Science in Motion: How Tai Chi and Other Traditional Therapies Are Changing Healthcare

People may picture tai chi as graceful, slow-motion movements practiced in parks or community centers. But Wei Liu, PhD, research director of the Human Performance and Rehabilitation Research Lab and associate professor in the Department of Physical Therapy at The University of Texas at San Antonio Health Science Center School of Health Professions, sees tai chi as more than cultural tradition or gentle exercise. His research shows tai chi is a quantifiable, therapeutic tool that merges Chinese medicine with the rigor of Western science.

“There was a gap in knowledge. People were using tai chi in interventions without a clear scientific rationale,” Liu said. “We didn’t know what forms worked best, or for whom.”