Evidence mapPaperPMID 39994723Full record

SynthesisJournal of orthopaedic surgery and research2025

Effect of qigong on pain and disability in patients with chronic non-specific low back pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Donghui Yu, Minmin Wu, Jiongliang Zhang, Wenjing Song, Luwen Zhu

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Donghui YuHeilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China.
Minmin WuHeilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China.
Jiongliang ZhangHeilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China.
Wenjing SongHeilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China.
Luwen ZhuThe Second Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China. zhuluwen1983@126.com.

Funding

National Key Research and Development Program of China 2023YFC3603902
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundChronic non-specific low back pain (CNLBP) is a common health problem worldwide. Patients with CNLBP often suffer from persistent pain, with a few being disabled by their pain, affecting their daily functioning and social participation. This study aims to systematically evaluate the effects of pain and dysfunction in Qigong patients with chronic non-specific back pain through systematic evaluation and gathered analysis of random control test data.

methodsWe searched nine databases from their inception dates until April 2024. Relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included. Patients were assessed for pain using the Visual Analog Scale and Numeric Pain Rating Scale and for disability using the Oswestry Disability Index and Roland-Morris disability questionnaire. The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration tool. CMA V3.0 was used to analyze data.

resultsSixteen RCTs involving 1175 participants were included. These studies have different designs, and the participants are mainly around 60 years old. The results showed that the qigong practice improved pain significantly more than the control measures ([Mean Difference MD] = - 1.34, 95% confidence intervals [CI] - 1.76 to - 0.92, p < 0.001 Minimal Clinically Important Differences MCID = 1.5), and the efficacy of short-term interventions (MD = - 1.88, 95% CI - 2.87 to - 0.9, p < 0.001) was superior to that of long-term interventions (MD = - 1.07, 95% CI - 1.49 to - 0.65, p < 0.001). For improvement in the degree of dysfunction, qigong practice showed a higher effect size (MD = - 5.88, 95% CI - 7.98 to - 3.78, p < 0.001 MCID = 5) than that observed in the control group.

conclusionQigong practice is effective in improving disability in patients with CNLBP, but has no significant effect on improving pain. However, due to the high heterogeneity, the results need to be interpreted with caution.

Indexed as

Chronic PainLow Back PainQigongDisability EvaluationFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPain MeasurementRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicTreatment OutcomeChronic non-specific low back painMeta-analysisQigongRehabilitation

Identifiers

PMID39994723
PMCPMC11849339

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.