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Elderly people who have osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis, may benefit from beginning a martial arts program, a new study suggests.

But no one is proposing that arthritis patients start kicking wooden boards apart. Instead, the researchers suggest tai chi, the 1,200-year-old practice that originated in China and consists of slow, fluid, almost meditative movements.

The recommendation came at the American College of Rheumatology annual meeting, now taking place in San Francisco. Researchers said they had compared two groups of arthritis sufferers after members of one group enrolled in a 12- week tai chi program.

The people who took up tai chi showed significant improvement, including stronger abdominal muscles and better balance.

Earlier studies have found that tai chi can help prevent falls in the elderly and may reduce blood pressure.