Tai Chi, Core Strength, and Back Pain Relief

December’s theme in our back pain class is core strength—a vital key to both relieving and preventing pain. In our 2024 study, participants in our Tai Chi–based program saw significant improvements in pain, disability, sleep, and quality of life. A major reason for the study’s success was the deep, functional training rooted in traditional Tai Chi and Qigong.

Tai Chi cultivates core strength through both stillness and movement. In standing, sitting, and lying down meditation. We awaken and reconnect with our dāntián (丹田)—the energetic and physical center of the body. In movement, we learn to radiate force from the center, with efficient alignment, foot placement, and control.

Tai Chi emphasizes function—especially in pushhands, a two-person balance practice where core strength and responsiveness are essential. Over hundreds of years, Tai Chi masters passed down subtle methods for developing an integrated, resilient core—not just for health, but for martial skill and injury prevention.

This approach may seem counterintuitive: we train the core through slowness, softness, and stillness. But these qualities create stability, calm the nervous system, and support healing. We can apply this wisdom to relieve pain and prevent its return—gently, powerfully, and from the inside out.

—Yang Yang, PhD