2025/07/02 by Yu Zhou, Tengteng Ding, R. Qiao +3 · 1 voice
Medicine · Health Professions · Immunology and Microbiology · #Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Research #Therapeutic Uses of Natural Elements #Psoriasis: Treatment and Pathogenesis
paper · doi:10.1016/j.eujim.2025.102519
openalex publication_date 2025/07/02 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/30
Introduction Fatigue is common and burdensome in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), yet pharmacological treatments offer limited relief. Exercise is gaining attention as a non-pharmacological strategy, and resistance training is increasingly recommended. However, Tai Chi—a traditional Chinese exercise—has not yet been evaluated in this population. This study compared the effects of Tai Chi and resistance training on multiple outcomes in patients with UC. Methods This single-center, evaluator-blind, three-arm randomized clinical trial block-randomized 75 patients with UC to 12 weeks of Tai Chi or resistance training and a control group involving standard treatment and care with general exercise advice. Eligible participants had fatigue (Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory score ≥ 40) and were in remission or had mild-to-moderate disease activity (Modified Mayo score ≤ 10). The primary outcome was fatigue, secondary outcomes included handgrip strength (HGS), skeletal muscle mass index (SMI), sleep quality, anxiety, depression, and health-related quality of life, all strongly associated with fatigue. Results The three groups showed significant differences in total fatigue and in general, physical, and mental fatigue subdimensions. Compared with the control group, fatigue improved in both the Tai Chi group (mean difference: -8.90 [95% confidence interval [CI], -15.11 to -2.69]) and the resistance training group (mean difference: -7.00 [95% CI, -13.16 to -0.84]), with no significant differences between them. However, between the two interventions, Tai Chi showed numerically greater improvements in anxiety, depression, and emotional function, while resistance training led to greater improvements in HGS (mean difference: 7.50 [95% CI, 2.37 to 12.63]) and SMI (mean difference: 0.54 [95% CI, 0.01 to 1.08]). No adverse events occurred, except for one case of mild abdominal discomfort in the resistance training group, which resolved with rest. Conclusions Both Tai Chi and resistance training effectively reduced fatigue and improved related outcomes in UC patients. Tai Chi may be more beneficial for psychological symptoms, while resistance training showed greater improvements in physical strength. Given their complementary advantages and safety, both may serve as valuable non-pharmacological options in UC management. Future studies should explore their integration into long-term, multimodal treatment strategies. Registration ChiCTR2300071289. Funding None.