Search

Background. As a traditional Chinese exercise, Qigong has potential benefits for the management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This overview is aimed at assessing the existing evidence for the intervention of Qigong in COPD so as to provide scientific guidance for clinical decision-making. Methods. The systematic reviews (SRs)/meta-analyses (MAs) of Qigong for the treatment of COPD were obtained from 7 electronic databases with the search date set at April 5, 2022. Two researchers independently assessed the methodological quality, reporting quality, and evidence quality for the included SRs/MAs using the following tools: the Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews 2 (AMSTAR-2), the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses 2020 (PRISMA 2020), and the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system. Results. A total of 13 SRs/MAs were included in this overview. All SRs/MAs assessed by AMSTAR-2 had more than one critical defect, so all SR/MAs were rated very low. Regarding the assessment of reporting quality, the results of PRISMA 2020 showed that none of the SRs/MAs were fully reported. In addition, the results of the GRADE assessment of the quality of evidence indicated that only 3 outcomes were rated as high quality across all SRs/MAs. Conclusion. Current evidence suggests that Qigong is effective and safe for the management of patients with COPD. However, the high risk of bias in the original clinical studies and the low quality of the SRs/MAs reduced the reliability of the results.

Communication Abstract publication - I International Congress on Complementary Therapies in Health Number 1, issue 1.

Communication Abstract publication - I International Congress on Complementary Therapies in Health Number 1, issue 1.

Communication Abstract publication - I International Congress on Complementary Therapies in Health Number 1, issue 1.

Communication Abstract publication - I International Congress on Complementary Therapies in Health Number 1, issue 1.

BACKGROUND: Qigong includes training for body and mind, one method is Zhineng Qigong. Scientific literature on qigong for chronic low back pain (LBP) is sparse. This study aimed to investigate feasibility including evaluation of a Zhineng Qigong intervention for pain and other lumbar spine-related symptoms, disability, and health-related quality of life in patients with chronic LBP and/or leg pain.METHODS: Prospective interventional feasibility study without control group. Fifty-two chronic pain patients (18-75 years) with LBP and/or leg pain (Visual Analogue Scale ≥ 30) were recruited from orthopaedic clinics (spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, or segmental pain) and primary healthcare (chronic LBP). Patients from orthopaedic clinics were 1-6 years postoperative after lumbar spine surgery or on lumbar surgery waiting list. Patients received a 12-week training intervention with European Zhineng Qigong. The intervention consisted of face-to-face group activities in non-healthcare setting (4 weekends and 2 evenings per week), and individual Zhineng Qigong training. Main health outcomes were self-reported in a 14-day pain diary, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Short Form 36 version 2 (SF-36v2), and EuroQol 5 Dimensions 5 Levels (EQ-5D-5L), once directly before and once directly after the intervention.RESULTS: Recruitment rate was 11% and retention rate was 58%. Dropouts did not report higher pain (baseline), only 3 dropped out because of lumbar spine-related pain. Adherence was median 78 h group attendance (maximum 94 h) and 14 min daily individual training. Ability to collect outcomes was 100%. Thirty patients completed (mean 15 years symptom duration). Twenty-five had degenerative lumbar disorder, and 17 history of lumbar surgery. Results showed statistically significant (within-group) improvements in pain, ODI, all SF-36v2 scales, and EQ-5D-5L.CONCLUSIONS: Despite low recruitment rate, recruitment was sufficient. A multicentre randomized controlled trial is proposed, with efforts to increase recruitment and retention rate. After this Zhineng Qigong intervention patients with chronic LBP and/or leg pain, also patients with considerable remaining LBP/sciatica after lumbar surgery, had significantly improved in pain and function. Results support involvement of postoperative patients in a future study. The results are promising, and this intervention needs to be further evaluated to provide the most reliable evidence.TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT04520334. Retrospectively registered 20/08/2020.

To explore whether tai chi and Qigong can improve cognitive function in patients with neurological disorders.The PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, SinoMed Database, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang, and China Science and Technology Journal Database (VIP) databases were searched from inception to December 24, 2021. The methodological quality of the included studies was evaluated according to the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions criteria.This study included 2,754 participants from 40 randomized controlled trials (RCT)s with low to high methodological quality. Analysis of active and non-active comparisons showed significant effects for tai chi/Qigong (P0.05) on global cognitive function, executive function, memory, visuospatial ability, and cognitive processing speed.Tai chi and Qigong were effective interventions to improve cognition in patients with Parkinson's disease, stroke, mild cognitive impairment, dementia, and traumatic brain injury; however, no RCTs were performed for other neurological disorders.

To evaluate the feasibility and potential effects of qigong Baduanjin for reversing frailty status among older cancer survivors.Twenty-eight older cancer survivors screened as pre-frail or frail were recruited. They were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive a sixteen-week Baduanjin intervention or an active control condition (light flexibility exercise). Frailty status (primary outcome) and secondary outcomes (physical performance, activities of daily living performance, psychological well-being, and health-related quality of life) were measured by physical performance tests and questionnaires. Qualitative interviews were conducted to explore participants' perspectives on the intervention.Twenty-one participants (75%) completed the study, with reasons of withdrawal mainly relating to the COVID-19 pandemic. Attendance at Baduanjin sessions and adherence to self-practice were satisfactory, with all retained participants attending all sessions and 81.8% practicing Baduanjin for more than 90 min per week. Qualitative findings demonstrated that participants accepted Baduanjin. The proportion of improvement in frailty status at post-intervention appeared to be higher in the intervention group (26.7%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 10.1% to 54.0%) than the control group (15.4%; 95% CI, 3.7% to 46.0%); yet the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.461).Baduanjin qigong appears to be feasible and acceptable among older cancer survivors. To confirm the intervention effect, an adequately powered trial is warranted.ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04694066. Retrospectively registered 5 January 2021, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04694066.

Qigong and Tai chi are traditional methods of physical and mental training and exercises in East Asia. Their health-promoting effects against various diseases have been studied for a long time, and they have been the subject of many clinical trials and systematic reviews (SRs). The present study aimed to comprehensively evaluate all published SRs on Qigong and Tai chi and to summarize the supporting evidence. The following databases were searched: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Research Information Sharing Service, and Korean Studies Information Service System. The selection and extraction processes were performed by two independent reviewers, and a qualitative synthesis was conducted. There were 58 SRs of randomized controlled trials on Qigong and Tai chi. There have been many studies on patients with cardiovascular diseases and different cancers, and a number of other studies in which mobility, quality of life, blood lipids, and blood pressure were outcome measurements. Thus, Qigong and Tai chi for various diseases and medical conditions have been accumulated. Based on current evidence, the number of publications of Qigong and Tai chi-related articles showed an increasing trend, and most of them were performed in China. Qigong and Tai chi have shown beneficial effects in different age groups and health conditions, including decreasing blood lipid level, reducing blood pressure, facilitating mobility, preventing falls, and improving overall quality of life.

