The effect of sitting baduanjin in patients with ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction after percutaneous coronary intervention: A quasi-experimental study

•Compared with the seven-step exercise, the sitting baduanjin combined with the seven-step exercise imparts cardiovascular and psychological rehabilitation.•To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to evaluate the autonomic neuromodulation ability of patients with AMI after the intervention of seated baduanjin by measuring HRV.•The application of sitting baduanjin in primary cardiac rehabilitation can significantly improve heart rate variability and cardiac autonomic nervous functions. Early cardiac rehabilitation plays a crucial role in the recovery of patients with ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI) following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). This study sought to determine the effect of a program of sitting Baduanjin exercises on early cardiac rehabilitation. The goal of this study was to investigate the effects of sitting Baduanjin exercises on cardiovascular and psychosocial functions in patients with STEMI following PCI. This quasi-experimental study employed a randomized, non-equivalent group design. Patients in the intervention group received daily sitting Baduanjin training in addition to a series of seven-step rehabilitation exercises, whereas those in the control group received only the seven-step rehabilitation training, twice daily. Differences in heart rate variability (HRV) indicators, exercise capacity (Six-Minute Walking Distance; 6-MWD), anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7; GAD-7), and depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9; PHQ-9) between the two study groups during hospitalization were analyzed. Patients in the intervention group exhibited lower rates of abnormalities in the time domain and frequency domain parameters of HRV. The median scores of GAD-7 and PHQ-9 in both groups were lower than those at the time of admission, with the intervention group exhibiting lower scores than the control group (P < 0.001; P < 0.001, respectively). The 6-MWD after the intervention was greater in the intervention group compared to the control group (P = 0.014). We found that sitting Baduanjin training has the potential to enhance HRV, cardiac function, and psychological well-being in patients with STEMI after PCI. This intervention can potentially improve the exercise capacity of a patient before discharge.