The Effects of Baduanjin Qigong on Postural Stability, Proprioception, and Symptoms of Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis: A Randomized Controlled Trial Author: Ye J1,2, Simpson MW2, Liu Y3, Lin W4, Zhong W1, Cai S5,6, Zou L7 Affiliation: <sup>1</sup>Department of Rehabilitation Assessment, Rehabilitation Hospital Affiliated to Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China. <sup>2</sup>Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China. <sup>3</sup>Department of Kinesiology and Program in Neuroscience, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, IN, United States. <sup>4</sup>Academy of Integrative Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China. <sup>5</sup>Department of Orthopaedic Rehabilitation, Rehabilitation Hospital Affiliated to Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, China. <sup>6</sup>Fujian Provincial Rehabilitation Industrial Institution, Fuzhou, China. <sup>7</sup>Exercise and Mental Health Laboratory, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Cognitive Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China. Conference/Journal: Front Med (Lausanne). Date published: 2020 Jan 10 Other: Volume ID: 6 , Pages: 307 , Special Notes: doi: 10.3389/fmed.2019.00307. eCollection 2019. , Word Count: 246 Background: Knee osteoarthritis is a common disease affecting a large number of old individuals worldwide. This study aimed to explore the effects of Baduanjin Qigong in patients with knee osteoarthritis. Methods: Fifty participants with knee osteoarthritis were randomly assigned to either an experimental group (n = 25) or a control group (n = 25). Participants in the experimental group received Baduanjin Qigong training for 12 weeks, with three sessions per week lasting 40 min per session. Participants in the control group did not receive any additional physical training. All of participants completed outcome (proprioception, postural stability, and functional ability) assessments at three time points (baseline, Week 8, 12). Results: Proprioception and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index function were statistically improved at eighth and 12th week of the intervention in the Baduanjin Qigong group (p < 0.05), while the control group did not have any significant changes. For postural stability at the anterior-posterior direction with eyes closed, Baduanjin Qigong group showed significant improvement compared to controls after the 12 weeks of intervention (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Regular Baduanjin Qigong practice helped the improvement of knee joint proprioception and postural stability, and reduction of pain, stiffness, and functional impairments of old adults with knee osteoarthritis. Well-designed randomized controlled trials with long-term assessment are needed. The trial was registered in Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR-IOR-16010042). URL: http://www.chictr.org.cn/hvshowproject.aspx?id=10550. Copyright © 2020 Ye, Simpson, Liu, Lin, Zhong, Cai and Zou. KEYWORDS: Baduanjin; Qigong; exercise; mind-body exercise; osteoarthritis; postural stability; proprioception PMID: 31998728 PMCID: PMC6966958 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2019.00307