Trial reportBMC musculoskeletal disorders2009
A randomized controlled trial of tai chi for long-term low back pain (TAI CHI): study rationale, design, and methods.
Trial report in BMC musculoskeletal disorders, 2009. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
9 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 30 citations in OpenAlex.
- Efficacy and safety of Tai Chi for Parkinson's disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.PloS one · 2014Pooled it
- The Effects of Tai Chi on Markers of Atherosclerosis, Lower-limb Physical Function, and Cognitive Ability in Adults Aged Over 60: A Randomized Controlled Trial.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2019Trial
- Exploring Tai Chi in rheumatoid arthritis: a quantitative and qualitative study.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2010Trial
- Association of Lumbar Sagittal Curvature Profiles with Musculoskeletal Disorders: A Pilot Radiographic Study.Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- The Science of Tai Chi andJournal of integrative and complementary medicine · 2025Review
- Concepts and Application of Tai Ji in Stroke Rehabilitation: A Narrative Review.Iranian journal of public health · 2022Review
- Meta-Analysis of Tai Chi Chuan in Treating Lumbar Spondylosis and Back Pain.Applied bionics and biomechanics · 2022Article
- Effect of exercise intervention on social distance in middle-aged and elderly patients with chronic low back pain.Frontiers in aging neuroscience · 2022Article
- The efficacy of thermotherapy and cryotherapy on pain relief in patients with acute low back pain, a clinical trial study.Journal of clinical and diagnostic research : JCDR · 2014Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundLow back pain persisting for longer than 3 months is a common and costly condition for which many current treatments have low-moderate success rates at best. Exercise is among the more successful treatments for this condition, however, the type and dosage of exercise that elicits the best results is not clearly defined. Tai chi is a gentle form of low intensity exercise that uses controlled movements in combination with relaxation techniques and is currently used as a safe form of exercise for people suffering from other chronic pain conditions such as arthritis. To date, there has been no scientific evaluation of tai chi as an intervention for people with back pain. Thus the aim of this study will be to examine the effects of a tai chi exercise program on pain and disability in people with long-term low back pain. METHODS AND
designThe study will recruit 160 healthy individuals from the community setting to be randomised to either a tai chi intervention group or a wait-list control group. Individuals in the tai chi group will attend 2 tai chi sessions (40 minutes)/week for 8 weeks followed by 1 tai chi session/week for 2 weeks. The wait-list control will continue their usual health care practices and have the opportunity to participate in the tai chi program once they have completed the follow-up assessments. The primary outcome will be bothersomeness of back symptoms measured with a 0-10 numerical rating scale. Secondary outcomes include, self-reports of pain-related disability, health-related quality of life and global perceived effect of treatment. Statistical analysis of primary and secondary outcomes will be based on the intention to treat principle. Linear mixed models will be used to test for the effect of treatment on outcome at 10 weeks follow up. This trial has received ethics approval from The University of Sydney Human Research Ethics Committee. HREC Approval No.10452 DISCUSSION: This study will be the first trial in this area and the information on its effectiveness will allow patients, clinicians and treatment funders to make informed choices regarding this treatment.
trial registrationThis trial has been registered with Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry. ACTRN12608000270314.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.