That's why the 42 Combined Taijiquan competition routine, whose movements are culled from the four major styles of tai chi — Chen, Yang, Wu and Sun — is particularly appealing.

Qin J, Zhang Y, Wu L, He Z, Huang J, Tao J, Chen L. Effect of Tai Chi alone or as additional therapy on low back pain: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Tai chi blends mental focus and physical effort to build strength, flexibility and mindfulness, said Peter Wayne, the director of the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine and the author of “The ...