Close up image of a caretaker helping older woman walk

Seniors with osteoarthritis pain may benefit from a popular Chinese martial art. Practicing two hours of Tai Chi per week has been shown to reduce pain in older adults, a new study found.

The knee pain caused by this form of arthritis affects roughly 4.3 million seniors across the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Researchers at Tufts University broke up a cohort of 40 seniors into two groups. One performed Yang-style Tai Chi two hours weekly; the other learned about diet and other treatments for the pain. The Tai Chi group reported significantly less pain at the end of the three-month experiment, according to researchers.

The Tai Chi group reported greater physical function and overall health. The report is slated to appear in the November issue of Arthritis Care & Research.