Unsupervised Tai Chi for Knee Osteoarthritis

In-person supervised tai chi is known to benefit patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). In the continuing search for nonpharmacologic approaches to reducing pain and improving function in these patients, Australian investigators randomized 178 adults (mean age, 61) with a clinical diagnosis of moderate-to-severe knee OA to receive an online, unsupervised tai chi intervention or a control program. The tai chi intervention included website educational information, video instruction, and a mobile app providing motivational messages to encourage exercise; the control included only the website educational materials. All participants were encouraged to exercise three times weekly.