Small to moderate effect sizes were observed regardless of whether the intervention included exercise .
OBJECTIVE To evaluate studies that used arthritis self-management education alone or with exercise to improve Arthritis Self-Efficacy Scale scores of patients with knee osteoarthritis .
BACKGROUND Increasing self-efficacy may improve patient knee osteoarthritis symptom management and function .
Effects of T'ai Chi training on function and quality of life indicators in older adults with osteoarthritis.
OBJECTIVE To determine the effects of T'ai Chi training on arthritis self-efficacy , quality of life indicators , and lower extremity functional mobility in older adults with osteoarthritis . DESIGN A prospect i ve , r and omized , controlled clinical trial . Intervention length was 12 weeks , with outcomes measured before and after intervention using blinded testers . Group ( T'ai Chi vs Control ) x time ( 2 x 2 ) mixed factorial ANOVA . SETTING Allied Health Sciences Center at Springfield College , Springfield , MA PARTICIPANTS : A total of 33 community-dwelling participants ( mean age 68 ) diagnosed with lower extremity osteoarthritis and having no prior T'ai Chi training longer than 2 weeks . INTERVENTION T'ai Chi training included two 1-hour T'ai Chi classes per week for 12 weeks . MEASUREMENTS Arthritis self-efficacy ( Arthritis Self-Efficacy Scale ) , quality of life indicators ( Arthritis Impact Measurement Scale ) , functional outcomes ( one-leg st and ing balance , 50-foot walking speed , time to rise from a chair ) . RESULTS T'ai Chi participants experienced significant ( P < .05 ) improvements in self-efficacy for arthritis symptoms , total arthritis self-efficacy , level of tension , and satisfaction with general health status . CONCLUSIONS A moderate T'ai Chi intervention can enhance arthritis self-efficacy , quality of life , and functional mobility among older adults with osteoarthritis . T'ai Chi training is a safe and effective complementary therapy in the medical management of lower extremity osteoarthritis
Small to moderate effect sizes were observed regardless of whether the intervention included exercise .
OBJECTIVE To evaluate studies that used arthritis self-management education alone or with exercise to improve Arthritis Self-Efficacy Scale scores of patients with knee osteoarthritis .
BACKGROUND Increasing self-efficacy may improve patient knee osteoarthritis symptom management and function .