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Effects of Baduanjin (八段锦) exercise on knee osteoarthritis: A one-year study

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Abstract

Objectives

Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a major cause of pain and functional limitation. Short-term Baduanjin (八段锦) exercise had been testified to be beneficial to the disease. This study conducted an initial assessment of the one-year Baduanjin exercise on knee OA.

Methods

The recruited patients practiced Baduanjin at the community recreational center. Sessions were held for 30 min five times a week for one year. Knee pain, stiffness, physical disability, general health, knee extensors and flexors strength, and aerobic ability were measured using the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 (SF-36), the 6-Minute Walk Test (6-MWT), and the Isokinetic Strength of the Knee Extensors and Flexors (ISKEF). Body mass index (BMI) was also calculated before and after the study period for comparison.

Results

Twenty-eight patients signed the informed consent. Six patients withdrew from the trial. Twenty-two patients (29 knees) completed the one-year study. After one-year Baduanjin exercise, WOMAC pain (132.0±69.6 vs. 56.2±67.6, P=0.000), stiffness (64.7±54.8 vs. 22.3±34.6, P=0.000), and physical function subscales (386.1±275.8 vs. 182.0±235.7, P=0.003); SF-36 body pain (45.7±20.0 vs. 57.4±17.9, P=0.005), general health (50.5±20.0 vs. 62.1±16.1, P=0.004), role emotional (64.4±26.1 vs. 73.5±21.3, P=0.047), and health transition (3.3±1.0 vs. 2.6±1.0, P=0.008); BMI (25.0±2.9 vs. 24.4±2.9, P=0.032); 6-MWT (565.7±94.6 vs. 610.5±66.7, P=0.036); and ISKEF Peak Torque (the Knee Extensors: 60.5±25.5 vs. 76.8±31, P=0.000; the Knee Flexors: 29.3±15.9 vs. 37.1±15.8, P=0.001) were significantly improved. No adverse effects resulted from the exercise.

Conclusions

It suggested that the long-term Baduanjin could be a feasible and safe exercise option for knee OA.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orthopaedic Implant, Department of Orthopaedics, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China

    Bing-chen An  (安丙辰), Xin Jiang  (姜 鑫), Hai-sheng Lu  (吕海生), Zhong-yi Fang  (方仲毅), You Wang  (王 友) & Ke-rong Dai  (戴尅戎)

  2. Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200127, China

    Ying Wang  (王 颖)

Authors
  1. Bing-chen An  (安丙辰)
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  2. Ying Wang  (王 颖)
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  3. Xin Jiang  (姜 鑫)
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  4. Hai-sheng Lu  (吕海生)
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  5. Zhong-yi Fang  (方仲毅)
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  6. You Wang  (王 友)
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  7. Ke-rong Dai  (戴尅戎)
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ke-rong Dai  (戴尅戎).

Additional information

Supported by the Key Disciplines of Shanghai Municipal Education Commission (No. J50206), Shanghai Municipal Health Bureau Foundation for Traditional Chinese Medicine (No. 2010L071A) and the Shanghai Key Project of Scientific and Technical Supporting Programs (No. 08411950400) and partially supported by the Wuliqiao Community

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An, Bc., Wang, Y., Jiang, X. et al. Effects of Baduanjin (八段锦) exercise on knee osteoarthritis: A one-year study. Chin. J. Integr. Med. 19, 143–148 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-012-1211-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-012-1211-y

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