Lee Hyunggon, Sung Soo-Hyun, Lee Sangnam
Department of Qigong, College of Korean Medicine, Daegu Haany University, Gyeongsan 38609, Republic of Korea.
Department of Policy Development, National Institute for Korean Medicine Development, Seoul 04516, Republic of Korea.
Healthcare (Basel). 2025 Jul 6;13(13):1615. doi: 10.3390/healthcare13131615.
Although Tai Chi has shown potential benefits for managing chronic pain, its clinical effectiveness specifically for knee pain remains inconclusive. We systematically searched ten electronic databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the effects of Tai Chi on knee pain. This systematic review and meta-analysis included 11 RCTs involving 706 participants; among them, three studies (n = 169) were eligible for meta-analysis. A comprehensive search of ten electronic databases was conducted up to March 2025. The included RCTs were conducted in the United States (n = 5), China (n = 3), South Korea (n = 2), and Turkey (n = 1). Compared to health education, Tai Chi significantly improved knee pain, as measured using the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) pain score (mean difference (MD) = -0.60; 95% CI: -6.52 to -3.28; < 0.00001) and the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) (MD = -1.44; 95% CI: -1.95 to -0.93; < 0.00001). Tai Chi also significantly improved knee function compared to health education (WOMAC function score-MD = -13.49; 95% CI: -17.11 to -9.87; < 0.00001). Four RCTs comparing Tai Chi with no intervention reported favorable effects on knee pain and function; however, a meta-analysis was not possible due to limited data. In contrast, two studies comparing Tai Chi with active controls, such as physical therapy and resistance training, found no significant differences in pain or functional outcomes. Two studies reported increased knee pain during initial Tai Chi sessions, but no adverse events occurred after postural corrections. While Tai Chi appears promising for knee pain management, further large-scale, high-quality RCTs with rigorous methodology are needed to establish definitive evidence.
尽管太极拳已显示出对慢性疼痛管理有潜在益处，但其对膝关节疼痛的临床有效性仍不明确。我们系统检索了十个电子数据库，以查找研究太极拳对膝关节疼痛影响的随机对照试验（RCT）。本系统评价和荟萃分析纳入了11项RCT，涉及706名参与者；其中，三项研究（n = 169）符合荟萃分析的条件。截至2025年3月，对十个电子数据库进行了全面检索。纳入的RCT在美国进行了5项，中国3项，韩国2项，土耳其1项。与健康教育相比，太极拳显著改善了膝关节疼痛，使用西安大略和麦克马斯特大学骨关节炎指数（WOMAC）疼痛评分衡量（平均差（MD）=-0.60；95%可信区间：-6.52至-3.28；P<0.00001）以及视觉模拟量表（VAS）（MD=-1.44；95%可信区间：-1.95至-0.93；P<0.00001）。与健康教育相比，太极拳还显著改善了膝关节功能（WOMAC功能评分-MD=-13.49；95%可信区间：-17.11至-9.87；P<0.00001）。四项比较太极拳与无干预措施的RCT报告了对膝关节疼痛和功能的有利影响；然而，由于数据有限，无法进行荟萃分析。相比之下，两项比较太极拳与积极对照（如物理治疗和阻力训练）的研究发现，在疼痛或功能结局方面没有显著差异。两项研究报告称，在最初的太极拳课程中膝关节疼痛增加，但在姿势纠正后未发生不良事件。虽然太极拳在膝关节疼痛管理方面似乎很有前景，但需要进一步开展大规模、高质量且方法严谨的RCT来确立确凿证据。
