None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
Individuals with chronic post-stroke hemiparesis commonly face physical disability and some form of emotional or mood imbalance. Persisting physical and psychosocial disabilities could further worsen the individual’s condition due to reduced physical activity, leading to increased risk of fall and increased risk for chronic conditions. Yoga presents a novel means of addressing post-stroke disabilities since it has the potential to both enhance motor function and mood. An intervention program that includes meditation training may potentially lend to larger improvements in mood, which in turn, may further enhance motor function recovery of balance and gait. Thus, this research hopes to be able to provide evidence that participation in yoga and meditation program may be a cost-effective and low risk approach to addressing physical and emotional disabilities in stroke survivors.
Interventions
Yoga and meditation as an adjunct to stroke fitness rehabilitation. The yoga and meditation with exercise intervention group will participate for 8 weeks in an stroke exercise rehabilitation program (once a week) together with a yoga and meditation program (once a week).
The 8-week yoga and meditation program will consist of:
Eight once-a-week group classes of fully modified postures, breathing exercises and meditation practices based on the Satyananda Yoga system of practices. These practic
Yoga and meditation as an adjunct to stroke fitness rehabilitation. The yoga and meditation with exercise intervention group will participate for 8 weeks in an stroke exercise rehabilitation program (once a week) together with a yoga and meditation program (once a week). The 8-week yoga and meditation program will consist of: Eight once-a-week group classes of fully modified postures, breathing exercises and meditation practices based on the Satyananda Yoga system of practices. These practices will be fully adaptable for the individuals with stroke and various types of hemiparesis (eg. Upper body versus lower body). Classes will be held on the premises of the Centre for Physical Activity in Ageing (CPAA) at room C3. This will be held on a separate day from the stroke exercise rehabilitation, allowing for rest between the classes. Yoga and meditation group classes will be 90 minutes in duration: 5-10 minutes of education on yoga; 5 minutes of body awareness/settling in; 25 minutes of modified combination of seated, supine, supported standing asana (adapted exercises) and pranayama (gentle breathing) practices adapted for individual needs as necessary; 30 minutes of guided seated or supine meditation; 15 minutes of questions and sharing of experiences. Yoga instruction will be delivered by an accredited and insured yoga and meditation teacher, who will be under a casual contract, employed by University of South Australia (UniSA) for both the intervention and wait-listed control groups. Weili Chan, the principal investigator will be providing supervision of all yoga classes but will have no involvement in actual yoga instruction. Daily home practice based on written programs developed by Dr. Maarten Immink (University of South Australia, School of Health Sciences), who is an exercise physiologist and accredited yoga and meditation teacher. Yoga and meditation home practices will consists of 30 minutes of modified exercises, breathing practices and guided meditation based on printed and audio-recorded instructions.
Sponsors
National Stroke Foundation
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Blinded (masking used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
0 to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
Participants to have a minimum of 6 months elapsed time since stroke and able to ambulate either independently or with supervision with or without an assistive device. Inidividuals who have completed acute post-stroke rehabilitation at the Center for Physical Activity in Ageing (South Australia) are eligible to participate.
Exclusion criteria
Individuals will be excluded if they are unable to follow 2-step commands or are participating in another study or program involving exercise programs for balance improvement. Lastly, individuals who are involved in any form of structured exercise program other than the Center for Physical Activity in Ageing's stroke fitness rehabilitation program including Yoga and Tai Chi will be excluded.
Outcome results
None listed