Qigong and Fibromyalgia
Qigong can be offered in a way that is not so much a workout as a "work within." There is quite a big difference between mindful movement and traditional gym exercise and with this study, the benefits of Qigong for people with fibromyalgia are clear. This randomized controlled trial of qigong for fibromyalgia found that participants had significant improvements in pain, sleep, physical function and mental function.
A randomized controlled trial of qigong
for fibromyalgia
Mary Lynch1 , Jana Sawynok2*, Chok Hiew3 and Dana Marcon
Arthritis Research & Therapy 2012, 14:R178
https://arthritis-research.biomedcentral.com/track/pdf/10.1186/ar3931
Abstract
Fibromyalgia is difficult to treat and requires the use of multiple approaches. This study is a randomized controlled trial of qigong compared with a wait-list control group in fibromyalgia. Methods: One hundred participants were randomly assigned to immediate or delayed practice groups, with the delayed group receiving training at the end of the control period. Qigong training (level 1 Chaoyi Fanhuan Qigong, CFQ), given over three half-days, was followed by weekly review/practice sessions for eight weeks; participants were also asked to practice at home for 45 to 60 minutes per day for this interval. Outcomes were pain, impact, sleep, physical function and mental function, and these were recorded at baseline, eight weeks, four months and six months. Immediate and delayed practice groups were analyzed individually compared to the control group, and as a combination group. Results: In both the immediate and delayed treatment groups, CFQ demonstrated significant improvements in pain, impact, sleep, physical function and mental function when compared to the wait-list/usual care control group at eight weeks, with benefits extending beyond this time. Analysis of combined data indicated significant changes for all measures at all times for six months, with only one exception. Post-hoc analysis based on self-reported practice times indicated greater benefit with the per protocol group compared to minimal practice. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that CFQ, a particular form of qigong, provides long-term benefits in several core domains in fibromyalgia. CFQ may be a useful adjuvant self-care treatment for fibromyalgia.