The Effectiveness of Traditional Chinese Yijinjing Qigong Exercise for the Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis on the Pain, Dysfunction, and Mood Disorder: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Background: Although traditional Chinese Yijinjing Qigong Exercise (YJJQE) is popularly used in China, to alleviate symptoms of people with knee osteoarthritis (KOA), no randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are available to evaluate the effects of YJJQE in patients with KOA. The purpose of this trial is to assess the clinical efficacy of YJJQE for patients with KOA.Methods: A total of 50 participants clinically diagnosed with KOA are randomly (1:1) assigned to the YJJQE group (n = 25) and to the stretching training exercise (STE) group (n = 25), for a 40-min exercise session twice a week for 12 weeks. All outcome measures are collected at baseline and at 12-week ending intervention, which includes the primary outcomes of Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index Scale (WOMAC), the secondary outcomes of visual analog scale (VAS), mental component summary (MCS), physical component summary (PCS), Beck depression inventory (BDI), perceived stress scale (PSS), Berg balance scale (BBS), and the Gait functional mobility data.Results: The YJJQE group did not have any significant changes compared to the control group on the WOMAC score after the 12-week intervention (P > 0.05), though the YJJQE group demonstrated better performance in MCS, BDI, and PSS (P = 0.002, P = 0.001, and P = 0.026, respectively) than the control group. No serious adverse events occurred in either group, and only mild muscle soreness was reported during both exercise treatments.Conclusion: Because no difference between both groups was shown, with regards to the primary outcome measurement (WOMAC), it can hardly explain that the YJJQE had an advantageous effect on patients experiencing the pain and dysfunction of knee osteoarthritis. However, compared to the control group, YJJQE appeared to be associated with improvements in psychological well-being including reduced stress, anxiety, depression, and mood disturbance to manage KOA. Further trials with larger sample sizes and follow-up studies will be required.Clinical Trial Registration:https://www.chictr.org.cn/edit.aspx?pid=60357&htm=4, ChiCTR2000037256.

Yijinjing Qigong intervention shows strong evidence on clinical effectiveness and electroencephalography signal features for early poststroke depression: A randomized, controlled trial

“…Previous studies have shown that Yijinjing can effectively strengthen the muscles and ligaments around the spine, improve flexibility and balance, and help regulate a person’s physical and mental states ( Xiang et al, 2006 ; Gao et al, 2021 ). We have proven that YJJQE can improve psychological well-being by reducing stress, anxiety, depression, and mood disturbance to manage KOA ( Zhang D. et al, 2021 ; Zhang S. et al, 2021 ). However, no RCTs have been conducted specifically using YJJQE to evaluate its therapeutic benefits for those with PSD.…”

Exercise training-attenuated insulin resistance and liver injury in elderly pre-diabetic patients correlates with NLRP3 inflammasome

“…With simple patterns and directions, and moderate-intensity, safety, and efficacy, Yijinjing is easy to practice and is especially favored by the elderly populations. Previous studies showed that Yijinjing had the potential to improve cognitive function in patients with chronic schizophrenia ( 23 ) and post-stroke ( 24 , 25 ), as well as ameliorate symptoms of people with knee osteoarthritis ( 26 ), ankylosing spondylitis ( 27 ). However, no randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are available to evaluate the effects of Yijinjing in patients with metabolic diseases such as pre-diabetes.…”

Scientific Evidence of Traditional Chinese Exercise (Qigong) for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: An Overview of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses

“…Exercise is seen as the key to pulmonary rehabilitation, with the main aim of improving aerobic capacity in COPD patients [ 7 ]. Qigong, as one of the four pillars of traditional Chinese medicine [ 8 ], was rejuvenated in the 1950s to include a series of techniques aimed at improving the physical, mental, emotional, and respiratory health. Since the 1980s and especially the 2000s, there has been considerable interest in Qigong as a potential therapeutic modality [ 9 ].…”