Mapping Research Trends in Traditional Chinese Medicine Exercises for Anxiety Intervention Using a Knowledge Approach.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to analyze the current status of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) exercises in the intervention of anxiety, identifying research hotspots and future development trends.

METHODS

The Web of Science database was utilized to conduct a literature review, focusing on studies related to TCM exercises and anxiety from 1991 to 2024. Data analysis was performed using bibliometric software, including CiteSpace, VOSviewer, and R, to visualize insights from selected publications, countries, institutions, as well as highly cited and co-cited references.

RESULTS

The number of published papers has shown a consistent year-on-year increase. China is the most prolific country in this research area, with Wayne Peter M being identified as the leading author. The institution with the highest publication count is Beijing University of Chinese Medicine. The most frequently occurring keyword is "Taiji", with prominent terms in the field including "Traditional Chinese Medicine", "Tai Chi", "psychoeducational nursing", and "drug treatment".

CONCLUSION

This bibliometric analysis demonstrates that traditional Chinese mind-body exercises-particularly Tai Chi, Baduanjin, and Wuqinxi-are increasingly utilized in the prevention and treatment of anxiety disorders. Among these, Tai Chi has consistently emerged as the most extensively studied and cited intervention, underscoring its dominant role in both academic research and clinical application. However, the current research landscape is characterized by limited international collaboration, methodological inconsistency, and insufficient integration of contemporary evidence-based evaluation frameworks. To enhance the scientific rigor and global impact of TCM exercise therapies in mental health care, future studies should emphasize the development of standardized intervention protocols, the conduct of high-quality randomized controlled trials, and the promotion of interdisciplinary collaboration.