Tai Chi exercise improved recovery outcomes for older stroke survivors-ScienceDaily

The American Heart Association / American Stroke Association guidelines for early management of patients with acute ischemic stroke recommend that stroke rehabilitation be initiated within 7 days of stroke and continued for up to 6 months. However, many survivors opt out of rehabilitation therapy because they lack physical stability or are unable to use their arms adequately. The association also stated in a scientific statement on physical activity and exercise recommendations for stroke survivors that flexibility and strength training, including yoga and tai chi, benefits stroke survivors in improving balance, quality of life and mental health. It states that it has been reported to be. Reduces the risk of falls.

Tai Chi, a traditional Chinese martial art, consists of a series of slow, careful movements and deep breathing of the hands, arms, neck, legs and core. The novelty of this study is that researchers have a sitting routine of tai chi exercise for people who have had a recent ischemic stroke (blockage of blood vessels to the brain) and experienced weakness or partial paralysis of the hands and arms. Is the development of.

“Taijiquan has a long history of exercise in China. We have revised the Taijiquan movement for people with weakness and partial quadriplegia. Participants have one with the help of a healthy arm. It is tuned to allow you to move your arms, “said Dr. Jie Zhao, Principal Research Author and Lecturer at Yunnan Traditional Chinese Medical University in Yunnan, China.

This study was conducted at two traditional Chinese medicine hospitals in Kunming, China. The researchers found 160 adults (mean age 63 years, 81 men, 79 women) who had the first ischemic stroke within 6 months of participating in the study and maintained the use of at least one arm. We recruited. Half of the study participants were randomly assigned to a sitting tai chi program, and the other half were standard stroke rehabilitation exercise programs (hospital-recommended upper limb movements, volume, implementation strategies, caregiver responsibilities). Was part of the control group who practiced. It was similar to the Tai Chi group).

Participants in the sitting Tai Chi group received a week of individual training from a Tai Chi instructor during hospitalization and a self-guided video to practice at home 3 days a week for 11 weeks. The control group received a standard exercise self-guided exercise video for practicing at home for 12 weeks. Family members and caregivers oversaw the home movements of both research groups. 69 people in the sitting Tai Chi group and 65 people in the control group completed the 12-week program and 4-week follow-up. Physical function and psychological status were measured at the beginning of the study and four more times during the 16-week program for all study participants via questionnaires and evaluation tools, and the results of the two groups were compared.

Researchers analyzed the questionnaire and evaluation tools and found that:

• People in the sitting tai chi group had better control of hand and arm function and sitting balance than people in the standard stroke rehabilitation group.
• Participants in the sitting tai chi group had significantly reduced symptoms of depression, improved shoulder range of motion, and significantly improved activities of daily living and quality of life compared to the control group. ..
• More than half of the Tai Chi group continued to practice after 12 weeks of intervention. Improvements in these measures continued during the 4-week follow-up period of the Tai Chi Group.

“Taijiquan is very convenient because you can practice it in a chair or wheelchair and at home. It costs little to practice the program and requires no special equipment or travel time,” Zhao said.

This was the first randomized controlled trial focused on a modified sitting tai chi routine and improved in groups who may have difficulty adhering to a standard stroke rehabilitation exercise program. I found a short-term outcome. The results show that this mental and physical exercise is an effective option for increasing balance, coordination, strength and flexibility, especially for stroke survivors with hand and arm weakness or partial paralysis. I am.

“My follow-up measures the long-term effects of sitting in Tai Chi,” Zhao said. “People will need to stick to the Tai Chi exercise that sits for more than 12 weeks to get a beneficial long-term effect.”

One of the limitations is that the survey was conducted only at two centers. In addition, the center’s doctors and medical professionals are trained in traditional herbal medicine and support research, so the results represent rehabilitation available to stroke survivors being treated at other hospitals. May not be.

According to the American Heart Association, stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States and the leading cause of long-term disability.

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