Effects of Ping-Shuai-Gong and Arm-Swing-Exercise

National Cheng-Kung University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Effects of; Movement; Degeneration; Inactivity, Physical

Treatments: Behavioral: Low intensity exercise - Arm-Swing Exercise (ASE); Behavioral: Low intensity exercise - Ping-Shuai Gong (PSG)

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05343897

109-490

Details and patient eligibility

About

Ping Shuai Gong (PSG) and Arm Swing Exercise (ASE) are two similar exercise with different arm-swinging strategies. This study is plan to explore the relationship between characteristics of arm-swinging movement and skin blood flow during exercise.

Full description

With the development of an aging society, the health and social systems of the elderly population have become issues that cannot be ignored. Due to the features of low difficulty and small space requirements, Ping Shuai Gong (PSG) and Arm Swing Exercise (ASE) become very popular within the older population. These physical activities have been proved to show advancement in cardiovascular and physical functions. Hence, this study is design to explores the health effects of two different arm-swinging strategies, and to explore the relationship between characteristics of arm-swinging movement and skin blood flow during exercise.

40 elderly people over 60 years old who have no regular exercise habits were divided into PSG group and ASE group, and each group was given two months of exercise training (at least 24 times of exercise, 30 minutes totally within one day). PSG group was asked to perform PSG exercises (actions were synchronized with the hands raised to shoulder height and then swinging down and back, with two squatting movements at the fifth time). ASE group was asked to perform ASE exercises (actions were to raise both hands synchronously to a 30-degree bend and then 60-degree shoulder extension, and to control the stability of the upper body when swinging arms).

Evaluation procedures of the pretraining evaluation and post-training evaluation are exactly the same.

Enrollment: 40 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 60+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

age over 60 able to stand unassisted for at least 30 minutes able to understand and follow the instructions no good exercise habits (frequency > 3 times / wk.), intensity (rated perceived exertion > 12/20), time > 30 min.) for at least 3 months able to attend the experiment for 2 months

Exclusion criteria

uncontrolled cardiovascular disease severe arrhythmia peripheral artery disease respiratory system diseasehemodialysis patients unresolved upper or lower extremity injury

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

---

40 participants in 2 patient groups

2-month Ping-Shuai Gong (PSG) training

Experimental group

Description:

Ping-Shuai Gong (PSG) is pioneered by Qi Gong master, Li Feng-shan. It is featured in synchronous and rhythmic arm-swinging movement, with arms straightly forward flexing to shoulder level and backward extending repeatedly, and combined with lightly squat twice while arms swing to the fifth time and continue this cycle. They were asked to conduct and record 30 minutes of PSG in one day lasting for 2-month, and at least 3 days a week.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Low intensity exercise - Ping-Shuai Gong (PSG)

2-month Arm-Swing-Exercise (ASE) training

Active Comparator group

Description:

Participents in Arm-Swing-Exercise (ASE) group were instructed to keep whole upper limbs pronated, and maintain their trunk straight while movement. The movement is to swing bilateral arms forward to around 30 degree and backward to around 60 degree continuously. The participants need to stabilize their trunk, pelvic, and legs while bilateral arms swinging passing through the side of the trunk. The most significant difference from PSG group is the way they pull the arm, not just swing backward and downward. They were asked to conduct and record 30 minutes of ASE in one day lasting for 2-month, and at least 3 days a week.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Low intensity exercise - Arm-Swing Exercise (ASE)