For patients with painful knee osteoarthritis, tai chi was as helpful as physical therapy in reducing pain and improving physical functioning, according to a new study partially funded by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. The results of the study, conducted at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, were published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine. In this study, 204 patients age 40 or older who had knee pain and proven osteoarthritis of the knee

NBC Nightly News (9/1, story 8, 1:45, Guthrie) reported that the National Institutes of Health on Thursday released the findings of a study examining opioid alternatives for chronic pain relief. NBC’s John Torres said the study found that “for those with arthritic knee pain, acupuncture and tai chi had the best results,” while massage therapy was most effective for relieving neck pain. “Not so effective, natural supplements like glucosamine and chondroitin,” Torres said, and