Overview
- University of Melbourne randomized 178 adults with knee osteoarthritis to My Joint Tai Chi or online education in the RETREAT Trial.
- The 12-week unsupervised course used weekly 40-minute videos practiced three times per week and a modified 10-form Yang-style routine.
- Clinically meaningful pain improvement was reported by 73% in the Tai Chi group versus 47% in the control, with superior gains in function.
- Participants reported better quality of life and balance confidence, high satisfaction, and no serious adverse events.
- Researchers said the free, scalable format may broaden access and ease pressure on services, though internet requirements limit generalisability.