Authors: (including presenting author): :
NG YS(1), PUN TW1, LAU CMJ(2), YAU LY(1), MAK YM(1), NG HY(1), TSANG HL(1), YU KH(1), WONG MYA(1)
Affiliation: :
1 Occupational Therapy Department, Ruttonjee & Tang Shiu Kin Hospitals 2 Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Keyword 1: :
wellness program
Keyword 2: :
cumulative trauma disorders
Keyword 3: :
finger/hand osteoarthritis
Keyword 4: :
pain reduction
Introduction: :
Background & Service Gap Upper-limb cumulative trauma disorders (CTD) and finger/hand osteoarthritis (OA) represent a major chronic pain burden in Tang Shiu Kin Hospital Occupational Therapy Department. Local CDARS data (2022–2025) show an average of 570 new cases annually, accounting for 60–65% of all new upper-limb musculoskeletal referrals and 25–38% of the total new OT caseload. Despite this high volume, standard care remains limited to short-term (6-8 sessions), individual, impairment-focused hand therapy with minimal emphasis on whole-body movement, long-term exercise adherence, group psychosocial support, or mind–body approaches — creating a clear service gap.
Objectives: :
Objective This pilot study evaluated the feasibility, safety, and preliminary effectiveness of an 8-week group-based Baduanjin Qigong wellness program as a scalable, biopsychosocial, habit-forming intervention for patients with chronic (>3 months) upper-limb CTD or finger/hand OA.
Methodology: :
Methods A single-group pretest-posttest design was used. Fifty-two adults (mean age 64.5 ± 9.2 years, 82.7% female) with diagnoses such as carpal tunnel syndrome, tennis elbow, trigger finger, De Quervain’s tenosynovitis, or hand OA were recruited from the outpatient occupational therapy clinic. Participants reported chronic pain/numbness with functional and psychosocial impact and sedentary lifestyles. Exclusion criteria included acute flares, severe comorbidities, or major cognitive/physical limitations. The intervention comprised eight weekly 60-minute group sessions (8–10 participants) led by an occupational therapist, plus daily home practice supported by the HAGO mobile app. Each session included warm-up, the eight Baduanjin movements, breathing coordination, and meditative relaxation. Outcomes were assessed at baseline and week 8 using: Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for pain, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10), WHO-5 Well-being Index, and a 6-item program evaluation questionnaire (0–5 Likert). Paired t-tests were performed (SPSS v.28, p < 0.05).
Result & Outcome: :
Results Sixty-nine patients enrolled; 52 completed baseline and 35 completed post-intervention assessments. Mean attendance was 5.74 ± 2.1 sessions; 67.3% attended all eight sessions and 84.6% adhered to daily app practice. No adverse events occurred. Significant improvements were observed in: VAS pain: mean decrease 0.69 (95% CI 0.23–1.14, p = 0.004) GAD-7 anxiety: mean decrease 0.74 (p = 0.035) WHO-5 well-being: mean increase 10.91 (p < 0.001) PSS-10 stress showed no significant change (p = 0.41). Program evaluation scores ranged 4.2–4.6/5.0, indicating high acceptability and confidence in continued practice. Conclusion An 8-week group wellness program is safe, highly feasible, and yields clinically meaningful reductions in pain and anxiety while substantially improving well-being in patients with chronic upper-limb CTD/OA. The intervention successfully addresses an identified service gap and offers a low-cost, scalable model suitable for routine integration into occupational therapy services. A larger randomized controlled trial with long-term follow-up is warranted.
