Three-month Chan-Chung Qigong Improves Physical Function Performance and Quality of Life

Three-month Chan-Chung Qigong Program in Improving Physical Functional Performance and Quality of Life in Cognitive Impairment Patients

The purpose of this study aimed to evaluate the effect of the three-month Chan-Chung qigong program in improving physical functional performance and quality of life in patients with mild to moderate cognitive impairments.A quasi-experimental design was adopted. Subjects were recruited from cognitive impairments outpatients these subjects,41were assigned to the control group and 41 to the experimental group in which Chan-Chuang qigong was administered.

This study randomized controlled trial with four repeated measurements was conducted between Apply 2016 and October 2017. Participants in the Qigong group were given a structured program about Chan-Chung qigong for 3 months; those in the control group received usual care for cognitive impairment during the same study period. The intervention effects were measured by muscular strength, muscular endurance, and 6-min walk distance at baseline, Month 1, Month 2, and Month 3. In addition, QoL was measured at baseline and Month 3.

Cognitive Dysfunction, Cognitive Aging, Grip, Exercise Training, Physical Endurance, Cognitive Decline

Cognitive inpairment, Qigong / Exercise, Muscle strength /endurance, Quality of life, Physical activity

This study randomized controlled trial with four repeated measurements was conducted between Apply 2016 and October 2017. Participants in the Qigong group were given a structured program about Chan-Chung qigong for 3 months; those in the control group received usual care for cognitive impairment during the same study period. The intervention effects were measured by muscular strength, muscular endurance, and 6-min walk distance at baseline, Month 1, Month 2, and Month 3. In addition, QoL was measured at baseline and Month 3.

Participants in the Qigong group were given a structured program about Chan-Chung qigong for 3 months which was a modified form of the manual of Chan-Chuang qigong (Yeh et al., 2006), to tailor to patients with cognitive impairment. The Chan-Chuang qigong program included warmup prior to qigong practice, preparation for qigong practice . The movements should be repeated and maintained for 10 minutes per time, 3 time a day .

those in the control group received usual care for cognitive impairment during the same study period.

This study applied the Chan-Chuang qigong program, which was a modified form of the manual of Chan-Chuang qigong (Yeh et al., 2006), to tailor to patients with cognitive impairment. The Chan-Chuang qigong program included warmup prior to qigong practice, preparation for qigong practice, core qigong of four moves, and cool down after qigong practice. The movements should be repeated and maintained for 10 minutes per time, 3 time a day (Yeh et al., 2006), totally 90 minutes per week, for 3 months. The guideline booklet of Chan-Chuang qigong (Chen et al., 2019; Chuang, Yeh, & Chung, 2017) was modified and provided to the participants, which had major sections of introduction to qigong, preparation and precautions, practical procedures with description and photos, normal physical reactions from practicing core Chan-Chuang qigong, precautions of daily life, a confirmation sheet, and a checklist of qigong performance.

The findings of this study indicate Chan-Chuang qigong improved physical function performance with cognitive impairment.

this study considered the influences of cognition status and changes. After the intervention measures were implemented, the Qigong group had significant differences in physiological function, muscle endurance, and cardiopulmonary fitness compared with the control group.

However, a significant between-group difference was in the physical , not mental, component on Month 3. In addition, no significant within-group difference in either Qigong or control group

Inclusion Criteria: Participants invited in this study were aged more than 60 years, diagnosed with the Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) ≦1, able to communicate, free to stand and walk, and willing to participate this study. Exclusion Criteria: The exclusion criteria were as followings: use of hormone drugs, brain trauma, head surgery, vitamin B12 deficiency, decreased memory and judgment due to hypothyroidism or malnutrition with medical contraindications for exercise, and practicing qigong or exercise regularly.