Tai chi and pain: research overview
Not medical advice. This page lists research about tai chi and pain. It does not say whether tai chi works for any person or condition. Talk to a qualified health professional before starting a new exercise program, especially if you have a medical condition.
- Studies in PubMed
- 15 (tagged with “Pain” as a major topic)
- Years
- 1999–2026
- Registered trials
- 4 on ClinicalTrials.gov
Types of studies
| Publication type | Studies |
|---|---|
| Meta-Analysis | 2 |
| Systematic Review | 1 |
| Randomized Controlled Trial | 1 |
| Clinical Trial | 2 |
| Review | 6 |
| Journal Article | 3 |
Each study is counted once, under its strongest type in this order: meta-analysis, systematic review, randomized controlled trial, clinical trial, review, observational study.
Studies, newest first
- Effectiveness of physical exercise on foot pain and function in adults with rheumatoid arthritis: systematic review and meta-analysis. — Clinical rheumatology, 2026 · DOISystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
- Endocannabinoids, exercise, pain, and a path to health with aging. — Molecular aspects of medicine, 2018 · DOIReview
- Evidence-Based Nonpharmacologic Strategies for Comprehensive Pain Care: The Consortium Pain Task Force White Paper. — Explore (New York, N.Y.), 2018 · DOI
- Subjective perceived impact of Tai Chi training on physical and mental health among community older adults at risk for ischemic stroke: a qualitative study. — BMC complementary and alternative medicine, 2017 · DOIRandomized Controlled Trial
- Tai chi for health benefits in patients with multiple sclerosis: A systematic review. — PloS one, 2017 · DOISystematic Review
- Exercise and Movement-based Therapies in Geriatric Pain Management. — Clinics in geriatric medicine, 2016 · DOIReview
- Meeting the public health challenge of pain in later life: what role can senior centers play? — Pain management nursing : official journal of the American Society of Pain Management Nurses, 2014 · DOI
- Multimodal treatment of pain. — Neurosurgery clinics of North America, 2014 · DOIReview
- Efficacy of Tai Chi on pain, stiffness and function in patients with osteoarthritis: a meta-analysis. — PloS one, 2013 · DOIMeta-Analysis
- Pain research in complementary and alternative medicine in Australia: a critical review. — Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.), 2013 · DOIReview
- Tai chi and meditation: A conceptual (re)synthesis? — Journal of holistic nursing : official journal of the American Holistic Nurses' Association, 2009 · DOIReview
- Effects of Tai Chi on gait kinematics, physical function, and pain in elderly with knee osteoarthritis--a pilot study. — The American journal of Chinese medicine, 2008Clinical Trial
- Self-management strategies to reduce pain and improve function among older adults in community settings: a review of the evidence. — Pain medicine (Malden, Mass.), 2008 · DOIReview
- [The effect of Tai Chi movement in patients with rheumatoid arthritis]. — Taehan Kanho Hakhoe chi, 2006
- The effects of a short-term exercise program on movement, pain, and mood in the elderly. Results of a pilot study. — Journal of holistic nursing : official journal of the American Holistic Nurses' Association, 1999Clinical Trial
Registered clinical trials
| Trial | Status | Phase | Enrollment | Start |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Effects of Immersive Virtual Reality in Patients With Grade 1-2 Adhesive Capsulitis NCT07236229 · Bahçeşehir University | completed | na | 34 | 2025-11-28 |
| The Altered Immune Response to Exercise in Patients With Fibromyalgia Before and After a Mind-body Intervention NCT03441997 · University of Kansas Medical Center | unknown | na | 40 | 2018-02-01 |
| Tai Chi and Aerobic Exercise for Fibromyalgia (FMEx) NCT01420640 · Tufts Medical Center | completed | na | 224 | 2012-01 |
| Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Tai Chi Chih for Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis NCT00072657 · University of California, Los Angeles | completed | na | 106 | 2004-02 |
Government health information
The U.S. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health summarizes the evidence on tai chi.
Study list: PubMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine), citation data only. Trials: ClinicalTrials.gov. Retrieved 2026-10-22.
Data: PubMed (NLM citation data, free to use (abstracts not reproduced)); ClinicalTrials.gov (Public domain (U.S. Government work)); NCCIH (Public domain (U.S. Government work)). Retrieved 2026-10-22.