Seated Tai Chi as an Adjunctive Method to Accelerate Recovery: A Case Observation and Pilot Study

Recovery from sports injuries and post-surgical rehabilitation is often prolonged, with patients frequently experiencing numbness, coldness, and discomfort. Conventional rehabilitation mainly relies on rest and physiotherapy. Tai Chi, even in a seated form, can promote circulation and neuromuscular activation. This case observation suggests that seated Tai Chi may accelerate recovery and merits systematic investigation.

During rehabilitation for right foot functional impairment, the subject participated in five days of Tai Chi instruction, totaling 14 hours. Symptoms were recorded before and after practice, along with subjective experiences of Qi and blood circulation. Observations focused on sensation, comfort, warmth, and range of motion in the affected foot.

Before practice, the affected foot exhibited persistent coldness, numbness, discomfort, and restricted mobility without weight-bearing. After each hour of practice, the foot became progressively warmer, more comfortable, increasingly mobile, and gradually more sensitive, with improved circulation. After a total of 14 hours of practice, the improvement equaled the physician’s estimated four-week recovery timeline. Mathematical estimation suggests that 3.5 hours of Tai Chi practice was roughly equivalent to one week of conventional rehabilitation, and each half-hour of practice corresponded to approximately one day of recovery. This indicates the potential of seated Tai Chi to accelerate rehabilitation.

Seated Tai Chi may accelerate recovery by improving circulation and neuromuscular response, even without weight-bearing. Based on traditional Chinese medicine, the 28.8-minute Qi–blood circulation cycle, combined with Tai Chi’s breathing, energy regulation, and movements, forms a potential Tai Chi Rehabilitation Formula: 28.8 minutes of Tai Chi practice (36 movements with breathing and meditation) may approximate the benefit of one full day of normal recovery. This approach is low-cost, accessible, and suitable for patients with limited mobility. Pilot studies are warranted to assess circulation, neuromuscular activation, and functional outcomes. Seated Tai Chi could complement rehabilitation and enhance quality of life.