Qigong May Improve Knee Osteoarthritis

Sunday August 3, 2008

Qigong, also referred to as external qigong therapy or EQT, is a traditional Chinese medicine practice. Qi (pronounced CHI) means energy -- Gong (pronounced GUNG) means skill. Qigong is the skill of attracting vital energy by using breathing techniques, gentle movement, and meditation to cleanse, strengthen, and circulate the life energy (qi). There are 4 major areas of application of qigong: healing qigong, external qi healing, sports qigong, and spiritual qigong.

External qi healing involves a system of health assessment and non-contact treatment. A "healer" taps into a well of healing energy in nature and funnels it through their body. External qigong includes exercises that increase sensitivity to energy fields. A study published online July 25, 2008 in Clinical Rheumatology assessed the effectiveness of external qigong therapy on reducing pain and improving function for knee osteoarthritis patients. There were 112 adults who received external qigong therapy or a sham treatment. Two qi therapists performed 5 to 6 sessions of qi in 3 weeks and a sham healer mimicked the qi method. Results showed researchers that the effectiveness of external qigong therapy was largely dependent on the healer -- not all healers are equivalent. It was concluded though that external qigong therapy may have a place in the treatment of osteoarthritis because there was evidence of pain reduction and improved functionality.

Related Resources:

_{Photo by Suprijono Suharjoto (iStockphoto)}