title: Qigong versus exercise therapy for chronic low back pain in adults--a randomized controlled non-inferiority trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The value of qigong in the treatment of chronic low back pain is unclear. In a randomized controlled trial, we evaluated whether qigong is non-inferior to exercise therapy in patients with chronic low back pain.
  
  
  METHODS
  German outpatients (aged 46.7 ± 10.4) with chronic low back pain [mean visual analogue scale (VAS), 53.9 ± 12.5 mm] were enrolled and randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio to receive either qigong (64 patients, 12 sessions with 1 × 90 min/week over 3 months) or exercise therapy (63 patients, 12 sessions 1 × 60 min/week). The primary outcome measure was the average pain intensity over the last 7 days on a VAS (0-100 mm, 0 = no pain, 100 = worst imaginable pain, non-inferiority margin = 5 mm) after 3 months. Follow-up was measured after 6 and 12 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean adjusted low back pain intensity after 3 months was 34.8 mm [95% confidence interval (CI) 29.5; 40.2] in the qigong group and 33.1 mm (95% CI 27.7; 38.4) in the exercise group. Non-inferiority of the qigong group compared with the exercise group failed to show statistical significance (p = 0.204). In both groups, 10 patients reported suspected adverse reactions (e.g., muscle soreness, dizziness, pain) the total number was comparable in both groups (qigong n = 40, exercise n = 44).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Qigong was not proven to be non-inferior to exercise therapy in the treatment of chronic low back pain. Its role in the prevention of chronic low back pain might be addressed in further studies.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Blödt
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pach
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kaster
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lüdtke
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Icke
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Reisshauer
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Witt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000628:therapy*; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D064906:Qigong; D016896:Treatment Outcome