Scientists from the Chinese University of Hong Kong found that a tailored sitting tai chi program could benefit stroke survivors.
The research is published in Stroke and was conducted by Jie Zhao et al.
The initiation of exercise during rehabilitation at the early stage could provide stroke survivors with a method to recover.
Tai chi is a series of gentle physical exercises and stretches. Each posture flows into the next without pause, ensuring that the body is in constant motion.
It is sometimes described as meditation in motion and helps connect the mind and body.
In the current study, the team aimed to examine the effects of a tailored sitting Tai Chi program on recovery outcomes among subacute stroke survivors.
They conducted a 12-week study in China. 160 stroke survivors were recruited and assigned to either the sitting Tai Chi group or the attention control group.
The team examined the survivors’ arm function, sitting balance control, depressive symptoms, shoulder range of motion, shoulder pain, activities of daily living, and quality of life.
They found that the sitting Tai Chi group showed strong-arm function improvement in the performance time and functional ability. These participants also had better sitting balance control.
Compared with the control group, the Tai Chi group also showed fewer depressive symptoms, better shoulder extension, more activities of daily living, and higher quality of life.
These results support the effectiveness of a tailored sitting Tai Chi program in improving recovery in stroke survivors.
The study provides additional knowledge to support the clinical implementation of such a program.
Sign up for our newsletter for more information about this topic.
If you care about stroke, please read studies about what to eat for stroke prevention, and small surgery can prevent strokes in people with heart issues.
For more information about stroke, please see recent studies about drug combo that can cut risk of stroke and heart attack by half, and results showing drinking coffee this way may prevent heart disease, stroke.
