Most of the qigong forms come under the following categories:
Medical qigong
Martial qigong
Spiritual qigong
Intellectual qigong
Life nourishing qigong

Development of "health qigong"
In 1995, there was Qigong Talent Bank, an organization of Science Research of Chinese Qigong, functioning as network system of the senior Chinese qigong talents in China. In order to promote qigong exercises in a standardised and effective way with a scientific approach, The Chinese Health Qigong Association (CHQA) appointed panels of Qigong experts, Chinese medicine doctors and sport science professors from different hospitals, universities and qigong lineage across China to research and develop new sets of qigong exercises. In 2003 the CHQA officially promoted a new system called "health qigong", which consisted of four newly developed health qigong forms:

Health Qigong Muscle-Tendon Change Classic (Health Qigong Yì Jīn Jīng 易筋經). Health Qigong Five Animals Frolics (Health qigong Wu Qin Xi 五禽戲). Health Qigong Six Healing Sounds (Health Qigong Liu Zi Jue 六字訣). Health Qigong Eight Pieces of Brocade (Health Qigong Ba Duan Jin 八段錦).In 2010, the Chinese Health Qigong Association officially introduced five additional health qigong forms:
Health Qigong Tai Chi Yang Sheng Zhang (太極養生杖): a tai chi form from the stick tradition. Health Qigong Shi Er Duan Jin (十二段錦): seated exercises to strengthen the neck, shoulders, waist, and legs. Health Qigong Daoyin Yang Sheng Gong Shi Er Fa (導引養生功十二法): 12 routines from Daoyin tradition of guiding and pulling qi. Health Qigong Mawangdui Daoyin (馬王堆導引术): guiding qi along the meridians with synchronous movement and awareness.
Although some clinical trials support qigongs effectiveness in treating conditions diagnosed in Western medicine, the quality of these studies is mostly low and, overall, their results are mixed. Integrative, complementary, and alternative medicine
Integrative medicine (IM) refers to "the blending of conventional and complementary medicines and therapies with the aim of using the most appropriate of either or both modalities to care for the patient as a whole",: 455–456  whereas complementary is using a non-mainstream approach together with conventional medicine, while alternative is using a non-mainstream approach in place of conventional medicine. Qigong is used by integrative medicine practitioners to complement conventional medical treatment, based on complementary and alternative medicine interpretations of the effectiveness and safety of qigong. : 22278–22306

Scientific basis
Scientists interested in qigong have sought to describe or verify the effects of qigong, to explore mechanisms of effects, to form scientific theory with respect to qigong, and to identify appropriate research methodology for further study. : 81–89  In terms of traditional theory, the existence of qi has not been independently verified in an experimental setting. In any case, some researches have reported effects on pathophysiological parameters of biomedical interest. Practitioners, uses and cautions
Recreation and popular use
People practice qigong for many different reasons, including for recreation, exercise and relaxation, preventive medicine and self-healing, meditation and self-cultivation, and training for martial arts. Practitioners range from athletes to people with disabilities. Because it is low impact and can be done lying, sitting, or standing, qigong is accessible for people with disabilities, seniors, and people recovering from injuries.