Yoga as an Integrated Therapy for Stroke Rehabilitation – A Case Study

Abstract

Background and Purpose: A stroke (cerebrovascular accident) is damage to the brain cells from an interruption of their blood supply due to blockage or rupture of an artery to the brain. It is the second-leading cause of death and long-term disability worldwide. The present study is a case report investigating the effect of yoga therapy in addition to acupressure and physiotherapy on activities of daily living and the quality of life of patients after stroke. Subject and method: It is a single case study of 38-year-old women diagnosed with acute ischemic stroke who have chief complaints of loss of function of the left upper and lower limbs, and hypertension. For better management of stroke and recovery, she was undergoing yoga, physiotherapy, and acupuncture treatment in the CAM department at DSVV. The primary outcome measures were activities of daily living by the Barthel index and quality of life by the stroke-specific quality of life scale. The subject received integrated treatment for 12 weeks consisting of 45-minute, 1-hour yoga sessions 6 days a week, regular physiotherapy in the subject’s home, and acupuncture every 2 weeks. The primary outcome data were collected before and after the treatment intervention phase. Result: The subject had improved Barthel’s activity and quality of life score. Discussion and Conclusion: The results suggest that yoga integrated with other complementary therapies may be beneficial to stroke survivors in rehabilitation.