Comparison of Wuqinxi Qigong with Stretching on Single- and Dual-Task Gait, Motor Symptoms and Quality of Life in Parkinson’s Disease: A Preliminary Randomized Control Study

Zhenlan Li, Tian Wang, Mengyue Shen, Tao Song, Jie He, Wei Guo, Zhen Wang and Jie Zhuang
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Zhenlan Li: School of Sport Science, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai 200438, China
Tian Wang: School of Sport Science, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai 200438, China
Mengyue Shen: School of Martial Arts, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai 200438, China
Tao Song: School of Sport Science, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai 200438, China
Jie He: School of Sport Science, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai 200438, China
Wei Guo: School of Martial Arts, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai 200438, China
Zhen Wang: School of Martial Arts, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai 200438, China
Jie Zhuang: School of Sport Science, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai 200438, China

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 13, 1-12

Abstract: The objective of this study was to investigate the therapeutic effect of Wuqinxi Qigong vs. stretching on single- and dual-task gait, motor symptoms, and quality of life in people with mild and moderate Parkinson’s disease (PD). This single-blind, randomized control trial included 40 participants with idiopathic PD who were randomized into the Wuqinxi Qigong (WQ) group or stretching group. Participants completed 12 weeks (two sessions/week) of intervention. The primary outcomes were gait parameters when performing single-task (comfortable pace) and dual-task (obstacle crossing, serial-3 subtraction and backward digit span) walking, including gait speed, stride length, and double support percentage. The secondary outcomes were ratings from the Movement Disorder Society Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS), results of the timed-up-and-go test (TUGT), results of the Mini-Balance Evaluation Systems Test (MiniBESTest), and responses from the 39-item Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39). All measures were assessed pre- and post-intervention. The WQ group demonstrated increased gait speed ( p = 0.000) during the single task, and increased stride length ( p = 0.001, p = 0.021) during the single-task and serial-3 subtraction task. Double support percentage significantly decreased ( p = 0.004) in the WQ group during the obstacle crossing task, and also decreased ( p = 0.045) in the stretching group during the single-task. TUGT ( p = 0.005), MiniBESTest ( p = 0.023) and PDQ-39 ( p = 0.043) in the WQ group significantly improved, and both groups showed significant improvement in MDS-UPDRS after intervention. Wuqinxi Qigong is an effective method to improve single- and dual-task gait. While both exercises improve motor symptoms, Wuqinxi Qigong results in better mobility, balance and quality of life compared to stretching alone.

Keywords: Wuqinxi Qigong; stretching; dual-task gait; motor symptoms; Parkinson’s disease (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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