A team from Hong Kong has found that a four-month programme of qigong exercise helped ease symptoms and improve biological markers of disease-related stress in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).

Taking part in a programme of qigong exercise may be beneficial for people with type-2 diabetes, according to an RCT carried out in Australia.

Practising qigong may protect elite swimmers from upper respiratory tract infections (URIs), US researchers have found.

People who practice qigong report improved health-related quality of life compared with non-practitioners, according to a study from Taiwan.

An Australian team has found that taking part in a qigong exercise programme has multiple health benefits for cancer patients.

The findings of a Chinese study suggest that qigong exercise may help improve blood pressure in elderly wheelchair-bound adults.

Qigong lessons for children offer a possible way to improve wellbeing at school, according to research carried out in Sweden.

A German team has compared qigong and exercise therapy in patients with chronic neck pain.

German researchers report that qigong training could be a useful adjunctive therapy for patients with tinnitus.

External qigong treatment (EQT) can significantly reduce subjective feelings of pain in patients suffering from a variety of chronic pain conditions.

A Canadian study has provided evidence that qigong meditation has a significant effect on the activation of the brain’s prefrontal cortex.

A small pilot study from the USA suggests that qigong meditation can contribute positively to addiction treatment outcomes, with results at least as good as those of an established stress management program.

An American study has found that 12 weeks of qigong therapy resulted in significant reductions in fasting glucose levels in patients with type two diabetes.

A study has investigated the effects of qigong on stress among computer operators.

A study carried out at the Changzhou Drug Treatment Centre in China by Prof. Kevin Chen (of the University of Medicine & Dentistry, Newark, New Jersey) and two Chinese colleagues, has examined the potential benefit of qigong in heroin addiction.

Qigong and exercise therapy are both effective at reducing chronic neck pain.

Qigong training can increase the exercise capacity of patients with cardiac impairment.

Functional changes relating to pain processing occur in the brain during the practice of qigong.

Researchers in the USA have found that a combination of tai chi and qigong (TQ) can enhance older adults' immune responses to the flu vaccine.

The mechanisms by which tai chi can improve balance were investigated in a randomised controlled trial of 49 healthy older adults.

A 12-week programme of tai chi and qigong prompted a significant fall in blood glucose levels and significant improvements in other indicators of metabolic syndrome in 11 middle-aged to older adults.

A study from Sweden has investigated whether self-determined motivation and perceived stress are related to concentration during qigong exercise, and to the amount of exercise carried out.

Forty-one regular qigong practitioners engaged in either 30 or 60 minutes of qigong exercise within a randomised cross-over design.

A small American study has investigated the effectiveness of a qigong training program in reducing stress in hospital staff.

Spanish scientists have assessed the effects of qigong practice on serum cytokines, mood and subjective sleep quality.

An Iranian team has analysed the effects of a qigong program on various saliva parameters, including volume, pH and secretory immunoglobulin A (S-IgA) levels.

A randomised pilot study has found that eight weeks of qigong improved self-esteem and mood in individuals with traumatic brain injury compared with controls.

A randomised pilot study has examined the effects of qigong on individuals with traumatic brain injury. Twenty individuals with traumatic brain injury attended either a qigong exercise session or a non-exercise-based leisure activity, for one hour per week over eight weeks.

Brain scans of meditators show that the effects of long-term meditation practice are carried over into non-meditating states.

Hong Kong investigators have attempted to unravel the clinical benefits and underlying psychophysiological mechanisms of qigong based on information from 26 published RCTs.

In Australia, a team investigating the use of medical qigong therapy (MQ) has found that it can improve cancer patients' quality of life (QOL).

A small, uncontrolled UK pilot study has found evidence of benefit for qigong in treating chronic fatigue.

Forty-four elderly subjects (mean age 69) with knee osteoarthritis were randomised to an eight-week tai chi qigong training programme or a waiting list control group.

An American study has found that 12 weeks of qigong therapy resulted in significant reductions in fasting glucose levels in patients with type two diabetes.

A three-month programme of simplified (13-form) taichi qigong (two x sixty minute sessions a week) was found to be superior to both an exercise group (walking plus breathing techniques) and a control group (usual activities) in improving symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

American authors have carried out a comprehensive review of the health benefits of qigong and tai chi.

A pilot study funded by the Diabetes Australia Research Trust and carried out by a team from the University of Queensland has indicated that qigong and tai chi exercises can significantly improve several markers of metabolic syndrome.