Chronic musculoskeletal pain conditions such as low back pain and osteoarthritis are leading causes of disability worldwide. Group-based exercise is now a first-line treatment recommendation in various clinical guidelines for the management of chronic musculoskeletal conditions, including those from the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. However, chronic pain patients frequently present with comorbidities, and there remains a dearth of evidence exploring which forms of exercise might be most beneficial for complex patients presenting with multimorbidity.
Tai Chi consists of gentle, slow, low-impact meditative movements with a focus on breath, mind, and body to promote wellbeing and inner peace. Like other forms of exercise, clinical trials have found Tai Chi to be effective in alleviating various chronic musculoskeletal pain conditions. The Royal London Hospital for Integrated Medicine (RLHIM) is one of the largest public sector providers of integrated medicine in Europe and has extensive clinical experience providing Tai Chi to patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain. The current qualitative evaluation collected data on patients’ experiences of learning and practicing Tai Chi, including any wider benefits from their practice.
Presented by Dr Raj Amarnani on behalf of Dr Nicholas Straiton
Dr Raj Amarnani, MBChB (Hons) BSc (Hons) MSc (Oxon, Dist) DipMSKMed PGCert (MSK US, Dist) MRCP (UK) MRCP (UK) (Rheumatology) FRSM FFSEM (UK) is a Consultant in Sport, Exercise, and Musculoskeletal Medicine with specialist expertise in rheumatology and bone health. He completed his medical degree with honours at the University of Sheffield, graduating top of his year with multiple academic prizes, and went on to gain an MSc in Musculoskeletal Sciences at the University of Oxford with distinction, supported by a Kellogg College research grant. He holds postgraduate qualifications in musculoskeletal medicine and ultrasound and is a Member of the Royal College of Physicians (Rheumatology) and a Fellow of the Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine.
Raj works as a Consultant in Sport and Exercise Medicine at Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust and as an Honorary Rheumatology Fellow at University College London Hospitals. He has extensive experience across elite sport, including roles with the England and Wales Cricket Board, West Ham United Football Club, the Lawn Tennis Association, the Royal Ballet School, and the London Lions Basketball Club.
He is President of the Royal Society of Medicine’s Rheumatology and Rehabilitation Section, sits on two EULAR taskforces developing international guidelines on physical activity and fatigue in rheumatic diseases, and volunteers as a Medical Advisor and Trustee for the National Axial Spondyloarthritis Society. His academic work focuses on musculoskeletal medicine, bone health, and the role of exercise in rheumatic diseases, with over 60 peer-reviewed publications in journals including The Lancet Rheumatology and the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
Dr Amarnani has a strong commitment to education and mentorship. He is an Honorary Lecturer on the MSc in Sport and Exercise Medicine programme at Queen Mary University of London and also teaches at Imperial College London and University College London. He has contributed to national educational initiatives such as the Moving Medicine modules and is regularly invited to teach and present at national and international conferences.