Background Insomnia is a common sleeping disorder which affects the quality of life which can bring harms to physical and mental health of human beings and even economic development. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) plays an outstanding role in treating chronic diseases and alleviating their symptoms. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to assess the treatment efficacy in patients with insomnia treated with abdomen-rubbing qigong exercise (ARQE). In addition, the brain function changes of patients will be explored by resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). Method/design This trial is a randomized, single-blind, controlled study planned to transpire between July 1, 2020, and July 31, 2021. A sample size of 114 participants (57 per group) with chronic insomnia will be randomly assigned to receive ARQE or CBTI for 8 weeks. The study duration will be 13 weeks, including a 1-week screening period, 8 weeks of intervention, and another 4 weeks of follow-up. The primary outcome is the Pittsburgh sleep quality index scores. Secondary outcomes include insomnia severity index, gastrointestinal symptom rating scale, the Hamilton Depression Scale, and rs-fMRI scan. The adverse events will be in control. Discussion The results of this study will help to clarify the efficacy of ARQE in the treatment of insomnia and try to use rs-fMRI technology to explore the brain function changes of ARQE in improving sleep quality in patients with insomnia disorder. If the results are as expected, this study will provide high-quality evidence for the treatment of insomnia with ARQE. Trial registration China Clinical Registration Agency ChiCTR1900028009. Registered on 19 December 2019.

In the Western World and during the past decades, there has been a growing interest and thus increasing body of evidence concerning the beneficial effects of meditation-based and related practices. Starting from observational behavioral investigations, more and more studies are now taking a deeper look into the potential biological effects on a molecular level (i.e. gene expression changes) correlated to meditative practices. In 2017, Buric and colleagues provided a comprehensive systematic review of the literature concerning gene expression changes induced by mind-body-interventions (MBIs), such as seated meditation, Yoga or Tai Chi. As Buric et al. (2017) ultimately point out, their accumulated evidence on this topic (18 studies considered in their analyses) indicate a downregulation of NF-κB-targeted genes, an inflammatory pathway which is – when upregulated – a molecular signature of chronic stress. Thus, MBIs could act as an antagonist to chronic stress on a molecular level. Six years have passed since the publication of this review by Buric and colleagues, and due to the topicality of the subject as well as the advancing methods of genetic research, it can be assumed that new studies have already appeared on the scene in this field until to-date. Therefore, this work aims to deliver an actualized version of the systematic review by Buric et al. (2017), including a systematic assessment of the strength of evidence (SOE) of this updated systematic review. In addition, it is planned to conduct further analyses, namely to what extent cultural aspects are taken into account in primary studies (i.e., cultural background of the sample, reference to cultural origin of the respective practice). Since it can also be assumed that there is still some need for research in this area, another main purpose of this paper is to identify gaps and prospects for further investigation and thus provide guidance for future primary studies in the field of molecular effects of meditation and related practices.

The SPIRIT-TCM Extension 2018 was created to guide the design and reporting of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) clinical trial protocols. It is unknown the extent to which published cancer care trial protocols with TCM intervention are compliant with this new guideline. This study aims to investigate the extent of compliance with the new reporting guideline.

Background Hypertension is one of the most common comorbid conditions of epilepsy. Hypertension and epilepsy may be related to each other. Qigong Bigu practice induces a similar effect as fasting in the first week. As ketogenesis is induced during ketogenic diet therapy, we hypothesize that ketogenesis is detectable and related body weight loss would occur during the first week of Qigong Bigu practice. Methods During the prospective observational study, 34 healthy adult participants attended the Qigong Bigu practice for one week. The blood pressure, body weight, calorie consumption, blood glucose and beta-hydroxybutyrate level were measured. Results The body weight and body mass index decreased by 2.39 ± 1.34 kg (95%CI 1.92–2.85) and 0.94 ± 0.57 (95%CI 0.73–1.15), respectively, after five days of practice (P P Conclusions Qigong Bigu can decrease the blood pressure, the body weight and the body mass index in healthy adult participants. The fasting stage of Qigong Bigu is accompanied by ketogenesis. Clinical trial of Qigong Bigu in hypertension and epilepsy patients might be worthwhile. The blood beta-hydroxybutyrate might be used as a biomarker to evaluate the effect of Qigong Bigu practice during fasting. Trial registration ChiCTR1800016923.

Objectives To examine the effects of qigong interventions on sleep disturbance-related symptom clusters for cancer patients and to explore the possible mediating role of fatigue and depression in affecting sleep. Methods In this systematic review and meta-analysis, a systematic search was conducted through October 2020 by searching multiple English and Chinese databases. Inclusion was limited to randomized controlled trials that measured the effect of qigong on sleep and fatigue/depressive symptoms in cancer patients. Eleven studies involving 907 cancer patients were included in the systematic review, whereas the meta-analysis included ten studies with 851 cancer patients. Results The most commonly investigated form of qigong was Taichi, and the intervention length ranged from 10 days to 6 months. All studies employed self-reported measurements. Overall, qigong significantly improved sleep (SMD = −1.28, 95% CI: −2.01, −0.55) and fatigue (SMD = −0.89, 95% CI: −1.59, −0.19) in cancer patients post-intervention, but not depressive symptoms (SMD = −0.69, 95% CI: −1.81, 0.42). Notably, the benefits on sleep and fatigue became non-significant after 3 months. Qigong's effect on sleep was significantly mediated by its effect on fatigue (β = 1.27, SE = 0.24, p = 0.002), but not depressive symptoms (β = 0.53, SE = 0.26, p = 0.106). Conclusions Qigong can be recommended for improving sleep disturbance-fatigue symptom clusters in the cancer population, while qigong's benefit on sleep is likely based on its effect on reducing fatigue. Future qigong studies should adopt more rigorous design and employ strategies to maintain longevity of intervention benefits.

Qigong, a mind-body practice in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), can improve cognitive functions, emotional balance, attention, multitask management, stress-coping, and well-being. One limitation of Qigong research is a lack of adequate controls.The current study intended to evaluate whether a single 5-min practice of a White Ball (WB) Qigong exercise could improve the perceptual auditory attention, divided and focused, in adults and whether obtaining potential effects would require a minimum level of training.The research team designed a prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, and single-blinded study.The study took place at the Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS) at the University of Porto in Porto, Portugal.Participants were 55 students at the University of Porto, 30 of whom were students attending the second year of medical school at ICBAS with no experience in Qigong and 25 of whom were students in the specialization and Master's programs in TCM with experience in Qigong.The research team randomly distributed the 30 participants without experience into two groups, a negative control group (n = 15), who watched a wildlife video for 5 min in an orthostatic position, and a positive control group , the verum Qigong group (n = 15), who participated in 5 min of Qigong practice. The Qigong-practitioner group (n = 25), the intervention group, participated in the same 5-min Qigong, doing it with expertise.The study measured reaction time (RT) under two experimental conditions, one an auditory RT task and the second an auditory RT task with visual distraction. The procedure was constant for all the studied groups.Postintervention, the reaction time (RT) in the negative control and the verum Qigong groups hadn't changed significantly (P.05), while that of the Qigong-practitioner group had decreased significantly, with shorter RTs under the two experimental conditions, with P = .006 for the auditory RT and P = .003 for the auditory + visual distraction. Qigong may induce a conditioning effect that comes with regular practice.The WB Qigong had a positive effect on the AA mechanism, with a significant reduction in RT. The results support the importance of practice to achieve positive effects. People with neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism and ADHD, struggle every day for sensory integration of AA mechanisms. Qigong can be taught and easily learned from the age of 2 years until senior ages, and it's a safe and very low-cost intervention that deserves to be researched further in clinical trials. These potential benefits of Qigong should be confirmed by future studies.

