Will qigong help with knee osteoarthritis?

There is only a small amount of research on qigong’s effect on knee osteoarthritis.

• A 2020 review looked at 7 studies (424 total participants), but only 3 of the studies were adequately designed. The review found that qigong improved pain, stiffness, and physical function more than a waiting list control or a health education intervention. Because the evidence was weak, however, the authors said that qigong cannot be recommended until more high-quality studies are done.
• Clinical practice guidelines published in 2017 by the Ottawa Panel (an international group of researcher methods experts who develop evidence-based clinical practice guidelines) recommend using a tai chi qigong program for improving quality of life in people with knee osteoarthritis. The program includes 60-minute classes twice a week for 8 weeks. The guideline authors, however, based their recommendation on only one small high-quality study. They said that more evidence is needed to make stronger recommendations. The guideline authors suggested that the tai chi qigong program might also be beneficial for pain relief and improving physical function.