Meditative Movement, Energetic, and Physical Analyses of Three Qigong Exercises: Unification of Eastern and Western Mechanistic Exercise Theory.


Author: Klein P1, Picard G2,3, Baumgarden J4, Schneider R5

Affiliation: <sup>1</sup>Physical Therapy Department, D'Youville College, Buffalo 14201, NY, USA. kleinqpj@gmail.com.

<sup>2</sup>Physical Therapy Department, D'Youville College, Buffalo 14201, NY, USA. george@georgepicard.com.

<sup>3</sup>Village of Healing and Wellness, St Catharines L2R 3L2, ON, Canada. george@georgepicard.com.

<sup>4</sup>Physical Therapy Department, D'Youville College, Buffalo 14201, NY, USA. jbaumgard2016@gmail.com.

<sup>5</sup>Village of Healing and Wellness, St Catharines L2R 3L2, ON, Canada. rschnei487@aol.com.
Conference/Journal: Medicines (Basel).
Date published: 2017 Sep 23
Other:
 Volume ID: 4   ,  Issue ID: 4   ,  Special Notes: doi: 10.3390/medicines4040069.   ,  Word Count: 207  
    Abstract: Qigong is the meditative movement and therapeutic exercise of Eastern medicine. A growing body of evidence is validating its health benefits leading to mechanistic questions of how it works. The purpose of this article is to explore mechanisms of action related to Qigong, with the intent of unifying Eastern and Western exercise theory and to present a model for Qigong exercise analysis. Three exercises from a standardized Qigong form: 'Plucking the Stars', 'Lotus Leaves Rustle in the Wind', and 'Pacing Forwards and Backwards' were selected for meditative, energetic, and physical analyses. Meditative aspects include relaxation response, interoception and exteroception. Energetic aspects include stimulation of meridians through mental intent, acupressure, and self-massage. Physical aspects include flexibility, strength, articular stimulation, neuro-integration, respiratory effect, fascial stretch, visceral massage, balance challenge CranioSacral pump, lymphatic and venous return and glandular stimulation, and physiologic response to relaxation. Knowledge of mechanisms of action for specific Qigong exercises can guide operational definition of Qigong, selection of outcomes assessment in future research, inform prescriptive practice addressing clinical health issues, and advance adoption of Qigong practice within integrative health care. The model of analysis demonstrated in this discussion may assist in these endeavors.



KEYWORDS: Exercise; Meditative Movement; Movement Analysis; Qigong; Tai Chi; Theory



PMID: 28946612  DOI: 10.3390/medicines4040069