Page 177 - HA Convention 2015

Service Priorities and Programmes Free Papers

SPP5.7 Healthcare Advances, Research and Innovations 09:00 Room 221

Effect of Health Qigong in Enhancement of Functional Ability for Person with Chronic Non-specific Low Back
Pain: Preliminary Results
Wong HY 1, Wong NM 2
1Occupational Therapy Department, 2Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology,

United Christian Hospital, Hong Kong

Introduction

Chronic non-specific low back pain (LBP) is a significant problem in industrialised societies. It is associated with various
physical, emotional, and psychosocial dysfunctions that eventually deteriorates the patient’s quality of life. Health Qigong
(HQG) follows the philosophy of “qi” regulation, which is described as harmonising mind and body, and activating self-
healing capacities. The principles of slow body movement serves as an aerobic exercise and controlled breathing to achieve
relaxation. Although HQG has been used for prevention and treatment of pain, few randomised controlled trials (RCT) have
been conducted to investigate its efficacy especially in the musculoskeletal conditions.

Objectives Tuesday, 19 May

To assess the treatment efficacy of HQG in modulation of pain perception and enhancement of functional ability for person
with chronic non-specific LBP.

Methodology

A prospective single-blinded mixed-model 2 (group) x 2 (time) RCT was employed. Subjects were eligible for the study
with the following requirements: (1) aged 20 to 65 years; (2) diagnosis of non-specific chronic LBP (onset >three months)
according to the International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision (ICD-9). Participants were randomised to either HQG
group or functional rehabilitation (FR) group using block randomisation. All participants received 16 sessions of training over
two months. Outcome measurements were assessed at the baseline and at the end of treatment. Primary outcome measures
included Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Pain Catastrophising Scale (PCS), Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (PSEQ), Hospital
Anxiety and Depression Score (HADS), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and Sit and Reach Test. T-test and chi-square tests
were used to compare baseline variables between groups.

Results

Since August 2014, 41 subjects were enrolled in the study. Nine subjects were excluded in the data analysis due to treatment
non-adherence (attendance <80%). Therefore 21 and 11 subjects who completed the HQG and FR groups were analysed.
Mean age was 47.7 ± 9.8 and the majority of participants were female (70%). In pre-post comparison, there were statistically
significant differences in pain VAS, PSEQ and sit and reach (p<0.05) in HQG group. Significant pain reduction was found in
pain VAS which decreased from 5.1 (±0.3 SD) to 4.1 (± 0.3 SD); also the trunk flexibility improved from 43.4cm (±1.9 SD) to
47.1cm (±2.0 SD).

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