Recently, I had the pleasure of participating in a webinar on: “Taijiquan and Parkinson’s Disease” organized jointly by Dr. Anna Michela Vitulano, President of the Parkinson Parthenope Association, Professor Ennio Del Giudice, former Director of the Specialization School in Child Neuropsychiatry at the University of Naples “Federico II” and President of the nonprofit association Neapolitan Brain Group, and myself: Master Jia Jingquan, Ambassador for the International Promotion of Taijiquan Culture.
After the opening remarks, there was an engaging presentation by Professor Alessandro Tessitore, professor of Neurology at the School of Medicine of the University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli” and Director of the Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center. He emphasized that there are around 2,500 studies in the literature demonstrating Taijiquan’s preventive and therapeutic value in a wide range of chronic diseases. Professor Ennio Del Giudice presented on the topic, “Tai Ji Quan for People with Parkinson’s Disease: Evidence from Scientific Literature.” Among the approximately 150 studies on Taijiquan and Parkinson’s disease on PubMed, he highlighted one, published in the prestigious medical journal The New England Journal of Medicine, in which a group of patients already on drug therapy practiced a specific Taijiquan program for 3–6 months, achieving significant improvements in tremor, posture control, and balance, with a reduction in falls. The study also recorded benefits in cognitive functions.
Following Professor Del Giudice’s presentation, which illustrated with extensive data how practicing this ancient discipline positively affects human health, my personal contribution aimed to explain the reasons behind these results.
Taijiquan is an ancient Chinese martial art that integrates character and physical development with the personal challenges typical of martial arts, generating a special energetic activity. It embodies historical-philosophical principles related to Buddhism, Confucianism, and, largely, Taoism. The synthesis of all this is expressed in a movement of great beauty that stimulates the aesthetic sense of both practitioners and observers. This unique quality was universally recognized on December 17, 2020, when UNESCO added this art to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Taijiquan strongly integrates self-awareness and mindful attention with bodily movements (joints, muscles, internal organs). Physical practice with light, continuous, and “spiral” movements, combined with abdominal breathing and mental focus, stimulates various body systems. This synergy promotes blood and fluid flow and strengthens Qi (the life force in Traditional Chinese Medicine), thus activating natural self-healing functions. When the mind is calm and the body relaxed, the nervous system can generate impulses that produce non-automatic movement, constantly guided by intention and awareness of one’s body in space, resulting in efficient, balanced, and coordinated movement.
Specifically, in practicing Taijiquan, one is required to maintain a calm mind, breathe naturally, look inward, and keep the body balanced. After starting the exercise, movements should be gentle and slow, consistent and coordinated, with alert attention to maintaining a stable center of gravity. The practice then progresses gradually from easy to challenging, from slow to fast, so that the body can progressively engage in a full range of exercises.
Taijiquan was traditionally used for self-defense and combat. Today, we can use this precious cultural heritage in the holistic management of various conditions, especially Parkinson’s disease, as Taijiquan differs significantly from other types of physical activities, such as gymnastics, dance, or physical therapy. Because Parkinson’s is a neurodegenerative disease, the unique qualities of Taijiquan movements can effectively alleviate its symptoms: early tremors, limb stiffness, hypokinesia, gait abnormalities, falls, and cognitive and behavioral issues. Symptoms may significantly and durably improve, especially in mild to moderate cases, as supported by rigorous studies from the United States and the United Kingdom.
In my experience with people affected by Parkinson’s disease, I have developed a method that, by using Taijiquan and Qigong techniques, produces noticeable results in a relatively short time. This approach, which significantly improves coordination and balance through concentration and internal visualization, can reduce both the frequency of falls and the severity of tremors, allowing patients to regain some functional autonomy—a sense of independence that also translates into improved self-esteem.
Some techniques proposed for patients with Parkinson’s:
- Postural adjustment and breathing regulation
- Five self-massage techniques (*shuai shou gong*—ancient techniques I have modified)
- Articular movements for the whole body (new techniques I have created)
- Silk reeling (*chan si gong*): basic Taijiquan exercises to increase coordination, improve blood circulation, and joint mobility
- Six fire energy exercises (a practice I created to stimulate internal energy)
- Five breathing exercises (developed by me to increase lung capacity, coordination, and balance)
- Chen style Taijiquan, Form 9
With these simple techniques repeated several times, according to my experience, visible and evident results can be achieved after just a few weeks of practice. The type of instruction is tailored to the patient’s condition. For mild cases, classes can be group-based, while in more advanced stages of the disease, individual instruction becomes essential.
I believe that, in many cases, Taijiquan practice can lead to a significant improvement in quality of life, particularly for people with motor disabilities, such as patients with Parkinson’s disease.
Master Jia Jingquan