Mandatory lockdown resulting from a pandemic may be effective against the physical impact of the virus; however, the resulting mental strains can lead to the development of several mental disturbances. Taijiquan and Qigong are considered traditional vegetative biofeedback therapies that allow the practitioner to control the functions and processes of the body through specific movements or stances, breathing techniques, and meditative exercises. This study aims to understand if these techniques can be applied as an online distance therapeutic option to reduce the psychological impact of home confinement and social distancing. Sixty-four participants were recruited and allocated to three groups. The experienced and novice Taijiquan and Qigong participants’ groups received the intervention for 8 weeks while the control group did not receive any intervention. The outcomes were psychological well-being and psychological distress levels and were assessed by the Mental Health Inventory and a written interview. The experienced Taijiquan and Qigong participants achieved significant improvements in psychological well-being and psychological distress. Novice Taijiquan and Qigong participants achieved a significant improvement in anxiety levels. Additionally, the control group showed a significant decrease in psychological well-being. This study suggests that this distance online program of Taijiquan and Qigong is feasible and may benefit the mental health of participants during a lockdown.

This is a protocol for overview of systematic reviews on Qigong and Tai Chi. Qigong and Tai chi are traditional methods of physical and mental training in East Asia. Their health-promoting effects in various diseases have been studied for a long time, and there have been many clinical trials and systematic reviews. The present study aimed to review all published systematic reviews on Qigong and Tai chi to comprehensively summarize the evidence supporting both. The following databases will be searched: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Research Information Sharing Service, and Korean studies Information Service System. The selection and extraction process will be performed by two independent reviewers, and qualitative synthesis will be conducted. Through the present study, it will be possible to determine the types of diseases to which Qigong and Tai chi can be applied, as well as their effects. This is expected to give an overview of Qigong and Tai chi, where many studies have been published over the past decade.

1. Review title. Overview on Effectiveness of Qigong and Taichi: a protocol for systematic review 2. Anticipated or actual start date. (Give the date when the systematic review commenced, or is expected to commence.) 24/08/2020 3. Anticipated completion date. (Give the date by which the review is expected to be completed.) 31/05/2021 4. Stage of review at time of this submission. Preliminary searches: Completed Piloting of the study selection process: Completed Formal screening of search results against eligibility criteria: Completed Data extraction: Started Risk of bias (quality) assessment: Started Data analysis: Started Provide any other relevant information about the stage of the review here (e.g. Funded proposal, protocol not yet finalised). 5. Named contact. (The named contact acts as the guarantor for the accuracy of the information presented in the register record.) Chunhoo Cheon Email salutation (e.g. "Dr Smith" or "Joanne") for correspondence: Dr Cheon 6. Named contact email. (Give the electronic mail address of the named contact.) hreedom@khu.ac.kr 7. Named contact address (PLEASE NOTE this information will be published in the PROSPERO record so please do not enter private information. Give the full postal address for the named contact.) Department of Preventive medicine, Korean medicine College, Kyung Hee University, 26 Kyungheedae-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea 8. Named contact phone number. (Give the telephone number for the named contact, including international dialling code.) +822-961-2382 9. * Organisational affiliation of the review. (Full title of the organisational affiliations for this review and website address if available. This field may be completed as 'None' if the review is not affiliated to any organisation.) Kyung Hee University http://kmc.khu.ac.kr/eng/ 10. Review team members and their organisational affiliations. (Give the personal details and the organisational affiliations of each member of the review team. Affiliation refers to groups or organisations to which review team members belong. NOTE: email and country are now mandatory fields for each person.) Dr Chunhoo Cheon. Kyung Hee University Miss Su Hyeon Lee. Kyung Hee University Miss Yerim Jeon. Kyung Hee University Professor Seong-gyu Ko. Kyung Hee University 11. * Funding sources/sponsors. (Give details of the individuals, organizations, groups or other legal entities who take responsibility for initiating, managing, sponsoring and/or financing the review. Include any unique identification numbers assigned to the review by the individuals or bodies listed.) This work was supported by an undergraduate research program (URP) grant from Kyung Hee University College of Korean Medicine. 12. * Conflicts of interest. (List any conditions that could lead to actual or perceived undue influence on judgements concerning the main topic investigated in the review.) None 13. Collaborators. (Give the name and affiliation of any individuals or organisations who are working on the review but who are not listed as review team members. NOTE: email and country are now mandatory fields for each person.) None 14. Review question. (State the question(s) to be addressed by the review, clearly and precisely. Review questions may be specific or broad. It may be appropriate to break very broad questions down into a series of related more specific questions. Questions may be framed or refined using PI(E)COS where relevant.) 1. Do Qigong and Tai chi have an effect on various health conditions? 2. For which diseases were Qigong and Tai Chi studies conducted? 15. Searches. (State the sources that will be searched. Give the search dates, and any restrictions (e.g. language or publication period). The following electronic databases will be searched: PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Korean databases and Chinese databases. The search terms will be the MeSH terms of 'qigong', 'taichi', and 'systematic review'. 16. Condition or domain being studied. (Give a short description of the disease, condition or healthcare domain being studied. This could include health and wellbeing outcomes.) Any type of health conditions 17. * Participants/population. (Give summary criteria for the participants or populations being studied by the review. The preferred format includes details of both inclusion and exclusion criteria.) People who have performed Qigong or Tai chi for the purpose of improving health 18. Intervention(s), exposure(s). (Give full and clear descriptions or definitions of the nature of the interventions or the exposures to be reviewed.) Qigong or Taichi 19. Comparator(s)/control. (Where relevant, give details of the alternatives against which the main subject/topic of the review will be compared (e.g. another intervention or a non-exposed control group). The preferred format includes details of both inclusion and exclusion criteria.) No specific restriction 20. * Types of study to be included. (Give details of the types of study (study designs) eligible for inclusion in the review. If there are no restrictions on the types of study design eligible for inclusion, or certain study types are excluded, this should be stated. The preferred format includes details of both inclusion and exclusion criteria.) Systematic review 21. Main outcome(s). (Give the pre-specified main (most important) outcomes of the review, including details of how the outcome is defined and measured and when these measurement are made, if these are part of the review inclusion criteria.) All health-related outcomes observed after performing Qigong or Taichi * Measures of effect (Please specify the effect measure(s) for you main outcome(s) e.g. relative risks, odds ratios, risk difference, and/or 'number needed to treat.) Not specific 22. Additional outcome(s). (List the pre-specified additional outcomes of the review, with a similar level of detail to that required for main outcomes. Where there are no additional outcomes please state ‘None’ or ‘Not applicable’ as appropriate to the review) For what diseases qigong or Taichi applies. * Measures of effect (Please specify the effect measure(s) for you additional outcome(s) e.g. relative risks, odds ratios, risk difference, and/or 'number needed to treat.) Not applicable 23. Data extraction (selection and coding). (Describe how studies will be selected for inclusion. State what data will be extracted or obtained. State how this will be done and recorded.) Two independent researchers will review all articles and extract the data using a standard data extraction form. Any disagreement between the authors will be resolved by discussion or third party arbitration. 24. * Risk of bias (quality) assessment. (Describe the method of assessing risk of bias or quality assessment. State which characteristics of the studies will be assessed and any formal risk of bias tools that will be used.) AMSTAR (A MeaSurement Tool to Assess systematic Reviews) will be used to assess risk of bias. Two researchers will assess the AMSTAR independently. 25. Strategy for data synthesis. (Provide details of the planned synthesis including a rationale for the methods selected. This must not be generic text but should be specific to your review and describe how the proposed analysis will be applied to your data.) The data will be narratively synthesized. 26. Analysis of subgroups or subsets. (State any planned investigation of ‘subgroups’. Be clear and specific about which type of study or participant will be included in each group or covariate investigated. State the planned analytic approach.) Subgroup analysis will be conducted according to the disease and the type of qigong. 27. Type and method of review. (Select the type of review and the review method from the lists below. Select the health area(s) of interest for your review.) Type of review- Intervention, Narrative synthesis, Review of reviews, Systematic review Health area of the review-Complementary therapies 28. Language. English 29. Country. South Korea 30. Dissemination plans. (Give brief details of plans for communicating essential messages from the review to the appropriate audiences. Do you intend to publish the review on completion?) Yes 31. Current review status. (Review status should be updated when the review is completed and when it is published. For new registrations the review must be Ongoing.) Ongoing

