Tai Chi and Shibashi Qigong in Cardiac Rehabilitation: Restoring Strength, Confidence, and Calm

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Tai Chi and Qigong in Cardiac Rehabilitation 

Restoring Strength, Confidence, and Calm

For anyone recovering from a heart problem — whether that’s a heart attack, bypass surgery, or heart failure — rehabilitation is a vital part of getting life back on track.
Most cardiac rehab (CR) programmes focus on aerobic and resistance training, education about healthy lifestyle changes, and emotional support.

But what happens if the gym feels intimidating? Or the exercises feel too strenuous?

That’s where Tai Chi and Qigong — particularly the Shibashi form — are starting to make a real difference.

🌀 What exactly are Tai Chi and Shibashi?

Tai Chi (Taijiquan) is a slow, flowing sequence of movements originally rooted in martial arts. It’s often described as “meditation in motion.”
The gentle transitions, coordinated breathing and relaxed posture build strength, balance, and calm focus.

Qigong (pronounced “chee-gong”) is a family of ancient Chinese exercises that also combine movement, breathing and awareness.
One of the most popular and accessible sets is Tai Chi Qigong Shibashi, meaning “18 gentle movements”. It can be performed standing or seated, making it suitable for people at all levels of fitness.

Together, Tai Chi and Shibashi form a powerful mind–body practice that’s now being studied and used in hospitals and community rehab programmes around the world — including here in the UK.

❤️ Why use Tai Chi in cardiac rehabilitation?

Cardiac rehab aims to help your heart recover, improve circulation, and restore confidence in movement.
However, many people drop out or never start formal rehab — sometimes because of travel, anxiety, or physical limitations.

Tai Chi and Shibashi offer an alternative that is:

  • Gentle and adaptable — it can be done sitting or standing

  • Low impact — safe for people with heart failure or limited mobility

  • Enjoyable — encouraging long-term adherence

  • Mindful — lowering stress and blood pressure

It’s a perfect bridge between rest and full physical activity.

🧠 What does the research say?

A growing number of medical studies have looked at how Tai Chi and Qigong benefit people with heart failure, coronary artery disease, and post-MI recovery.

The Harvard-led study

In one landmark randomised controlled trial, Yeh and colleagues (2011) taught Tai Chi to 100 people with chronic heart failure.
After 12 weeks, participants reported better quality of life, improved mood, and higher exercise confidence compared with the education-only group — and all without any increase in adverse cardiac events. [1]

Meta-analyses — the bigger picture

When many trials are combined, the results become even clearer.

  • A 2020 meta-analysis by Chen et al. reviewed 33 RCTs (2,465 patients) and found that Tai Chi and Qigong significantly improved exercise capacity, quality of life and peak oxygen uptake (VO₂) in people with heart failure. [2]

  • Another systematic review of 13 RCTs reported increases in 6-minute walk distance, left ventricular ejection fraction, and reductions in BNP levels, suggesting better cardiac function. [3]

  • A 2023 review in Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine concluded that traditional Chinese exercises (Tai Chi and Qigong) are safe, low-cost and effective for improving cardiovascular fitness during cardiac rehab. [5]

And importantly, smaller UK-based pilot projects — such as the Midlands Tai Chi Rehab programme — have shown real-world benefits. Participants reported better Dartmouth COOP functional scores, improved daily energy, and greater confidence to move.

🌬️ How does it help the heart?

Tai Chi and Shibashi support cardiac recovery in several complementary ways:

  1. Gentle aerobic exercise
    The continuous, flowing movements raise the heart rate modestly, improving oxygen use without overloading the heart.

  2. Improved nervous system balance
    Slow breathing and focused attention calm the sympathetic “fight or flight” response, improving heart rate variability and blood pressure regulation. [1,3]

  3. Better balance and mobility
    The movements strengthen the legs and improve posture — especially valuable for older adults at risk of falls.

  4. Mental and emotional wellbeing
    Group classes reduce isolation, while the mindful nature of Tai Chi lowers anxiety and depression — both of which are linked to poorer cardiac outcomes. [1,3]

  5. Long-term adherence
    Because Tai Chi feels good, many people continue practising for years, maintaining the gains made in formal rehab.

