TITLE:
Immediate and Long-Term Effects of Qigong on Cold Intolerance in Patients with Post-Poliomyelitis Syndrome
AUTHORS:
Paulo Eduardo Ramos, Gislaine Cristina Abe, Márcia Pradella-Hallinan, Abrahão Augusto Juviniano Quadros, Tan Tao, Acary Souza Bulle Oliveira
KEYWORDS:
Post-Poliomyelitis Syndrome, Qigong, Breathing Exercises, Public Health
JOURNAL NAME:
Health,
Vol.10 No.1,
January
4,
2018
ABSTRACT: Post-poliomyelitis syndrome (PPS) is a disorder in individuals who have had poliomyelitis, characterized by new muscle weakness and often associated with other symptoms, including cold intolerance (CI). Qigong is a Traditional Chinese Medicine technique to adjust energy and blood circulation. Objective: To verify the effects and late repercussions of Qigong on CI complaints in PPS patients. Methods: PPS patients (n = 22, 14 females, 8 males; ages 35 - 60) performed Qigong exercises in 40-minute sessions, three times per week, for three consecutive months. They were evaluated at baseline, the end of treatment and every three months for a year using a visual analogue scale adapted for CI (VAS-cold). Results: The systemic VAS-cold scores exhibited significant differences between the baseline, the end of treatment and throughout 12 months of follow-up. Conclusion: The CI scores were low and bearable at the end of intervention and for the following 12 months without activity.