Tai chi and qigong are both forms of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). They have been used for centuries to treat a wide range of ailments and diseases, mostly in China and a few other Asian countries. They incorporate meditation, movement and breathing in a way that strengthens the body’s immune system. In recent years, tai chi and qigong have become more popular in the West and have been increasingly used to treat many health problems. The present paper reviews some medical studies that have used these techniques to treat breast
cancer survivors.
Keywords: Breast Cancer; Tai Chi; Qigong; Traditional Chinese Medicine; TCM
Tai chi and qigong [pronounced chee-gong] are tools in the toolbox
of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Qigong is very old, going
back thousands of years. Tai chi is of a more recent vintage. Scholars
cannot agree on when it started or where it started. It goes back at
least to seventeenth century China, but it may be hundreds of years
older than that, and it may have originated in India and been introduced
into China by a monk from India. Tai chi and qigong overlap
somewhat in their techniques and applications. Tai chi is a series of
choreographed movements, somewhat like Japanese karate kata or
Korean taekwondo poomsae, but performed in a much slower and
relaxed manner. Although tai chi is a martial art and has martial arts
applications, many modern teachers and students are more interested
in its health benefits. It has been referred to as a form of moving
meditation [1-4]. Qigong is also a form of moving meditation, although
the movements are different. It is a set of exercises that focus
on slow movement and breathing. Its movements are generally not
choreographed, at least not in the same way that tai chi movements
are choreographed [5-15]. It is not a martial art per se, but is a subset
of tai chi. All tai chi incorporates qigong, but not all qigong is tai chi.
One common feature of tai chi and qigong is that they both awaken
and strengthen the body’s immune system, making the body more resistant
to disease [16,17]. TCM focuses more on prevention than cure,
and tai chi and qigong are both examples of this approach.
Ba Duan Jin is one of the most popular qigong sets, not only for
medical studies [18-38] but also among tai chi and qigong students
[39]. It is relatively easy to perform, much easier than tai chi. Other
popular qigong sets include Yi Jin Jing [40,41] Liu Zi Jue [42], Wu Qin
Xi [43], Da Wu [44], Shi Er Duan Jin [45], Daoyin Yangsheng Gong Shi
Er Fa [46], and Mawanhdui Daoyin Shu [47]. Many studies in recent
years have been conducted that use either tai chi or qigong techniques
to treat a wide range of ailments [48-69]. The purpose of the present
paper is to summarize some studies that have been conducted using
either tai chi or qigong to treat survivors of breast cancer.
The Studies
Tao, et al. [70] Conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the effects of
acupuncture, Tuina, Tai Chi, Qigong, and Traditional Chinese Medicine
Five-Element Music Therapy (TCM-FEMT) on quality of life (QOL) and
various symptoms of cancer patients. They identified 67 RCTs totaling
5465 patients. Their tentative conclusion was that tai chi and qigong
had no effect on QOL of breast cancer survivors, but that tai chi
improved vital capacity of breast cancer patients. Zhang, et al. [71]
conducted a bibliometric study that summarized the volume, breadth
and evidence for clinical research on qigong. Their study examined
886 clinical studies conducted in 14 countries on 15 diseases/conditions,
including breast cancer. They found that 97% of the studies found better results from practicing qigong. The most frequently used qigong exercises were Ba Duan Jin (492 studies; 55.5%), followed by
Health Qigong (107 studies; 12.1%), Dao Yin Shu (85 studies; 9.6%)
Wu Qin Xi (67 studies; 7.6%) and Yi Jin Jing (66 studies; 7.4%). Pan,
et al. [72] examined the results of nine RCTs that included 322 breast
cancer patients. They found that the practice of tai chi significantly
improved handgrip dynamometer strength and limb elbow flexion,
but that no significant improvements were found for pain, interleukin-
6, insulin-like growth factor, BMI, physical well-being, social or
emotional well-being, or general health-related quality of life.
Luo, et al. [73] conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis
to evaluate the effect of tai chi on breast cancer patients that included
15 articles totaling 885 breast cancer patients. They compared tai chi
with nonexercise therapies and concluded that:
• Tai chi had a significant effect on quality of life (p = 0.001).
• Tai chi had beneficial effects in 12 weeks (p = 0.0003) and
25 weeks (p = 0.002) for subgroups.
Meta-analysis of secondary outcomes found that:
• Three weeks of tai chi increased shoulder function (p =
0.008),
• Twelve weeks of tai chi improved pain (p = 0.007), shoulder
function (p = 0.004), arm strength (p = 0.0004), and anxiety (p =
0.001).
Ni, et al. [74] conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis
of 22 RCTs in order to assess the effects of tai chi on quality of life
of breast cancer survivors. They found that tai chi improved physical
and mental health, quality of life, and improved limb/muscular function.
It also reduced the levels of cortisol, alleviated CRF and promoted
sleep. Gao, et al. [75] investigated the effects of a mobile tai chi app
and Facebook program on stress and quality of life. The study was a
remote, 12-week two-arm parallel randomized control trial involving
35 female breast cancer survivors. Participants used the app to practice
tai chi three times a day for at least five days per week. They also
received Facebook health tips. The study found that those who did
the tai chi exercises improved both mental and physical health significantly
compared to the control group. Meng, et al. [76] reviewed
17 trials that included 1236 cases of female breast cancer survivors.
They found that the practice of qigong resulted in significant improvement
in the quality of life (p = 0.002), depression (P = 0.02) and anxiety
(p = 0.02) but not fatigue (p = 0.11) or sleep disturbance relief (p
= 0.73) compared to the control group.
It is becoming increasingly clear with each passing year that tai
chi and qigong have something to offer to the Western medical community
as more studies find that they can be used to treat a wide
range of ailments. They are very cost effective as well. What may be a
problem, especially in smaller communities, is finding tai chi and qigong
practitioners who can assist the medical community in offering
these techniques to patients.
Johnson Jerry Alan (2005) Chinese Medical Qigong Therapy, Vol. 1: Energetic Anatomy and Physiology. Pacific Grove, CA: International Institute of Medical Qigong.
Johnson Jerry Alan (2005) Chinese Medical Qigong Therapy, Vol. 2: Pacific Grove, CA: International Institute of Medical Qigong.
Johnson Jerry Alan (2002) Chinese Medical Qigong Therapy, Vol. 3: Pacific Grove, CA: International Institute of Medical Qigong.
Johnson Jerry Alan (2002) Chinese Medical Qigong Therapy, Vol. 4: Prescription Exercises and Meditations, Treatment of Internal Diseases, Pediatrics, Geriatrics, Gynecology, Neurology, and Energetic Psychology. Pacific Grove, CA: International Institute of Medical Qigong.
Johnson, Jerry Alan (2005) Chinese Medical Qigong Therapy, Vol. 5: An Energetic Approach to Oncology. Pacific Grove, CA: International Institute of Medical Qigong.
Qigong and Energy Medicine Database.
The Qigong Research Society.
Jahnke, Roger (1997) The Healer Within. San Francisco: Harper.
Jahnke, Roger (2002) The Healing Promise of Qi. New York: Contemporary Books, a division of McGraw-Hill.
ISSN: 2574 -1241
Abstract
PDF
