Developed nearly 5000 years ago in China, qigong integrates methods of body movement, muscle relaxation, meditation, and respiratory exercise to improve physical, emotional, and psychological health. Traditional Chinese Medicine contends that qigong promotes a balanced flow of qi (chee) within the body. It describes disturbance of qi as producing discomfort and illness. Conversely, with a free flow of qi, one is believed to be in better health ^(1) (2). In Asian culture, qi is a widely accepted concept of vital energy force, although its physical existence has not been demonstrated scientifically.

There are many forms and variations of qigong. In addition, there are some similarities between qigong and tai chi (or taiji), as both are mind–body–spirit integrative exercises ⁽³⁾ and they are often practiced together. Traditionally, qigong is used for therapeutic purposes. In external qigong, a trained master may transmit energy to a recipient with or without touching ⁽⁵⁾. One might also practice internal qigong by cultivating qi to heal ailments. However, due to lack of scientific evidence and uniform approaches, qigong is rarely used as a direct treatment of diseases in the Western world.

As a form of exercise, qigong can be classified by the level of motion. Static qigong refers to meditation in sitting, standing, and lying-down postures. Dynamic qigong refers to moving meditation, which can also take on many forms ⁽⁴⁾. Simplified versions, such as the Eight Brocades are developed so they can be taught to and practiced by a large number of people with minimal training. These are also used in clinical studies because they have standardized movements with reproducible effects.

Qi gong, as well as yoga and tai chi, are recommended by an international expert panel for management of knee osteoarthritis ⁽³⁶⁾. In several small studies, regular qigong practice has been shown to provide long-term benefits for patients with hypertension ⁽⁶⁾, fibromyalgia ⁽⁷⁾, chronic fatigue ⁽⁸⁾, tinnitus ⁽⁹⁾, and other chronic medical illnesses ⁽¹⁰⁾. It appears to have “dose-dependent” positive effects on sleep quality and climacteric symptoms in perimenopausal women ⁽¹¹⁾. It may also have specific health-preserving effects, as it improved muscle endurance, waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), and body mass index (BMI) in middle-aged women ⁽¹²⁾.

Qigong improves respiratory function and activity tolerance in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) ⁽¹³⁾, cardiorespiratory function and expiratory capacity in patients with hypertension ⁽¹⁴⁾, and reduced stress levels with improved sleep quality, activity levels, immune response, and balance in older adults ^{(15) (16) (17)}. It is considered a low-intensity exercise, and may be beneficial in cardiopulmonary rehabilitation ^(18) (19). Data on qigong’s effects on depression are inconclusive ⁽³³⁾.

Earlier in vitro and animal studies in China using a form of external qigong suggest it can inhibit cancer cell growth. However, these studies are not reproducible due to variety of methods and practitioners ⁽²³⁾. One study even found qigong to be effective in attenuating lymphoma growth in mice ⁽²⁴⁾. More recent studies also indicate these effects in various cell lines, but the inability to specifically qualify and quantify the delivery of qi in these studies poses some basic challenges when evaluating qigong in this way. ^(25) (26).

Recently, qigong has been found to be an effective complementary therapy for cancer patients. Clinical studies indicate positive effects on anxiety, mood, depression, and quality of life ^{(1) (20) (34)}. Qigong has also demonstrated effectiveness in ameliorating physical symptoms experienced by cancer patients such as pain, numbness, dizziness, fatigue, inflammation, and cognitive function ^{(1) (21) (22)}. Another study also reported improvements in physical activity patterns and reductions in BMI ⁽³⁷⁾. Preliminary findings suggest that it may help reduce upper limb lymhedema in breast cancer survivors ⁽³⁵⁾. In patients with advanced NSCLC and GI cancers compared with strength training, medical qigong had similar effects on psychological function, but not exercise capacity ⁽³⁸⁾.

Further research is needed to not only confirm these findings, but to more fully elucidate the mechanisms by which qigong exerts its positive effects. Patients should be aware that qigong is not a cancer treatment per se, but can be practiced to help alleviate symptoms associated with cancer.

Patients who are especially weak, particularly due to chemotherapy, should consult a physician before taking on more strenuous forms of qigong ⁽²⁷⁾.