UK rock star and person with Parkinson’s Ozzy Osbourne plans to take up Tai Chi in a bid to improve his balance, he revealed this week.
The Black Sabbath star, 74, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2003, but did not reveal the news to the public until 2020, told his family in this week’s edition of their regular podcast The Osbournes that he planned to take up the ancient art. “I’m going to try to; it’s good for balance,” he said.
The news was welcomed by his son, Jack, and daughter, Kelly, who said she had been trying to get their dad to take up Tai Chi for a long time.
After suffering with other health issues as well as Parkinson’s, Osbourne is now embarking on a physio programme. “It’s a new adventure,” he said.
Based on 6,000-year-old Chinese teachings, Tai Chi combines movement, meditation and breath regulation in a series of co-ordinated, rhythmical exercises performed in a slow, relaxed manner.
So, what benefits can it bring to those with Parkinson’s? A 2021 review of 17 randomized controlled trials found that practising Tai Chi had a “statistically significant effect” on gait velocity, with improvements seen on the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) motor score, the activities-specific balance confidence (ABC) score, and the Berg Balance Scale (BBS).
The review concluded that “Tai Chi is a relatively safe activity that can result in gains in general motor function and improve bradykinesia and balance.”
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