The effect of Three-Circle Post Standing (Zhanzhuang) Qigong on the physical and psychological well-being of college students

Abstract

Background:The physical and mental health of college students tends to continuously decline around the world due to lifestyle or behavior habits changes, and pervasive presence of the Internet. Thus it is urgent to improve their health in college life. As a traditional Qigong form is practiced mainly in a standing posture. Three-Circle Post Standing Qigong (TCPSQ) is suitable for regular practicing and has beneficial effects on improving the physiological function and psychological emotion by adjusting body, breathing, and mind. The aim of the 3 adjustments is to achieve a state of harmonious unity-integrating these adjustments into “one.” In this study protocol article, we will systematically explore the effectiveness and safety, feasibility of TCPSQ on physical and psychological outcomes of the college students and deeply understand the state of harmonious unity-integrating adjustments of body, breath, and mind into “one.”Method/design:We will conduct a randomized, assessor, and statistician blinded, parallel-controlled trial comparing the beneficial effect of TCPSQ in college students. A total of 80 eligible college students from the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine (BUCM) will be recruited and randomly allocated into TCPSQ training or unaltered lifestyle control group according 1:1 allocation ratio with allocation concealment. TCPSQ intervention will last 10 weeks. The study period is 18 weeks including a 10-week supervised intervention and a 8-week follow-up. The relevant physical and psychological outcomes, adverse events, and safety will be evaluated at baseline, 6 weeks (at the mid-point of intervention), 11 weeks (at the end of intervention), and 19 weeks (after the 8-week follow-up period) by blinded independent outcome assessors.Discussion:This is the first randomized controlled trial protocol from the perspective of Qigong connotation to systematically investigate the effect of TCPSQ for the physical and mental health of a college student population. If the results in our study prove a significant intervention effect, this would provide preliminary higher-quality evidence and establish an optimal guidance for the application of TCPSQ exercise program among a college student population.Ethics and dissemination:The study was approved by the ethics committee of the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine (approval number: 2018BZHYLL0109). A SPIRIT checklist is available for this protocol. The trial was registered in Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (WHO ICTRP member). Registration number: ChiCTR-BON-17010840.

Effects of the prolong life with nine turn method (Yan Nian Jiu Zhuan) Qigong on patients with chronic fatigue syndrome: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

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“…As one of representative mindful exercises, CMQ is a famous mind-body aerobic practice which originated from Traditional Chinese Medicine 44 , CMQ has been found to have effects on various conditions, such as to prevent and cure psychological and physical disease. CMQ characteristic with initiative exercises to regulate body, breath, mind and to integrate them into one.…”

The effect of the Prolong Life With Nine Turn Method (Yan nian jiu zhuan) Qigong on patients with chronic fatigue syndrome: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

“…It is characterized by static work as an aid, focusing on the manipulation of the abdomen in terms of breathing and thinking regulation, the main use of normal abdominal breathing, gradually increasing the concentration of thinking in the lower Dantian. 26 More importantly, during a session, the participants can practice while lying down or sitting, completely free from time and space constraints.…”

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