Qigong Versus Exercise Versus No Therapy for Patients With Chronic Neck Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Spine: 15 March 2011 - Volume 36 - Issue 6 - p 419–427

Link to Spine journal


Study Design. 
Randomized controlled trial.

Objective. 
To evaluate the effectiveness of Qigong compared with no treatment and not inferior to exercise therapy

Summary of Background Data. 
>> Lifetime prevalence of chronic neck pain is close to 50%. 
>> Evidence of Qigong is still unclear.

Methods. 
Patients (20–60 years) with chronic neck pain (visual analog scale, VAS ≥40 mm) were randomized to 
 1) qigong or 
 2) exercise therapy (18 sessions over 6 months)
 3) waiting list (no treatment). 

At baseline and after 3 and 6 months, patients completed standardized questionnaires assessing 
 1) neck pain (VAS)
 2) neck pain and disability
 3) quality of life (Short Form SF-36 questionnaire, SF-36)

The primary endpoint was average pain in the last 7 days on VAS at 6-month follow-up. 

Statistical analysis included generalized estimation equation models adjusted for baseline values and patient expectation.

Results. 
Total 123 patients 
>> aged 46 ± 11 years, 88% women
>> suffering from chronic neck pain for 3.2 (SD ± 1.6) years

After 6 months, 
>> Significant difference: between the qigong and waiting list control groups 
>> VAS mean difference: −14 mm [95% CI =−23.1~ −5.4], P = 0.002

Mean improvements in the exercise group 
>> Comparable to those in the qigong group 
>> Difference between groups −0.7 mm [CI = −9.1 to 7.7]) but failed to show statistical significance (P = 0.092). 

Neck pain and disability, and SF-36 results 
>> Also yielded superiority of qigong over no treatment and similar results in the qigong and exercise therapy groups

Conclusion. 
Qigong was more effective than no treatment in patients with chronic neck pain. 
Further studies could be designed without waiting list control and should use a larger sample to clarify the value of qigong compared to exercise therapy.

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