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ElderlyExercisePainPain-NeckQigong

Qigong and exercise for neck pain in the elderly

JR

There were “no significant differences for pain, neck pain, disability, and quality of life,” according to researchers at Charité University Medical Center in Berlin, Germany.

First, the details.

  • 117 elderly patients with chronic neck pain (average duration 19 years) were randomly assigned to treatment.
    • Qigong (24 sessions over 3 months)
    • Exercise (24 sessions over 3 months)
    • Waiting list control
  • Patients completed standardized questionnaires at the start of the study and after 3 and 6 months.

And, the results.

  • After 3 months, there were no differences in neck pain and disability between any of the groups.
  • No differences after 6 months between groups.

The bottom line?
The authors concluded, “Further studies should include outcomes more suitable to elderly patients, longer treatment, and patients with less chronic pain.”

2/24/09 19:53 JR

Hi, I’m JR

John Russo, Jr., PharmD, is president of The MedCom Resource, Inc. Previously, he was senior vice president of medical communications at www.Vicus.com, a complementary and alternative medicine website.

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