"No Pain, More Gain": Subjective Responses to a T'ai Chi and Qigong Program For Back Pain

Low back pain is the leading cause of disability worldwide. Multidisciplinary approaches to chronic pain can support resilience in recovery of functioning. The ancient arts of t'ai chi and qigong have been touted for centuries as multimodal approaches to health and healing. An RCT of an on-line t'ai chi and qigong program for individuals with chronic low back pain found clinically significant improvements in pain, physical function, and quality of life. The program consisted of the integrated practice of t'ai chi movement and the stillness of qigong practice. Meditations in the program focused on developing positive mental attitudes to support resilience in managing the emotional challenges of pain and disease.

The purpose of the current qualitative study aimed to better understand participants' experiences during the online Heal and Strengthen the Spine with T'ai Chi and Qigong (HSSTQ) program.

Written feedback was received from 96 program participants, and semi-structured interviews were completed with 20 participants. Interviews were transcribed and coded based upon the written feedback and interview questions. A thematic narrative was developed from the coded segments of texts and reviewed by participants in a member check.

Three interlocking themes characterized the experiences of participants in the program: (1) participants learned skills to relieve back pain including moderation in movement; (2) the holistic nature of the program enabled a range of benefits for participants beyond pain reduction; and (3) personal healing experience, the enthusiasm of the instructor, the program itself, and available staff resources motivated individuals to participate.

The conclusion from this study and the initial RCT is that a virtually delivered integrated tai chi, qigong, and meditation program may be a viable treatment option for adults with low back pain.