Scoping review of online mind-body exercise interventions for older adults.

Determine whether true inter-individual response differences (IIRD) exist with regards to qigong on resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure in adults.

Practicing Pangu Shengong not only heals and strengthens the body, but also sends external qi to others through the mind to help them cure various diseases. There have been many successful cases, but there is a lack of rigorous scientific testing in this area. Therefore, it is important to devise an easier way to certify to test the remote effects and healing power of Pangu Shengong.

Introduction: Qigong training has positive effects on various health outcomes. Asynchronous or video-conference-based digital platforms may be options to maintain physical activity at home. Methods: The aim of the study was to assess feasibility and safety of asynchronous and video-conference-based Qigong training. Thirty-four physically inactive adults were assigned to video-conference or asynchronous group. While subjects in the video-conference group followed the program through Zoom®, exercise videos were delivered to the participants in the asynchronous group via YouTube®. Both groups performed Qigong training with the same characteristics for 6 weeks, 3 days/week. The feasibility was assessed by retention rate and attendance rate. The program considered to be feasible if the retention rate was

Mind-body practices such as qigong, tai chi, or yoga combine physical movements, deep breathing, and meditation techniques aiming to improve how people self-care. Our purpose was to develop an overview of systematic reviews to summarize the available evidence on the effectiveness of mind-body practices for cancer-related symptoms management.CINAHL, Embase, PsycINFO, PubMed, and the Cochrane Library were used to search systematic reviews with meta-analysis from inception until March 2022. Cancer-related symptoms such as fatigue, pain, psychological measures, and overall quality of life were chosen as outcomes of interest. The methodological quality of each systematic review was assessed using AMSTAR 2. Citation matrices were developed, and the corrected covered area was calculated to explore the potential primary study overlap.A total of 38 systematic reviews comprising 134 distinct primary studies and 129 separate meta-analyses were included. The items of AMSTAR 2 regarding the review protocol, the reasons to choose a specific research design, and the provision of a list of studies that justify their exclusion were scarcely performed. The primary study overlap was moderate for qigong trials and high for both tai chi and yoga trials. Mainly, we found that qigong showed promising effects to reduce fatigue. Tai chi produced positive effects in reducing anxiety. Yoga improved anxiety, depression, distress, stress, and overall quality of life. Finally, the effects of mind-body practices on pain were inconsistent.Qigong, tai chi, and yoga could be effective approaches to relief cancer-related symptoms in adults with different cancer diagnoses.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effects of a mind-body exercise, qigong Baduanjin, on sleep disturbances in women experiencing intimate partner violence and explore the mediating role of depressive symptoms, perceived stress, and inflammation in producing the effects. METHODS: A subgroup of a parent randomized controlled trial was randomized for a 22-week Baduanjin intervention (n = 94) or wait-list control (n = 92). Questionnaires, including the General Sleep Disturbance Scale, Perceived Stress Scale, and Beck Depression Inventory version II, were administered at baseline, posttraining (6 weeks), and postintervention (22 weeks), and blood samples were collected to assess tumor necrosis factor and interleukin 6 levels at baseline and postintervention only. RESULTS: Of the 186 participants, 170 completed the study. Results indicate that the total sleep disturbance scores for the intervention group were significantly lower than those for the wait-list control group at week 6 (difference = −7.96; 95% confidence interval [CI], −13.63 to −2.30; P = .006) and week 22 (difference = −7.17; 95% CI, −12.58 to −1.76; P = .01). Mediation analysis showed a statistically significant indirect effect of the intervention on sleep improvement through reducing depressive symptoms (β = 2.58, 95% CI, 0.69 to 5.09), while the mediating effects of perceived stress and inflammation were not significant. CONCLUSIONS: Qigong Baduanjin can be recommended for women who experience intimate partner violence and report sleep disturbances. More research is needed to understand the clinical significance of the observed sleep improvements. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registry: ClinicalTrials.gov; Name: Qigong Intervention Program for Abused Chinese Women; URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02060123; Identifier: NCT02060123. CITATION: Cheung DST, Chau PH, Yeung W-F, Deng W, Hong AWL, Tiwari AFY. Assessing the effect of a mind-body exercise, qigong Baduanjin, on sleep disturbance among women experiencing intimate partner violence and possible mediating factors: a randomized-controlled trial. J Clin Sleep Med. 2021;17(5):993–1003.

Introduction The development and well-being of children are directly linked to several aspects. Among those aspects, physical activity, an adequate nutrition, and a healthy mind, seem to be of crucial importance. Psychopathologies, such as anxiety and depression, have a negative impact on life, especially when co-occurring (mixed-anxiety depression disorder/cothymia), and the clinical implications include a higher risk of suicide and psychiatric hospitalization, elevated disability, decreased compliance with medical treatment, and considerably increased usage of medical services. Thus, research in conventional and nonconventional modalities is necessary to address this issue. The main objective of this study was to understand if TJQ and QG could be effective as a mindfulness cognitive-behavioural based therapeutic tool with body movement, for the treatment of children suffering from cothymia. Methods In this small study, six selected children, four males and two females aged between 7 and 11 years old, were taught a set of exercises of TaijiQuan (TJQ) and Qi Gong (QG). To obtain the results, the Achenbach Teacher's Report Form (TRF) was applied at the beginning of the experimental period, as well as at the ending of the experimental period. The resulting scores were analysed to observe the difference between both moments of evaluation. Results Results showed some improvements in symptoms, with an average improvement of 46%. Conclusion TJQ and QG seem to be a promising complementary therapeutic tool in cognitive-behavioural approaches for children who suffer from cothymia, as well as prevention and control for children who may not display symptoms at a clinical level. However, further research is needed in order to understand the full potential of these therapeutic exercises.

