Strengths and limitations
neuropathic pain, pain
SPONDYLOLISTHESIS, RECRUITMENT, CHRONIC DISEASES, REGRESSION, STENOSIS
In addition to recruiting PHC patients, it was decided to target PO and WLS patients with spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, or segmental pain. These diagnoses were chosen as they are associated with somewhat lower surgery satisfaction rates. One year postoperatively, unchanged or increased pain has been reported in 15–24% (back) and 13–23% (leg) [The present study was initiated in response to feedback from persons with neuropathic pain and chronic diseases who experienced symptomatic improvements and restoration of functions when training with the qigong school engaged in this study. Qigong’s potential effectiveness for structural diagnoses is still a rather new concept, with sparse evidence in the scientific literature. The results of the present study were in line with the preliminary hypotheses, with all validated outcome measures significantly improved in this rather small sample, strengthening the rationale for a future RCT.The study limitations are lack of control group and long-term follow-up, and relatively small sample size. The study did not control for unspecific effects such as Hawthorne, placebo, and regression towards the mean. Also, sample heterogeneity is a limitation. However, our largest recruitment subgroup (PO patients) is generally expected to have more difficulty improving through training, but showed similar improvements to the whole study group. Additionally, as the GQ was developed for this study and is not validated, we suggest that its findings be interpreted with caution as well as the power calculations.