The Effect of Baduanjin Qigong on Impact of Disease and Sleep Quality in Elderly Fibromyalgia Patients

Fibromyalgia is marked by widespread chronic pain, fatigue, and disrupted sleep, significantly impacting quality of life. This study aimed to explore the effect of Baduanjin Qigong (BQ) on impact of the disease and quality of sleep in elderly patients with fibromyalgia.

The study employed a semi-experimental design. A total of thirty-four elderly female patients with fibromyalgia were recruited through convenience sampling and allocated into two intervention groups: BQ group (n = 17) and a walking group (n = 17). The BQ protocol was conducted for 12 weeks, with sessions held three times a week. The walking group participated in a 12 week fitness walking program. Impact of the disease and quality of sleep were assessed at baseline and after 12 weeks using The Revised Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQR) and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Data were analyzed using paired t-test and independent t-test.

The significant improvements were observed in PSQI total (t (16) = 3.65, p = 0.002), FIQR (t (16) = 3.76, p = 0.002), FIQR function (t (16) = 2.16, p = 0.04), FIQR symptoms (t (16) = 2.957, p = 0.009) in BQ group. There was a significant difference between the average post-test data of the walking group and BQ group in daytime dysfunction, with the BQ group performing better than the walking group (p ≤ 0.05).

BQ significantly improves fibromyalgia impact and sleep quality in elderly patients and reduces daytime dysfunction more effectively than walking. However, it is not superior to walking in other aspects of disease impact and sleep quality enhancement.