Tai chi is equally or more beneficial than aerobic exercise for people with fibromyalgia, according to a trial published in BMJ. Fluctuations in symptoms may limit aerobic exercise, the standard nondrug treatment for fibromyalgia.
The 226 patients with fibromyalgia were randomly assigned to either supervised aerobic exercise (60 minutes twice weekly for 24 weeks) or to 1 of 4 supervised tai chi interventions (60-minute sessions once or twice weekly for 12 or 24 weeks).