Yoga led to significant improvements in balance, mobility, and self-reported occupational performance in adults with chronic brain injury. - GreenMedInfo Summary
Yoga improves balance, mobility, and perceived occupational performance in adults with chronic brain injury: A preliminary investigation.
Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2020 Apr 8 ;40:101172. Epub 2020 Apr 8. PMID: 32347208
J A Stephens
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: This was a preliminary investigation to investigate potential benefits of group yoga, as past work has indicated that one-on-one yoga can improve functional deficits in adults with brain injury.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Participants served as their own controls. Nine participants with chronic brain injury were recruited, and seven (four female) completed the study. Performance measures of balance and mobility and self-reported measures of balance confidence, pain, and occupational performance and satisfaction were used. Data were collected 3 times: baseline (study onset), pre-yoga (after an 8-week no-contact period), and post-yoga (after 8 weeks of yoga). Group yoga was led by a yoga instructor/occupational therapist, and sessions lasted 1 h and occurred twice a week.
RESULTS: No participants withdrew due to adverse effects from yoga. There were no significant changes between baseline and pre-yoga. Significant improvement was observed post-yoga in balance (p = 0.05), mobility (p = 0.03), and self-reported occupational performance (p = 0.04).
CONCLUSION: We observed significant improvements in balance, mobility, and self-reported occupational performance in adults with chronic brain injury.