Hipertensi jika tidak terkendali menimbulkan komplikasi bahkan kematian. Penatalaksaan hipertensi melalui latihan fisik masih jarang dilakukan oleh lansia yang menderita hipertensi. Salah satu penanganan hipertensi adalah dengan melakukan senam Qigong . Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh senam qigong terhadap tekanan darah pada lansia hipertensi. Metode penelitian Quasi Experiment dengan Pretest-Posttest Control Group . Teknik sampel dalam penelitian menggunakan purposive sampling . Analisis data menggunakan Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test diperoleh nilai signifikan pada tekanan darah sistolik p- value 0,002 (sig

To compare the effects of Liuzijue Qigong and conventional respiratory training on trunk control ability and respiratory muscle functions in patients at an early recovery stage from stroke.A single-blind, randomized controlled trial.A hospital.Patients (N=60) within 2 months poststroke.The experimental group (n=30) received conventional rehabilitation training combined with Liuzijue exercise, and the control group (n=30) received conventional rehabilitation training combined with conventional respiration training. The training in the 2 groups was conducted 5 times per week for 3 weeks.Trunk Impairment Scale (TIS), maximum inspiratory pressure (MIP), maximum expiratory pressure (MEP), forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), peak expiratory flow (PEF), maximum expiratory mid-flow (MMEF), diaphragmatic movement, the change of intra-abdominal pressure (IAP), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), and Modified Barthel Index (MBI). All outcome measures were assessed twice (at baseline and 3 weeks).Both groups significantly improved in TIS, MIP, FVC, PEF, and the change of IAP, BBS, and MBI when pre- and postassessments (P.05) were compared. Compared with the control group, there was a significant difference in the experimental group in the static sitting balance subscale (P=.014), dynamic balance subscale (P=.001), coordination subscale (P.001), TIS total scores (P.001; effect size [ES]=0.9), MIP (P=.012; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.23-17.69; ES=0.67), MEP (P=.015; 95% CI, 1.85-16.57; ES=0.65), change of IAP (P=.001), and MBI (P=.016; 95% CI, 1.51-14.16; ES=0.64). No significant differences were found between the 2 groups in FEV1 (P=.24), FVC (P=.43), PEF (P=.202), MMEF (P=.277), the diaphragmatic movement of quiet breathing (P=.146), deep breathing (P=.102), and BBS (P=.124).Liuzijue exercise showed more changes than conventional respiratory training in improving trunk control ability, respiratory muscle functions, and activities of daily living ability in patients at an early recovery stage from stroke.

There is increasing interest in the potential efficacy of meditation-based mind-body interventions (MBIs) within mental health care. We conducted a systematic metareview of the published randomized control trial (RCT) evidence. MEDLINE/PubMed, PsycARTICLES and EMBASE were searched from inception to 06/2020 examining MBIs (mindfulness, qigong, tai chi, yoga) as add-on or monotherapy versus no treatment, minimal treatment and passive and active control conditions in people with a mental disorder. The quality of the methods of the included meta-analyses using A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) and the methodological quality of the RCTs using AMSTAR-Plus. Sixteen (94%) of 17 meta-analyses had good overall methodological quality. The content validity of the included RCTs was considered good in 9 (53%) meta-analyses. In meta-analyses with good methodological quality (AMSTAR 8

Objective:The aim of the study was to investigate whether liuzijue qigong could improve the ability of respiratory control and comprehensive speech in patients with stroke dysarthria.Design:A randomized controlled trial.Setting:The research was carried out in the department of rehabilitation.Participants:Altogether, a total of 98 stroke patients with dysarthria participated in the study.Interventions:Patients were randomly divided into two groups (the experimental group: basic articulation + liuzijue qigong, 48 patients or the control group: basic articulation + traditional breathing training, 50 patients). All therapies were conducted once a day, five times a week for three weeks.Main measures:Primary outcome measure: Speech breathing level of the modified Frenchay Dysarthria Assessment. Secondary outcome measures: the modified Frenchay Dysarthria Assessment, maximum phonation time, maximal counting ability, /s/, /z/, s/z ratio, and the loudness level. All outcome measures were assessed twice (at baseline and after three weeks).Results:At three weeks, There were significant difference between the two groups in the change of speech breathing level (81% vs 66%, P = 0.011), the modified Frenchay Dysarthria Assessment (5.54 (4.68–6.40) vs 3.66 (2.92–4.40), P = 0.001), maximum phonation time (5.55 (4.92–6.18) vs 3.01(2.31–3.71), P Conclusions:Liuzijue qigong, combined with basic articulation training, could improve the respiratory control ability, as well as the comprehensive speech ability of stroke patients with dysarthria.Trial registration:ChiCTR-INR-16010215.

Background Physical and mental health problems are becoming more serious among college students due to lifestyle changes and increased academic stress. Qigong exercise has been regarded as a potentially effective intervention to improve the physical and mental health of college students. Methods Eleven databases were searched from their respective inception dates to April 2022. Relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included. Physical and psychological conditions, including limb muscle strength, flexibility, cardiorespiratory endurance, vital capacity, blood pressure and heart rate, as well as depression, anxiety and mood, were evaluated. The risk of bias was assessed with the Cochrane Collaboration tool. Results Sixteen randomized controlled trials were included in the meta-analysis. Significant improvements in cardiorespiratory endurance (MD = 3.83, 95% CI: 0.99 to 6.67, P = 0.008) and flexibility (MD = 3.01, 95% CI: 1.21 to 4.81, P = 0.001) were observed. We also observed that Qigong exercise significantly reduced depression and anxiety symptoms (SMD=-0.89, 95% CI: -1.17 to -0.61, P P = 0.004). Nevertheless, no significant effects on muscle strength, vital capacity, blood pressure, heart rate or mood were found. Conclusion Qigong exercise was advantageous for college students in terms of improving flexibility and cardiorespiratory endurance and alleviating depression and anxiety to some extent. However, due to the limited number of eligible trials and the low methodological quality, more well-designed RCTs are needed in the future.

Yoga and qigong are ancient mind–body practices used in the East for thousands of years to promote inner peace and mental clarity. Both share breathing techniques and slow movements and are being used as alternative/complementary approaches to the management of disease, especially chronic problems with no effective conventional treatments. However, information comparing the health benefits of both approaches is scarce, and the choice between yoga or qigong practice may only depend on patients’ preferences or practice availability. The aim of the present paper was to overview yoga and qigong use for health benefits under different pathological conditions. Yoga and qigong seem to have similar effects, which might be expected, since both are similar mind–body approaches with the same concept of vital life-force energy and the practice of meditative movements. Problematic research issues within the literature on yoga and qigong are the small sample sizes, use of different styles, significant variance in practice duration and frequency, short duration of intervention effects, and the usage of a non-active control group, thus emphasizing the need for further high-quality randomized trials. Studies comparing yoga and qigong are warranted in order to assess differences/similarities between the two approaches for health benefits., This work was supported through funding to P.B. from FCT/MEC through National Funds and co-financed by the FEDER through the PT2020 Partnership Agreement under the project no. 007274 (UID/BIM/04293).

