Published on February 23, 2016
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| Yoga |
A research team, led
by an IU School of Health and Rehabilitation faculty member at Indiana
University-Purdue University Indianapolis, has determined that adapted yoga is
both feasible and beneficial for adults with stroke or traumatic brain injury.
Subjects in a
recently published study of adults with traumatic brain injury demonstrated
improved balance, flexibility, strength, endurance and walking speed after
participation in adapted yoga.
The study underscores
the belief that adapted yoga may offer additional benefits beyond those offered
by traditional exercise for patients who have suffered a brain injury. This
additional benefit is thought to be due to the integration of mind, body and
spirit, which is an inherent part of yoga practice.
"This is
potentially of great importance because of the mind/body disconnect that is
common after a traumatic brain injury," the researchers concluded.
Annually, more than
1.7 million Americans sustain a brain injury, leaving millions of people living
with post-traumatic brain injury residual disabilities.
With the number of
rehabilitation sessions limited for most patients after a brain injury, adapted
yoga as a post-rehabilitation activity is particularly well-suited for patients
who are on the road to recovery but not functioning well enough to exercise at
a gym, said Kristine Miller, assistant professor in the School of Health and
Rehabilitation Sciences' Department of Physical Therapy.
"Therapeutic
yoga is one option we've latched onto to see if it can help fill that
gap," Miller said. "One of the things about yoga that is different
from traditional rehabilitation exercises is that it is more whole-body
focused. It helps people learn to take their nervous systems to a more calm and
relaxed state, which helps with healing."
The traumatic brain
injury study examined the impact of an eight-week yoga program delivered in a
one-to-one setting for three people. Among the results for the group, balance
increased by 36 percent, balance confidence by 39 percent, lower-extremity
strength by 100 percent and endurance by 105 percent.
After the program
ended, one of the participants said adapted yoga "rocked my world. It's
changed my life. I mean all the different aspects. I mean physically,
emotionally, mentally, it's given me my life back."
Adapted yoga is
developed with physical impairments in mind. Yoga movements, for example, may
be done from a sitting position, in either a wheelchair or a sturdy seat. As
the program advances, no one is asked to perform movements they are
uncomfortable with.
The results of the
traumatic brain injury study, plus the results of the team's previous work with
veterans and non-veterans with stroke, led the team to begin pilot testing the
adapted-yoga protocol in a community-based setting.
The team is currently
conducting the second phase of a feasibility study that began in 2014 to
determine whether a sustainable, community-based adapted-yoga program can be
implemented. The team has partnered with the YMCA of Madison County and is
currently testing the adapted-yoga protocol in adults with acquired brain
injury (stroke and traumatic brain injury) at the YMCA.
"We hope to
determine whether it is possible to translate the results of the previous
studies conducted in a controlled research environment into a sustainable
program in the community," Miller said. "If we accomplish that, our
long-term goal is to develop additional adapted programs for people with other
chronic disabilities."
Based on a
community-needs assessment, the research team believes that people with
multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease and chronic pain are among those who
could benefit from an adapted program structured to help them get started with
exercise that would provide similar benefits to those experienced by people with
strokes and traumatic brain injuries, including improving balance, flexibility,
strength, endurance and walking speed, Miller said.
Source:
Indiana University
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20160223/Adapted-yoga-feasible-beneficial-for-adults-with-stroke-or-traumatic-brain-injury.aspx
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