Tai Chi Movement "Brush-Knee and Twist-step" Beneficial to Knee Cartilage

ATCQA members and certified instructors/practitioners can access the full content of this article on ATCQA website. Sign in your ATCQA account and then click the link for "Study Materials".

March 25, 2019 - According to the journal Mathematical biosciences and engineering, a study recently finished in Shanghai aimed to analyze the biomechanical response of the knee cartilage and meniscus to a typical Tai Chi movement called "brush-knee and twist-step" (BKTS). Kinematic and kinetic data was recorded while an experienced TC practitioner performed normal walking, jogging and BKTS. The kinetic data were then imported into a validated finite element model of the knee joint to examine the biomechanical response of the articular cartilage and meniscus.

Compared with walking and jogging, the BKTS movement showed a greater increase in the range of motion (ROM) of the knee. The finite element simulation demonstrated that the pressure contact stress is much more concentrated during walking and jogging than BKTS, which is consistent with the lower peak contact stresses recorded on the cartilage and meniscus.

In conclusion, the Tai Chi movement produced a gentler stress state on the meniscus and cartilage, while also requiring a greater knee ROM. Practicing Tai Chi may have a lower risk of knee joint injury compared to walking and jogging.