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the emotion regulation effect of Baduanjin Qigong on college students. Methods: The late positive potential (LPP) components were recorded while performing emotional pictures from 12 college students with Baduanjin Qigong experience and 12 with no experience of any mind–body exercises. Results: Under positive emotional stimuli, greater LPP amplitudes were observed in the experimental group in the frontal, central, and temporal areas than in the control group. Under negative emotional stimuli, greater LPP amplitudes were found in the experimental group in the prefrontal area and smaller amplitudes in the occipital area than in the control group. Conclusion: The results reveal the emotion regulation effect on the event-related potential of Baduanjin Qigong to college students. The findings suggest that the regulatory effect of Baduanjin Qigong on emotional stimulation may be a possible reason for reducing the symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Objective: To investigate the influence of qigong on late positive potential, which was elicited by affective pictures. Methods: College students who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled and randomly allocated to the qigong group, which received a four-week training (n = 41) or the control group (n = 41). All participants were assessed before and after the training for event-related potential, which was elicited by negative, neutral, and positive pictures. Electrodes at the centerline position of the frontal area (FCz), parietal area (Pz), and occipital area (Oz) were analyzed. Results: Negative, neutral, and positive pictures demonstrated statistically significant differences on FCz (P

Background. In the context of the aging of the world's population, the process of China's population aging is accelerating. It will be a great challenge to China before becoming rich, and the physical and mental health of the elderly in China has become a focus of much attention. Depression seriously affects the physical and mental health and quality of life of the elderly, and the World Health Organization predicts that depression will be the second killer of endangering the health and life of older people. Research has shown that Chinese qigong gymnastics can have a positive effect on people's physical and mental health. Qigong Baduanjin has the function of strengthening the body and regulating the mood, and may become an important intervention method to effectively prevent the occurrence and development of depression. The purpose of this study is to understand the relationship between Qigong Baduanjin exercise and depression in the elderly. Methods. This study evaluated the depression of 530 elderly Qigong Baduanjin enthusiasts over 60 years old using the Geriatric Depression Scale. The relationship between exercise time and the incidence of depression was analyzed through mathematical statistics. Results. After analyzing the data, we found it is concluded that the shortest practice time of Qigong Baduanjin is 7 hours / month and the longest is 112 hours / month. The overall incidence of depression is 23.9%. After adjusting the interference factors, it was found that the exercise time of Qigong Baduanjin was still significantly negatively correlated with the incidence of depression. Conclusion. The long-term regular practice of Qigong Baduanjin in the elderly can play a positive role in effectively reducing the occurrence and development of depression.

Background: Parkinson's disease(PD) affects not only motor symptoms, but also nonmotor symptoms. This study is a clinical trial to determine whether Qigong and acupuncture affect nonmotor symptoms of PD.Methods: A 2-arm parallel and randomized trial was performed with 21 participants who had received either Qigong meditation only [control group (CG)] or acupuncture and Qigong meditation [experimental group (EG)]. The participants' levels of the discomfort in nonmotor symptoms from Parkinson's disease were evaluated by using the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scales (UPDRS 1) and Test of Smell Identification (TSI) before and after 12 treatments at baseline and 1 month after 12 treatments.Results: The both CG and EG showed improvements in the UPDRS 1 score after treatment by 5.6 ± 5.15 (p= 0.003; 74%) and 4.8 ± 3.80 (p = 0.004; 79%), respectively. The both CG and the EG did improvements in the TSI after treatment by 10.3 ± 4.37 (p < 0.001; 84%) and 12.6 ± 1.77 (p = 0.022; 100%), respectively. However, statistical differences were not observed between the CG and the EG using the UPDRS 1 and the TSI scores.Conclusion: The combination of Qigong and acupuncture and Qigong alone was shown to improve the nonmotor symptoms and olfactory function of PD. In the future, large-scale clinical studies on alternative treatment for PD and studies on mechanisms affecting nonmotor symptoms of acupuncture and Qigong are needed.

Introduction Qigong is widespread in the West and used for preventive care, stress-induced conditions, emotional and vegetative symptoms like migraine and hypertension, as well as for better coordination in the elderly and quality of life enhancement in severe disease such as cancer. Adequate controls for Qigong research are lacking, compromising the level of efficacy evidence. Adequate Qigong placebo control exercises should match clear and standardized criteria Methods Three computerized databases were assessed in January 2018 (Scopus, Web of Science and MEDLINE on PubMed) using the following keywords or their combinations: (Qigong OR Qi Gong OR Gong Qi OR Chi Kung OR Kung Chi OR Kiko OR Ki Gong OR Ki Kong) AND placebo. In addition, all reference lists were scanned for further relevant articles. Literature was examined for the effects of Qigong as compared to a control intervention. Results 110 articles were found, 78 of which were excluded after examining the title and abstract, and 16 because they were duplicates. Four more articles were found by searching in the bibliographies of published papers. A total of 20 studies were included in this systematic review. We found that, to the best of our knowledge, no criteria for placebo controls have been published in peer-reviewed journals so far. Conclusion Placebo controls should be developed by the usage of vegetative functional assessments such as heart rate variability, thermography, and electrophysiological measurements, thus excluding major vegetative effects of the exercise, as well as by the usage of psychometric tests and other quantitative evaluations.

The beneficial effects of physical exercise on cardiac remodelling improvement after myocardial infarction have already been suggested. However, the results of previous clinical trials have not been consistent. Moreover, the putative molecular mechanisms leading to the clinically observed effects of physical exercise still remain elusive. We aimed to evaluate whether the well-defined and strictly controlled traditional Chinese Qigong Baduanjin exercise (BE) would attenuate the adverse left ventricular (LV) remodelling in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). A total of 110 clinically stable STEMI patients, following successful revascularization of their infarcted coronary arteries, were randomized and enrolled in two groups: 56 were subjected to a 12-week BE-based cardiac rehabilitation programme (BE group), and the remaining 54 were exposed to the usual physical exercise (control group) for the same time period. The primary outcome was the change from baseline to 6 months in the echocardiographic LV end-diastolic volume index (ΔLVEDVi). Proteomic analysis was also performed to uncover associated mechanisms. Compared with the control group, the BE group showed significantly lower ΔLVEDVi (−5.1 ± 1.1 vs. 0.3 ± 1.2 mL/m2, P

Objective: This study was to evaluate the effects of Qigong on clinical motor symptoms, walking ability, and balance of patients with Parkinson’s disease. Data sources: Seven electronic databases (MEDLINE, Web of Science, CINAHL, SportDiscus, Scopus, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Wanfang Database) were searched from inception to June 28, 2020. Methods: Two reviewers independently selected and extracted the data from studies with randomized controlled trial, and effect sizes were calculated by employing random-effect models with 95% confidential interval (CI). We used Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale to evaluate the quality of included studies. Results: A total of seven studies with 325 participants (180 males and 145 females) were included in this meta-analysis. Results of this meta-analysis showed that Qigong had significantly positive effects on motor symptoms ( SMD = 0.59, 95% CI [0.24, 0.93]), walking ability ( SMD = 0.78, 95% CI [0.10, 1.47]), and balance ( SMD = 0.72, 95% CI [0.23, 1.20]) in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Subgroup analysis showed Qigong exercise had significant difference on improving motor symptoms and walking ability compared to passive control ( P Conclusion: The findings from current meta-analysis supported Qigong exercise as a beneficial alternative therapy may contribute to increasing motor function, walking ability, and balance for patients with Parkinson’s disease.

