Mary Petersen, who has been suffering from Fibromyalgia, practicing tai chi on Nahant Beach, Mass., near her home. Credit: Jodi Hilton for The New York Times

The New England Journal of Medicine published a study on Thursday about the effectiveness of Tai Chi exercises as a therapy for fibromyalgia. The ancient Chinese practice of tai chi may be effective as a therapy for fibromyalgia, according to a study published on Thursday in The New England Journal of Medicine. The patients who practiced Tai Chi for 12 weeks in the study did significantly better in measurements of pain, fatigue, physical functioning, sleeplessness and depression than a comparable group given stretching exercises and wellness education. Tai chi patients were also more likely to sustain improvement three months later.

I teach medical Qigong, the ancient predecessor to Tai Chi that were developed specifically for medical applications.

Link to full article: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/19/health/19taichi.html?_r=1