Long COVIDNCT05675995
Qigong for Post Acute Sequelae of COVID-19 Infection
A study testing Qigong in people with Long COVID, run by University of California, Davis at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The purpose of this study is to conduct a pilot feasibility study of a combination of external and internal qigong on health-related quality of life in individuals with prolonged symptoms following COVID-19 infection. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Long COVID
- What is being tested?
- Qigong
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 40 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 4 Jan 2023to 15 May 2024
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- English-speaking adults age 18 or greater
- History of a COVID-19 infection with lingering symptoms lasting longer than 12 weeks
- Willing and able to access the internet to complete questionnaires
- Willing and able to travel to the qigong sessions to participate in person in Sacramento, CA.
Who cannot join
- Lung scarring secondary to COVID-19 infection as evidenced by signs of parenchymal lung damage on imaging or FVC < 80% (any patient with post COVID-related shortness of breath must have PFTs to be considered for enrollment).
- Dementia
- Any other condition that makes it difficult for the individual to complete questionnaires or attend the qigong sessions.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
University of California Davis Health
Sacramento, California, 95817
About this study
The purpose of this study is to conduct a pilot feasibility study of a combination of external and internal qigong on health-related quality of life in individuals with prolonged symptoms following COVID-19 infection.
Read the detailed description
The purpose of this study is to determine whether a combination of external and internal qigong, a traditional Chinese medicine healing practice, improves quality of life and symptoms for individuals with prolonged symptoms following a COVID-19 infection (sometimes called "long COVID"). The study involves completing questionnaires and participating in 6 weekly in person small group qigong sessions with an experienced qigong practitioner.
Participants will be randomized to participate in either an immediate or waitlist control group that will receive the qigong sessions starting 8 weeks later. Participants will complete 3 sets of questionnaires, each about 8 weeks apart and an interview about their experiences with qigong after completing the 6 sessions.
- Conditions
- Long COVID
- Being tested
- Qigong
- Keywords
- Qigong
- Medical subject headings
- Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
QigongBehavioural
6 sessions of combined external and internal qigong delivered in a group-based format once a week.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Immediate | Experimental | Receives 6 sessions of qigong first. Receives: Behavioral: Qigong |
| Waitlist Control | Other | Receives 6 sessions of qigong after the immediate group Receives: Behavioral: Qigong |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Changes in physical and mental health
Changes in PROMIS-29 summary scores from before to after intervention in all participants
Measured: 8 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted9 Jan 2023
- Study start4 Jan 2023
- Primary completion15 May 2024
- Study completion15 May 2024
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Long COVIDStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by University of California, DavisThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- Randomized, waitlist controlled design
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 40 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of California, Davis
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Michelle Dossett, University of California, Davis
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05675995
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 1846783
- Status last verified
- Jul 2025
- First submitted
- 4 Jan 2023
- Last updated
- 13 Jan 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: Must submit written request and complete data sharing agreement.
Publications
Joy M, Adams N, Yanuck M, Dossett ML. Experiences with Qi and changes in post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) symptoms with qigong: a qualitative analysis of participants' experiences in a pilot clinical trial. BMC Complement Med Ther. 2025 Nov 28;25(1):434. doi: 10.1186/s12906-025-05161-w.
PubMed 41316170
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 13 Jan 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Qigong for Post Acute Sequelae of COVID-19 Infection
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05675995
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 1846783
- Conditions
- Long COVID
- Keywords
- Qigong
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 40 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- University of California, DavisUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 4 Jan 2023 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 15 May 2024 (actual)
- Study completion
- 15 May 2024 (actual)
- First posted
- 9 Jan 2023 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The purpose of this study is to conduct a pilot feasibility study of a combination of external and internal qigong on health-related quality of life in individuals with prolonged symptoms following COVID-19 infection.
Detailed description
The purpose of this study is to determine whether a combination of external and internal qigong, a traditional Chinese medicine healing practice, improves quality of life and symptoms for individuals with prolonged symptoms following a COVID-19 infection (sometimes called "long COVID"). The study involves completing questionnaires and participating in 6 weekly in person small group qigong sessions with an experienced qigong practitioner.
Participants will be randomized to participate in either an immediate or waitlist control group that will receive the qigong sessions starting 8 weeks later. Participants will complete 3 sets of questionnaires, each about 8 weeks apart and an interview about their experiences with qigong after completing the 6 sessions.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- Randomized, waitlist controlled design
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Immediate | Experimental | Behavioral: QigongReceives 6 sessions of qigong first. |
| Waitlist Control | Other | Behavioral: QigongReceives 6 sessions of qigong after the immediate group |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- English-speaking adults age 18 or greater
- History of a COVID-19 infection with lingering symptoms lasting longer than 12 weeks
- Willing and able to access the internet to complete questionnaires
- Willing and able to travel to the qigong sessions to participate in person in Sacramento, CA.
Key exclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Lung scarring secondary to COVID-19 infection as evidenced by signs of parenchymal lung damage on imaging or FVC < 80% (any patient with post COVID-related shortness of breath must have PFTs to be considered for enrollment).
- Dementia
- Any other condition that makes it difficult for the individual to complete questionnaires or attend the qigong sessions.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Qigong6 sessions of combined external and internal qigong delivered in a group-based format once a week. | Behavioural | Immediate, Waitlist Control |
Primary outcome
Changes in physical and mental health
Time frame: 8 weeks
Changes in PROMIS-29 summary scores from before to after intervention in all participants
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 13 Jan 2026.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 41316170Joy M, Adams N, Yanuck M, Dossett ML. Experiences with Qi and changes in post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) symptoms with qigong: a qualitative analysis of participants' experiences in a pilot clinical trial. BMC Complement Med Ther. 2025 Nov 28;25(1):434. doi: 10.1186/s12906-025-05161-w.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. Must submit written request and complete data sharing agreement.
Related trials for Long COVID
Not yet recruitingPhase 1
Phase I Open-Label Safety Trial of Pembrolizumab for Neurological Post- Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PD1-PASC I)
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Recruiting
Whole-body Cryotherapy in Those With Chronic Fatigue: A Feasibility Study
ME/CFS, Fibromyalgia (FM)
Not yet recruitingPhase 3
The Study of Brave-LC LDN Treatment Trial
Post-acute COVID-19 Syndrome
Active, not recruitingObservational study
Epigenetic Changes in Long COVID Patients
Long COVID-19 Syndrome, Long COVID Symptoms
Enrolling by invitationPhase 2
Immunotherapy for Neurological Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2
Systemic Inflammation, Neuroinflammation
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Qigong in people with Long COVID, run by University of California, Davis at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 3 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 13 Jan 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Changes in physical and mental health (time frame: 8 weeks). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT05675995, which also lists 1 linked publication.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 13 Jan 2026.