Benefits of Qigong as an integrative and complementary practice for health: a systematic review.
Bruna Francielle Toneti, Rafael Fernando Mendes Barbosa, Leandro Yukio Mano and 3 others
PMID 32696918WHAT IT FOUND
Qigong trials reported improvements in fatigue, pain, sleep, mood, function and quality of life in adults and older adults, but several trials found no benefit, so it does not prove it works for every condition.
Key findings
01Twenty-eight studies met the review criteria and were organized into five thematic categories.
02Some included trials reported benefits, such as improved perceived mental and physical health and body fat in adults at coronary risk, and improved pain, sleep and function in fibromyalgia.
03Not all pain trials were positive: low back pain in older adults did not differ significantly from control or yoga, and chronic neck pain in older adults did not differ significantly from control or conventional exercise.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Only the listed databases were searched. The included studies used different Qigong types, durations and comparisons, including Tai Chi/Qigong, yoga, stretching and relaxing, and conventional exercise, so a common dose or pure effect cannot be separated. The review reported a high risk of bias in blinding domains, and some trials did not adequately describe protocol or analysis. Pain and sleep results were not uniform: some trials improved these outcomes, while other trials in older adults showed no significant difference. The review included adults and older adults with many different conditions and outcomes, so the findings are not condition-specific.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this review as proof that Qigong alone works for every condition listed. Several trials found no significant pain benefit, some interventions combined Qigong with Tai Chi or compared it with conventional exercise, and the review reported a high risk of bias in blinding.