New Research - Qi Gong Lowers Blood Pressure

Shin, Kyung-Min, Ji-Eun Park, Sanghoon Hong, Taeseob Park, Minhee Lee, Yan Liu, Jung-Eun Kim et al. "568 A Randomized Controlled Trial for the Use of Qigong in the Treatment of Pre and Mild Essential Hypertension." Journal of Hypertension 30 (2012): e167.

Qi Gong encompasses many styles and forms within each style, many of which are traditionally used to benefit specific bodily systems. The researchers concluded that Qi Gong is safe and has a “positive effect on blood pressure and health status in pre and mild hypertension patients.” Based on these findings, the researchers suggest additional research to further explore the medical benefits of Qi Gong with a larger sample size of participants.

A total of 40 participants were randomized into a control group and a Qi Gong group. The Qi Gong group practiced the forms for a total of 5 times per week for a total of 8 weeks. Blood pressure reductions occurred in the Qi Gong group and not in the control group. Systolic blood pressure reduced significantly. Diastolic blood pressure was unaffected.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is comprised of five major branches: movement arts, acupuncture, herbal medicine, dietetics, bone medicine. Qi Gong and other arts such as Tai Chi are part of the movement arts division of TCM including other forms of breathing and meditation exercises. Most forms of Qi Gong involve meditation, synchronous breathing and physical exercise.

http://www.healthcmi.com/acupuncturist-news-online/792-qigongbp

Qigong may improve quality of life for office workers

Qigong training and effects on stress, neck-shoulder pain and life quality in a computerised office environment
L. Skoglund ^a, M. Josephson^a, K. Wahlstedt^a, E. Lampa^a and D. Norbäck^1, a
a Department of Medical Sciences, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Uppsala University and University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden
Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice Volume 17, Issue 1, February 2011, Pages 54-57


Background: Qigong is a Chinese health promoting exercise with a rhythmic pattern of slow movements and breathing affecting the autonomous nervous system.

Objectives: To examine the implementation of Qigong for half an hour daily in a computerised office, and to study effects on health state, general health, neck-shoulder and lumbar spine symptoms and stress after six weeks training

Design: A crossover intervention study with 37 employees randomised in two groups. A questionnaire was completed one week before starting study and every second week during the training period. After 6 weeks the first group stopped and the second group started the training.

Results: There was a small significant improvement of neck pain and disability following therapy.

Conclusion: Qigong training may reduce neck disability in office workers. A longer training period might be needed in further Qigong studies in healthy, normal populations.

Medical Qigong Improves Lives of Cancer Patients

New Cancer Study Finds Benefit in Old Therapy
News Medical || May 24, 2011

Cancer patients who used a 5,000-year-old combination of gentle exercise and meditation experienced significantly higher wellbeing levels, improved cognitive functioning and less inflammation compared to a control group, new University of Sydney research has found. Dr Byeongsang Oh, a clinical senior lecturer at the Sydney Medical School who led the study, said the reduced inflammation in patients who practised medical Qigong, a form of traditional Chinese medicine, was particularly significant.

“Patients who practiced medical Qigong experienced significant improvements in quality of life, including greater physical, functional, social and emotional wellbeing, and enhanced cognitive functioning, while the control group deteriorated in all of these areas,” Dr Oh says. He also found the patients in the medical Qigong group reported increased satisfaction with their sex lives.

The study involved 162 patients, with those assigned to the medical Qigong group undertaking a ten-week program of two supervised 90-minute sessions per week. They were also encouraged to practise at home every day for at least half an hour.

The mean age of participants in this study was 60, with ages ranging from 31 to 86 years. The most common primary cancer diagnosis among participants was breast cancer (34%) followed by colorectal cancer (12%). When the study began there were no significant differences in measurements of quality of life, fatigue, mood status and inflammation between the intervention and control groups.

“To our knowledge, our study is the first statistically significant, randomised controlled trial to measure the impact of medical Qigong in patients with cancer,” Dr Oh says.

About the medical Qigong session in the study

Each session consisted of a 15 minute discussion of health issues, 30 minutes of gentle stretching and body movement in standing postures to stimulate the body along the energy channels, 15 minutes of movement in seated posture (Dao Yin exercise for face, head, neck, shoulders, waist, lower back, legs, and feet), 30 minutes of meditation, including breathing exercises and relaxation and feeling the Qi (nature’s/cosmic energy) and visualisation.