New water therapy based on tai-chi offered by Jersey Health and Care

Tuesday, 8 April 2025 at 10:31

"I was on sticks and then crutches for 14 years and now I'm not using anything, that is the progress!"

Ai Chi was first developed in Japan, and borrows elements from martial art Tai Chi. It uses breathing techniques and progressive resistance training in water.

Health and Care Jersey has launched Ai Chi - a new unique island-first water-based therapy that was first developed in Japan - for individuals with persistent pain and other long-term conditions that impact their mobility.

It can also be helpful for any patient whose underlying health issues impact movement quality and exercise participation, like lower back pain, persistent pain, and rheumatological conditions.

It uses breathing techniques and progressive resistance training in water and is based on elements of the martial art Tai Chi.

The therapy, in shoulder-height warm water, happens in the hospital’s hydrotherapy pool.

Tara Richardson, Lead Aquatic Physiotherapist for HCJ, bought the practice to Jersey:

"The latest research has been that we need to incorporate mind and body - not just look at separate structures but look at the whole person. In aquatic therapy, a lot of the people that come to us have had quite significant trauma, and the breathwork aspect is extremely important.

"The response is phenomenal; people really found that it didn't just benefit them physically, they got a sense of well-being from it, they slept better, and they felt much calmer.

"It's currently new to Jersey. I'm trying to build interest in it because it's something that people would feel empowered by if they started to use it as they would yoga or pilates. Hopefully, they will choose to do their Ai Chi class to keep themselves fit and healthy!"