figure: the position. Orange arrows: which way to move. Front views work like a mirror. Tap a move for its steps.
Move to standing when you’re ready
The biggest benefits for balance come from standing tai chi practised regularly. Tai Ji Quan: Moving for Better Balance cut falls by 58% compared with stretching in 670 adults aged 70 and over (Li et al., 2018), and tai chi did as well as physical therapy for knee osteoarthritis in one trial (Wang et al., 2016). Look for these programmes through your local senior centre or Area Agency on Aging, and see the balance exercises at the chair to get started.