Objective: To objectively evaluate the effectiveness of Baduanjin exercise on cardiopulmonary function and quality of life in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients. Data sources: Articles published in PubMed, EMBASE, China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database, the Cochrane Library, Wanfang Database, and China Biological Medicine Database from inception to March 2020. Review Method: Articles on randomized controlled trials about Baduanjin exercise for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were identified. Cochrane handbook was applied to assess the quality of included trials. Stata (version 14.0) and Review Manager (version 5.3) were employed for data analysis. Mean difference with 95% confidence intervals were calculated for pulmonary function, 6-minute walking distance, and the quality of life. Results: Thirty-one randomized controlled trials including 3045 patients were included. The result of meta-analysis indicated that comparing with any other type of treatment alone, Baduanjin exercise combined other type of treatment revealed well efficacy in improving exercise capability on 6-minute walking distance (mean difference = 43.83, 95% confidence interval (29.47, 58.20), P Conclusions: Baduanjin exercise could improve exercise capacity, pulmonary function, and quality of life for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Der Autor beschreibt die Möglichkeiten der Aku-Moxi-Therapie bei Lungenentzündung im Gefolge einer Infektion mit dem SARS-CoV-2-Virus, wie sie in offiziellen Gremien in der VR China von ausgewählten Experten als Anleitung für das Krankenhausfachpersonal zusammengestellt wurde. Am Anfang des Artikels macht er mit einigen historischen Zitaten deutlich, dass sich die Chinesische Medizin seit langem mit epidemischen Krankheiten beschäftigt und Behandlungsmöglichkeiten dagegen bereithält. Für seine Therapie-Anleitung differenziert er drei Stadien der Krankheit: die Verdachts-, die Krankheits- und die Rekonvaleszenzphase; bei der Beschreibung der Interventionen stehen Akupunktur, Moxibustion und Ohrakupunktur im Vordergrund. Neben dem hauptsächlichen Therapieprinzip, die Abwehrkräfte zu stärken, werden jeweils auch Punkte für Begleiterscheinungen wie verschiedene Formen des Hustens, Fieber, Kraftlosigkeit oder Übelkeit und Erbrechen aufgeführt. Daneben werden Akupressur, Tuina und Qigong/Taiji als Möglichkeiten genannt, mit denen Patienten selbst aktiv an der Vorbeugung und Therapie mitwirken können.

Background Trunk function in stroke patients with hemiplegia is associated with respiration and core stability and is also found to be associated with balance and postural control and activities of daily living. LiuZiJue Qigong (LQG) is a traditional Chinese method of fitness based on breath pronunciation. The purpose of this study is to compare the clinical efficacy of LQG and traditional core stability training in the treatment of stroke patients with abnormal trunk posture. This protocol is written according to the SPIRIT 2013 statement. Methods/design This study is a single-center randomized controlled trial in which 160 stroke patients are randomly divided into a study group and a control group. Patients in the study group will receive LQG combined with conventional rehabilitation therapy, and patients in the control group will receive traditional core stability training combined with conventional rehabilitation therapy. All treatments will be done for 45 min/day, five times per week, for 2 weeks. The primary outcome (Trunk Impairment Scale) and secondary outcomes (Berg Balance Scale, Fugl-Meyer Assessment, Modified Barthel Index, Maximum Phonation Time, Dynamic and Static balance testing, and thickness and the mobile degrees of diaphragm) will be measured at baseline, 2 weeks, and the end of the rehabilitation course. Discussion The aim purpose of this research study is to compare the clinical efficacy of LQG and traditional core stability exercise in the treatment of stroke patients with abnormal trunk posture. Trial registration Chinese Clinical Trial Register, ChiCTR1800014864. Registered on 24 November 2018.

Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) and fear of recurrence (FOR) are frequently experienced by cancer patients. This study aimed to improve cancer survivors' CRF, FOR, quality of life (QOL), and heart rate variability (HRV) through Qigong and mindfulness interventions.A quasi-experimental design was adopted, and 125 cancer survivors were recruited using snowball sampling. The participants were assigned to 1 of 3 groups (Qigong, mindfulness, and control) based on their needs and preferences. All groups received 4 h of nutrition education at the pretest (T0). CRF, FOR, and QOL questionnaires and HRV parameters were used as the measurement tools. Data were collected at the pretest (T0), posttest (T1), and follow-up (T2).Qigong had a better effect on improving CRF (ΔT1-T0 = - 0.108, ΔT2-T1 = - 0.008) and FOR (ΔT1-T0 = - 0.069, ΔT2-T1 = - 0.150) in the long term, while mindfulness improved QOL (ΔT1-T0 = 0.096, ΔT2-T1 = 0.013) better in the long term. Both Qigong and mindfulness had a short-term effect in improving SDNN (Q: ΔT1-T0 = 1.584; M: ΔT1-T0 = 6.979) and TP (Q: ΔT1-T0 = 41.601; M: ΔT1-T0 = 205.407), but the improvement in LF (Q: ΔT2-T1 = - 20.110; M: ΔT2-T1 = - 47.800) was better in the long term.HRV evaluation showed that Qigong and the mindfulness interventions had short-term effects in significantly improving overall physical and mental health, self-emotional regulation, and QOL and relieving fatigue and autonomic dysfunction. HRV may serve as an observational indicator of interventions to improve physical and mental health. The consistent practice of mind-body interventions is the primary means of optimizing overall health and well-being.

To analyze the effectiveness of a Qigong exercise program on satisfaction with female genital self-image and female sexual function in postmenopausal Spanish women.A total of 49 women were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 22) that carried out training based on Qigong exercises for 12 weeks and a control group (n = 27) that did not carry out any type of intervention. Female genital self-image was measured through the Female Genital Self-Tmage Scale and female sexual function through the Female Sexual Function Tndex; both variables were measured before and just after the intervention.Results showed that women who participated in the Qigong exercise program showed significant improvements with respect to female genital self-image, as well as in the domains of desire, arousal, lubrication, satisfaction, and pain and the total score of the Female Sexual Function Index, but, on the contrary, were not found in the orgasm domain.Our results suggest that Qigong has the potential to improve female genital self-image and female sexual function among postmenopausal Spanish women.

