Gentle movement may ease long COVID symptoms, early study hints
NCT ID NCT05675995
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tested whether qigong, a gentle practice of slow movements and meditation, could improve quality of life for people with Long COVID. Forty adults with symptoms lasting over 12 weeks attended six weekly group sessions. Researchers measured changes in physical and mental health before and after the program to see if it helped.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- qigong (a gentle mind-body practice combining movement and meditation)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a safe, low-cost way to ease Long COVID symptoms and improve daily life.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very small pilot study with only 40 people, no comparison group, and no long-term follow-up. Results may not apply to everyone with Long COVID.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
University of California Davis Health
Sacramento, California, 95817, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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- Could exercise retrain the heart in long COVID?
- Can brain games and gentle currents lift long COVID brain fog?
- Can brain training zap long COVID brain fog?
- Ear device zaps vagus nerve in bid to quiet long COVID fatigue and brain fog
- Smartphone therapy could ease long COVID's mental toll