Study shows ancient movement reduces blood pressure

Fox 26 Houston reported within the last two days that a recent clinical trial found Baduanjin, a traditional Chinese movement practice, lowered blood pressure in adults practicing at home. The underlying study was published February 18, 2026, in the *Journal of the American College of Cardiology* and described the first large multicenter randomized trial of the exercise for blood pressure control. Researchers said the routine produced reductions comparable to brisk walking and similar in size to results reported in some first-line medication trials. ### What exactly is the “ancient movement” in this study? Baduanjin is a standardized eight-movement Chinese mind-body routine that combines slow movement, breathing and meditative focus, according to the American College of Cardiology. The practice has been used for centuries, typically takes 10 to 15 minutes, and requires no equipment. (fox26houston.com) The American College of Cardiology said Baduanjin is low- to moderate-intensity and is commonly practiced in community settings in China. That made it a practical candidate for a trial focused on whether people could keep up the routine outside a supervised gym setting. ### Who was studied, and how was the trial run? (acc.org) The BLESS trial enrolled 216 participants across seven communities in Beijing, China, according to the JACC study summary. Participants were age 40 or older and had systolic blood pressure of 130 to 139 mm Hg, a range the ACC summary linked to stage 1 hypertension under ACC/AHA guidance. (acc.org) Researchers randomly assigned participants to one of three groups for 52 weeks: Baduanjin, brisk walking, or self-directed exercise alone. The trial tracked changes in 24-hour systolic blood pressure at 12 weeks and 52 weeks. ### How much did blood pressure fall? Compared with self-directed exercise alone, participants practicing Baduanjin five days a week reduced 24-hour systolic blood pressure by about 3 mm Hg and office systolic blood pressure by about 5 mm Hg at both three months and one year, the American College of Cardiology said. (sciencedirect.com) At 52 weeks, the Baduanjin group showed results comparable to brisk walking. Jing Li, senior author of the study and director of the Department of Preventive Medicine at the National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases in Beijing, said in the ACC release that Baduanjin could serve as an “accessible and scalable” lifestyle intervention because of its simplicity and safety. That assessment was Li’s characterization of the findings, not a treatment recommendation for all patients. (acc.org) ### Does the study say this works like medication? The ACC release said the blood pressure reductions were “comparable to reductions seen with some first-line medications.” That statement refers to the size of the blood pressure change reported in the trial, not to a head-to-head drug comparison inside this study. (acc.org) Fox 26 Houston’s report also cautioned that patients should not replace prescribed care with the exercise routine alone. The trial tested Baduanjin as a lifestyle intervention, alongside comparison groups for walking and self-directed exercise, rather than as a substitute for physician-directed treatment. (acc.org) ### Why did researchers focus on doing it at home? The trial’s design addressed a practical problem in blood pressure care: people often struggle to maintain exercise programs that need equipment, dedicated space, memberships or close supervision. Baduanjin required minimal instruction and no equipment, which let researchers test whether benefits could hold up over time in ordinary settings. (fox26houston.com) The ACC said the blood pressure improvements appeared by 12 weeks and were sustained through one year, including without ongoing monitoring. That long follow-up was a central feature of the BLESS trial. ### Where can readers find the original study? The Journal of the American College of Cardiology published the paper, “Effect of Baduanjin on Blood Pressure Among Individuals With High-Normal Blood Pressure,” on February 18, 2026. (acc.org) Jing Li and Boxuan Pu were among the named researchers associated with the trial, and the American College of Cardiology posted a study summary the same day. (sciencedirect.com)