Effects of Dăoyĭn Qìgōng in postpolio syndrome patients with cold intolerance.

UNLABELLED Postpolio syndrome (PPS) is characterized by progressive muscle weakness due to former infection with poliomyelitis and can be associated with other symptoms such as cold intolerance (CI). Dăoyĭn Qìgōng (DQ) is a technique in Traditional Chinese Medicine that impacts the circulation of energy and blood. OBJECTIVE It was to verify the effects of DQ in PPS patients complaining of cold intolerance. METHODS Ten PPS patients were assessed using the visual analogue scale (VAS) adapted for CI before and after intervention with DQ; patients practiced it in a sitting position for 40 minutes, 3 times per week over 3 consecutive months. Patients were reassessed three months after ceasing DQ. RESULTS There was a statistically significant difference in local and systemic VAS-Cold both at the end of DQ training and three months past the end of this. CONCLUSION The DQ technique ameliorated CI complaints in patients with PPS.