IntroductionQigong and tai chi (QTC) have been adopted by many patients with cancer as a complementary treatment with their conventional mainstream cancer management. Findings from current systematic reviews are inconsistent. Some research indicated that either qigong or tai chi interventions could enhance quality of life (QoL), and improve cancer-related symptoms such as fatigue, sleep disturbance and anxiety; while others argued that there was a lack of efficacy of QTC on QoL improvement. This umbrella review will analyse and synthesise the findings from published systematic reviews and meta-analyses regarding the effectiveness of QTC in the QoL of patients with cancer. Twenty-five databases will be searched from their respective inception to December 2021.Methods and analysisWe will conduct a search in 21 English and 4 Chinese databases to identify qualified systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Two reviewers will independently screen all the titles and abstracts, and determine whether the article meets the inclusion criteria. After the identified systematic reviews and/or meta-analyses are confirmed, important information from each article will be extracted to the characteristics table by two reviewers independently. Two reviewers will independently analyse the quality of the selected reviews based on the Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews guideline. Findings from the systematic reviews and/or meta-analyses will be summarised and reported.Ethics and disseminationThis review does not require ethics approval as the study is based on the published articles. The results drawn from the present review will be submitted to peer-reviewed journals for publication or presented at conferences.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42021253216.

IntroductionCOVID-19 is a public health emergency of international concern, which is characterised by rapid and widespread transmission, high mortality and complications. Several studies have shown the benefits of tai chi and qigong for recovery after COVID-19; however, no meta-analysis has been reported. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of tai chi and/or qigong on rehabilitation after COVID-19 through a systematic review and meta-analysis to provide a reference and basis for clinical application.Methods and analysisThis study will use the Cochrane Library, PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, China Knowledge Network, China Biomedical Literature Database, Chinese Scientific Journal Database and Wanfang Database. The time period is from the inception of the database to November 2021, with no language restrictions. Searches will be conducted using the subject terms “Taichi”,“Qigong” and “COVID-19” plus free-text words. Articles will be screened and collected by two reviewers independently. Included studies will be assessed for quality using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool. Statistical analyses will be performed using the Revman V.5.3 software. The primary outcomes include 1-second forced expiratory volume and 1-second forced vital capacity, oxygen saturation, total white cell count and quality of life score. Secondary outcomes include time to remission of major symptoms, incidence of adverse events, clinical cure rate and mortality. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses will also be used to explore and interpret the heterogeneity. This protocol is written based on the guideline of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses Protocol.Ethics and disseminationEthical approval and consent are unnecessary because no primary data will be collected. The results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42021288962.

The objective of this study was to investigate the therapeutic effect of Wuqinxi Qigong vs. stretching on single- and dual-task gait, motor symptoms, and quality of life in people with mild and moderate Parkinson’s disease (PD). This single-blind, randomized control trial included 40 participants with idiopathic PD who were randomized into the Wuqinxi Qigong (WQ) group or stretching group. Participants completed 12 weeks (two sessions/week) of intervention. The primary outcomes were gait parameters when performing single-task (comfortable pace) and dual-task (obstacle crossing, serial-3 subtraction and backward digit span) walking, including gait speed, stride length, and double support percentage. The secondary outcomes were ratings from the Movement Disorder Society Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS), results of the timed-up-and-go test (TUGT), results of the Mini-Balance Evaluation Systems Test (MiniBESTest), and responses from the 39-item Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39). All measures were assessed pre- and post-intervention. The WQ group demonstrated increased gait speed (p = 0.000) during the single task, and increased stride length (p = 0.001, p = 0.021) during the single-task and serial-3 subtraction task. Double support percentage significantly decreased (p = 0.004) in the WQ group during the obstacle crossing task, and also decreased (p = 0.045) in the stretching group during the single-task. TUGT (p = 0.005), MiniBESTest (p = 0.023) and PDQ-39 (p = 0.043) in the WQ group significantly improved, and both groups showed significant improvement in MDS-UPDRS after intervention. Wuqinxi Qigong is an effective method to improve single- and dual-task gait. While both exercises improve motor symptoms, Wuqinxi Qigong results in better mobility, balance and quality of life compared to stretching alone.

This study assessed the effects of Health Qigong on sleep quality in adults.Systematic review and meta-analysis.We searched 10 databases to identify relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published in English or Chinese languages that evaluated the effects of Health Qigong on sleep quality in participants aged ≥18 years old with or without diseases in comparison with any type of controls. Quality of the included studies was assessed by the revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials. The between-group treatment effect size was estimated by calculating Hedges' g and associated confidence interval (CI) through a random effects model. Cochran's Q test and IThe initial search yielded 730 articles, of which 13 studies involving 1147 participants were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis. The overall effect size was -0.955 (95 % CI: -1.601 to -0.309, p = 0.004). A homogeneity test revealed high heterogeneity (Q = 278.187, p0.001, IOur study results suggest that Health Qigong is beneficial for improving sleep quality in adults with and without disease. However, the effects of Health Qigong could be partially due to nonspecific effects as half of the included studies did not employ an active control.

Qigong is a meditative movement with therapeutic effects and is commonly practiced in Eastern medicine. A growing body of evidence validates its health benefits, leading to mechanistic questions about how it works. We propose a novel mechanism by which the “acid” caused by hypoxia affects metabolism, and the way it is neutralized through Qigong practice involves the body’s blood flow and vasculature modifications. Specifically, Qigong exercise generates an oxygen supply and acid-base balance against the hypoxic effects of underlying pathological conditions. We also propose that Qigong exercise mediated and focused on the local hypoxia environment of tissues might normalize the circulation of metabolic and inflammation accumulation in the tumor tissue and restore the normal metabolism of tissues and cells through calm, relaxation, and extreme Zen-style breathing that gravitates toward preemptive health and medicine. Thus, we propose the mechanisms of action related to Qigong, intending to unify Eastern and Western exercise theory.

This randomized controlled trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of a 3-month-long Chan-Chuang qigong program on patients' physical performance and quality of life while excluding the influence caused by the progression of their cognitive impairment. Patients with mild to moderate cognitive impairment were recruited from two dementia daycare centers in Taiwan. The control group (n = 41) received the standardized plan of treatment, and the qigong group (n = 39) received the standardized plan of treatment plus the Chan-Chuang qigong program. The outcomes were muscle strength, muscle endurance, exercise capacity, and quality of life. After controlling for the progression of cognitive impairment, the qigong group showed significant improvements over the control group and baseline in muscle strength and exercise capacity at Months 2 and 3 (p 0.05) and in muscle endurance at Months 1, 2, and 3 (p 0.05). The Cognitron test scores were significantly associated with muscle strength (p = 0.03), whereas the Corsi block-tapping test scores were significantly associated with exercise capacity (p = 0.001). Furthermore, a significant between-group difference was detected in the physical (p = 0.01), not mental (p = 0.83), component of quality of life. The 3-month Chan-Chuang qigong program can be applied for patients with mild to moderate cognitive impairment as complementary therapy to improve their muscle strength, muscle endurance, exercise capacity, and physical quality of life. This program should be practiced for at least 2 months to achieve satisfactory results.