What is Qigong?
Qigong, also known as chi gong, chi 'ung or qi kung, was developed in China thousands of years ago as part of traditional Chinese medicine. It involves using slow controlled martial arts style meditation exercises to optimize energy within the body, mind, and spirit, with the goal of improving and maintaining health and well-being. The style at Healthworks is designed for beginners and blends Tai qi [aka Tai Chi] exercises to get our patients moving, but gently!
Qigong has both psychological and physical components and involves the regulation of the mind, breath, and body’s movement and posture.
In most forms of qigong:
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Breath is slow, long, and deep. Breath patterns may switch from abdominal breathing to breathing combined with speech sounds.
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Movements are typically gentle and smooth, aimed for relaxation.
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Mind regulation includes focusing one’s attention and visualization.
Dynamic (active) qigong techniques primarily focus on body movements, especially movements of the whole body or arms and legs. Meditative (passive) qigong techniques can be practiced in any posture that can be maintained over time and involve breath and mind exercises, with almost no body movement.
Who can benefit from Qigong?
Qigong practice may be helpful for people with many conditions including those with pain, sleep, and physical and mental dysfunctions, depression, anxiety, lung function problems, shortness of breath, difficulty walking, balance problems, high blood pressure and conditions like Fibromyalgia , Parkinson’s, long Covid and COPD.
Is Qigong safe?
Qigong appears to be a safe form of activity. Many studies have indicated no negative side effects in people practicing qigong, including people with chronic diseases and older adults. A review of adults with neck pain included two studies that found that qigong and other exercise groups had similar side effects, which occurred in less than 10 percent of the adults and included muscle pain, soreness, and headache.