Tai chi is often associated with early morning practice in local parks – slow, flowing movements that appear graceful and calming. 

For people with knee osteoarthritis, tai chi has been shown to reduce pain, improve physical function and enhance quality of life. 

However, traditional tai chi classes are typically delivered face-to-face and often involve barriers such as cost, travel, scheduling constraints and limited availability – especially for people living in rural or regional areas or those who lack confidence exercising in group settings. 

Osteoarthritis is one of Australia’s most prevalent and costly chronic conditions, affecting around one in five adults aged 45 years and over and costing the healthcare system an estimated $4.3 billion annually. 

The My Joint Tai Chi program 

To address these gaps, researchers at the Centre for Health, Exercise and Sports Medicine at the University of Melbourne developed My Joint Tai Chi, a free, online, unsupervised tai chi program for people with knee or hip osteoarthritis. 

Codeveloped with tai chi experts and people with lived experience of osteoarthritis, the program comprises 12 pre-recorded 40-minute sessions delivered over 12 weeks. 

Each session includes warm-up and cool-down components and a modified 10-form Yang-style tai chi routine, with gradual progression and flexibility to allow participants to practise at their own pace. 

The RETREAT trial 

The RETREAT trial was a randomised controlled trial involving 178 adults with chronic knee pain, including 42 per cent from rural and regional areas. 

Participants were allocated to either the online tai chi program or an online education control. Published in JAMA Internal Medicine, the trial showed that, compared with online education alone, the tai chi group experienced greater improvements in knee pain and physical function, with twice as many participants reporting overall improvement in their knee condition. Improvements were also seen in quality of life, physical and mental wellbeing, and balance confidence, with no serious adverse events. Participants reported high satisfaction and willingness to recommend the program to others. 

User experience and acceptability 

Qualitative interviews indicated that participants found the program relaxing, enjoyable and easy to follow. Flexibility and the ability to practise anytime, anywhere, were frequently mentioned benefits, particularly for those managing work, health and family commitments. 

From research to real-world impact 

Since public release, My Joint Tai Chi has reached over 12,500 users across more than 125 countries, highlighting strong global demand for accessible, evidence-based exercise options for chronic joint pain. 

Although tested in knee osteoarthritis, the program was also developed for people with hip osteoarthritis.

My Joint Tai Chi is intended to complement in-person care by supporting self-management, extending access where services are limited and providing a safe option for ongoing exercise beyond discharge. It may be particularly valuable within blended or stepped-care models. 

Visit My Joint Tai Chi for more information.

Although exercise therapy is central to non-surgical management, access remains challenging in real-world settings. There is a clear need for affordable, accessible and scalable exercise delivery models.

Dr Julia Zhu is a postdoctoral research fellow at the Centre for Health, Exercise and Sports Medicine, University of Melbourne.