A025: A Comparative Analysis of Chinese and International Studies on TaiChi Interventions for Knee Osteoarthritis

Research Objective: This study aimed to comparatively analyze the research progress, focuses, hotspots, and knowledge community evolution in the field of Tai Chi for knee osteoarthritis rehabilitation at home and abroad. Furthermore, this study seeks to reveal the deepseated reasons for the differences and promote the integration and development of research both domestically and internationally, providing more beneficial theoretical and practical references for the rehabilitation of knee osteoarthritis patients. Research Methods: This study employed the CiteSpace V6.1.R6 software, built on the JAVA platform, to conduct a knowledge mapping analysis of 66 Chinese and English literature from 2004 to 2023. Pathfinder and MST algorithms were used for cooccurrence analysis of keywords, and data on annual publication volume, journals, highly productive authors, and institutions were compiled. Research Results: In terms of the publication volume of Tai Chi intervention studies for knee osteoarthritis, domestic studies have shown rapid growth, with a concentration of journal achievements and higher impact factors. There was a significant difference between core authors and their influence on Tai Chi research at home and abroad, with a clear advantage abroad. Both domestic and international Tai Chi research on knee osteoarthritis presented characteristics. In China, research can be divided into two stages: basic research from 2004 to 2019 and differentiated research from 2019 to 2023. Internationally, research can be categorized into a stage focused on the musculoskeletal system from 2010 to 2015 and a subsequent stage that shifted to the nervous system after 2015, with international research having entered a new stage centered around the nervous system. Research Conclusions: Despite sharing the same starting point, the research on Tai Chi interventions for knee osteoarthritis at home and abroad has taken different development paths due to differences in research concepts. Foreign studies emphasized the integration of sports and medicine, exploring the therapeutic value of Tai Chi from a medical perspective, while domestic research mainly focuses on the exercise perspective. Both have their own emphases and can learn from eachother. In the current context of the integration of sports and medicine, China should change its understanding of Tai Chi, establish a disease-centered research model, explore its therapeutic value, and promote the strategic development of the integration of sports and medicine.