Happy New Year! And welcome to this month’s IRQTC training tips newsletter where we take a closer look at Rehabilitative Tai Chi for back pain. The hips, sacroiliac joints, and lumbar spine are a major area of force transfer between the ground and upper extremities. As humans, we are functionally driven to act with our hands; however, any upper extremity movement must also transfer forces to and from the earth. Maintaining appropriate flexibility and range of motion through the hips, SI joints, and lumbar spine is critical to efficient force transfer from ground to torso, while restrictions in this core area results in pain and compensatory dysfunction.
Traditional Tai Chi principles place great emphasis on loosening the hips, pelvis, and spine to promote more efficient force transfer to the hands, and when we blend the specific intention of rehabilitating spinal dysfunction with these classic principles clients have the opportunity to heal more completely. Low back pain research shows that Tai Chi exercise reduces bothersomeness of back symptoms, back pain intensity, and improves self-reported disability. In addition, research on Ankylosing Spondylitis reveals that Tai Chi is effective for improving flexibility and disease activity measures. To learn a simple, enjoyable, and effective Chen Style hip circling exercise from the Rehabilitative Tai Chi for Spine & Lower Extremity Dysfunction program, click on the video above.
Thank you for joining us again this month and remember that sometimes the best way to get more done… is to slow down.
Be well,
Brian