🩺 Is it safe?

Yes — studies consistently show that Tai Chi is safe for people with stable cardiac conditions when taught by a qualified instructor and approved by a clinician. [3]

A few simple rules:

  • Always check with your GP or rehab nurse before starting

  • Avoid unsupervised practice if you have unstable angina, uncontrolled arrhythmias or severe breathlessness

  • Begin gently — even five minutes a day is a great start

  • Practise within comfort, not to exhaustion

Many programmes begin with seated or standing Shibashi movements, then gradually increase duration and intensity as confidence grows.

🔧 How to integrate Tai Chi into cardiac rehab

Hospitals and community centres are now blending Tai Chi or Shibashi into phase 3 and phase 4 cardiac rehab sessions. Here’s what’s working:

  • Complement, don’t replace: Use Tai Chi alongside traditional aerobic and resistance exercises.

  • Supervise early sessions: Ideally, the instructor works in coordination with cardiac physiologists or rehab nurses.

  • Monitor progress: Track 6-minute walk tests, blood pressure, and quality-of-life scores (such as Dartmouth COOP). [2]

  • Encourage home practice: Short daily routines help maintain benefits and confidence.

In the Midlands programme, participants progressed from seated Shibashi to standing Tai Chi sequences over several weeks, showing measurable improvements in stamina and well-being.

⚖️ What’s still unknown?

Research is promising but not perfect. Many trials are small, vary in duration and teaching style, and don’t track long-term outcomes such as hospitalisation or survival. [3,4]
Larger, standardised trials will help us understand exactly how much Tai Chi to prescribe and for whom.

Still, the direction of travel is clear: Tai Chi and Qigong work, and they work safely.

🌈 Who benefits most?

Tai Chi and Shibashi are particularly helpful for:

  • People who decline or can’t access gym-based rehab

  • Those with low fitness or mobility issues

  • Anyone seeking stress reduction and confidence in movement

  • Patients who value holistic, mind–body recovery

As one participant put it:

“I started Tai Chi thinking it would be easy. It was — but also deep. My breathing changed, I felt calmer, and for the first time since my heart attack, I felt in control again.”

💬 Final thoughts

Tai Chi and Shibashi Qigong are no longer fringe practices — they’re becoming evidence-based tools for modern cardiac rehabilitation.

They restore confidence, reduce stress, and build strength safely.
Most importantly, they help people reconnect with their bodies after illness — gently, mindfully, and sustainably.

If your cardiac rehab service isn’t offering Tai Chi yet, it might be time to add a class or two.
Your heart — and your patients — will thank you.

References (Vancouver style)

  1. Yeh GY, McCarthy EP, Wayne PM, et al. Tai Chi exercise in patients with chronic heart failure: a randomized clinical trial. Arch Intern Med. 2011;171(8):750-757.

  2. Chen X, Savarese G, Cai Y, et al. Tai Chi and Qigong Practices for Chronic Heart Failure: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2020;2020:2034625.

  3. Wei H, Jin Y, Gu X, Zhang F, Xie Y, Tang Q, Sun W. Efficacy of Tai Chi on patients with heart failure: a systematic review. Chin J Evid-Based Med. 2017;17(6):677-684.

  4. Ho RT, Ziea ET, He J, Wong VC, Chan LW. Tai Chi exercise for patients with heart disease: a systematic review of controlled clinical trials. Altern Ther Health Med. 2012;18(5):14-24.

  5. Huang J, Qin X, Shen M, Xu Y, Huang Y. The Effects of Tai Chi Exercise Among Adults With Chronic Heart Failure: An Overview of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. Front Cardiovasc Med. 2021;8:589267.

If you are interested in training in tai chi & qigong for cardiac rehab, or even just finding out more, please visit www.midlandstaichirehab.com


Comments

  1. Anonymous25 November 2025 at 13:56

    Thank you for the link

    ReplyDelete
  2. Mark Peters25 November 2025 at 14:02

    please read some of my other tai chi & qigong related blogs too

    ReplyDelete

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