{
  "id": 3129104,
  "title": "Largest review of its kind confirms benefits of tai chi and other Chinese exercises",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/24/largest-review-of-its-kind-confirms-benefits-of-tai-chi-and-other",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-08-24T22:30:40.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Guardian Health",
    "slug": "guardian-health",
    "url": "https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/aug/24/largest-review-of-its-kind-confirms-benefits-of-tai-chi-and-other-chinese-exercises"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A comprehensive review of traditional Chinese exercises, such as tai chi, qigong, baduanjin, wuqinxi and yijinjing, has found strong evidence of their effectiveness in treating musculoskeletal disorders affecting an estimated 1.7 billion people worldwide. These exercises can improve physical function, pain, mental health, sleep quality, and bone mineral density in individuals suffering from conditions like knee osteoarthritis, neck pain, fibromyalgia, and osteoporosis. Researchers at Chinese hospitals and universities analyzed data from 1,744 randomized controlled clinical trials and concluded that there is \"high certainty evidence\" supporting the benefits of these exercises for musculoskeletal conditions. To achieve maximum benefits, it is recommended that individuals engage in these exercises for over six months, at least three times a week, accumulating a total of at least 150 minutes per week. The researchers suggest that traditional Chinese exercises should be incorporated into clinical guidelines and rehabilitation programs globally, as they offer a safe, accessible, and cost-effective alternative to conventional therapies, potentially reducing reliance on medications and empowering patients in self-management of their health.",
  "summary": "Analysis finds ‘high certainty evidence’ of their effectiveness for the 1.7bn people worldwide with musculoskeletal conditions Traditional Chinese exercises such as tai chi can offer wide-ranging benefits for people with musculoskeletal disorders, improving physical function, pain, mental health, sleep quality and bone mineral density, according to the largest review of its kind. More than 1.7bn…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}