Traditional Chinese exercises such as Tai Chi may improve the health and well-being of people living with heart disease, high blood pressure or stroke, a new study has found.
Researchers from Shanghai University of Sport in China reviewed 35 studies, including 2,249 participants from 10 countries.
They found that among participants with cardiovascular disease, Chinese exercises helped reduce systolic blood pressure by more than 9.12 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure by more than 5 mm Hg on average.
They also found small, but statistically significant drops in the levels of bad cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein) and triglycerides.
Chinese exercises also seemed to improve quality of life and reduce depression in patients with cardiovascular disease.
The review analysed studies which randomly assigned participants to groups performing traditional Chinese exercises (most commonly Tai Chi, Qigong and Baduanjin), engaging in another form of exercise or making no change in activity level.
"Traditional Chinese exercises are a low-risk, promising intervention that could be helpful in improving quality of life in patients with cardiovascular diseases - the leading cause of disability and death in the world," said Yu Liu from Shanghai University of Sport.
Tai chi is an internal Chinese martial art practiced for both its defense training and its health benefits.
The findings were published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
