title: Qigong training and effects on stress, neck-shoulder pain and life quality in a computerised office environment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Qigong is a Chinese health promoting exercise with a rhythmic pattern of slow movements and breathing affecting the autonomous nervous system.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine the implementation of Qigong for half an hour daily in a computerised office, and to study effects on health state, general health, neck-shoulder and lumbar spine symptoms and stress after six weeks training
  
  
  METHODS
  A crossover intervention study with 37 employees randomised in two groups. A questionnaire was completed one week before starting study and every second week during the training period. After 6 weeks the first group stopped and the second group started the training.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a small significant improvement of neck pain and disability following therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Qigong training may reduce neck disability in office workers. A longer training period might be needed in further Qigong studies in healthy, normal populations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Sciences, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Uppsala University and University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden. leni.skoglund@akademiska.se
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Skoglund
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Josephson
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wahlstedt
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lampa
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Norbäck
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D001945:Breathing Exercises; D003201:Computers; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck; D019547:Neck Pain / Q000628:therapy*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012782:Shoulder; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000628:therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires