Effects of tai chi on symptoms and quality of life in women with overactive bladder symptoms: A non-randomized clinical trial

IntroductionTai chi (TC) is a multicomponent mind-body exercise and TC may effectively alleviate the symptoms of diseases associated with the autonomic nervous systems. The aims of this study were to evaluate the effects of TC on autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity, overactive bladder symptoms (OABS), and the health-related quality of life (QoL) in adult women with overactive bladder (OAB).MethodsAdult women aged over 50 years with OAB were assigned (based on their preference) to receive either 12-weeks of tai chi (TC) (n = 30) immediately or to be allocated to a wait-list group (n = 25). The wait-list controls received the intervention after 12 weeks. TC included 20 movements combining Sun style and Yang style movements. Each session lasted 60 min and was conducted twice a week for 12 weeks. The main outcomes were severity of OABS, QoL, ANS activityResultsAfter 12 weeks of TC, the TC group improved significantly compared with the wait-list control group ; OABS (t = −5.647, p < 0.001) and health-related QoL (t = 3.774, p < 0.001). But there were no significant differences in ANS activity between groups.ConclusionTC may be effective intervention for improving symptoms and QoL in women with OABS. Further randomized controlled trials comparing TC with other treatment are needed for assessing the long-term effects of TC. Moreover, the role of ANS on the OAB is not clear and other mechanisms of OAB need to be explored in future studies.