Tai chi has been both an inspiration and an education for Jon Clark’s recovery from injury and journey with fibromyalgia

I live in New Mexico, US, where I have been practising tai chi as much as my injuries and fibromyalgia symptoms have allowed for just over two years. I had to take a break from it for about four months while I relearned how walk, but I am now in the process of working my way up to doing it four to five times a week within the next six months.
I experienced a severe skiing accident in December 2002 during which I broke a vertebra and displaced my left fibula (calf bone), both of which went undiagnosed for many years. I lost count of how many doctors I saw, but in 2008 I finally found a doctor who identified the broken vertebra. I had a fusion operation later that year but found I was still in chronic pain.
In January 2014 a chiropractor found the displaced fibula and managed to get it back into place. The next year was a rollercoaster ride of unexplainable yet constant pain and fatigue symptoms and relearning how to walk.
I was finally diagnosed with fibromyalgia and now realise that I have experienced occasional flare-ups of fibromyalgia ranging from moderate to severe intensity for at least the past four years.
The benefits of tai chi come on multiple fronts. It is a moderate aerobic exercise that increases mental focus and can help decrease stress. I have noticed increased core strength, flexibility and stamina in my muscles as well as better balance and self-awareness of my body position over time.
It’s a great help to anyone at risk of falling down, and I consider this aspect in particular to have saved me from further injury a number of times in the past two years. And I like the fact that you can go at your own pace.
I was incredibly sore for the first month after starting because the muscles that had been affected by my injuries were so weak. But after that first month I started noticing rapid increases in flexibility, core strength and stamina in my leg muscles. I was walking slightly more upright and could maintain a better posture when sitting for a longer period of time.
Tai chi is also well-known as a form of moving meditation and I noticed the calm focus it encourages in me after about two weeks.
When it comes to finding an instructor, make sure you ask whether that instructor has worked with people who share your condition in the past. And don’t give up! It may get hard at times, but stick with it and the results will speak for themselves.

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