Yoga in stroke rehabilitation: a systematic review and results of a pilot study.
OBJECTIVE
This article presents a systematic review of the literature pertaining to the use of yoga in stroke rehabilitation. In addition, we present the results of a small pilot study designed to explore the hypothesis that a Kundalini yoga practice of 12 weeks would lead to an improvement in aphasia as well as in fine motor coordination in stroke patients.


METHODS
The 3 participants attended yoga classes twice a week for 12 weeks, before and after which they were tested on the O'Connor Tweezer Dexterity test, a timed test where the participant places pins in a Peg-Board with tweezers, and the Boston Aphasia Exam for speech.


RESULTS
All 3 participants showed improvement on both measures.


CONCLUSIONS
The small sample size makes it impossible to draw definite conclusions, but the positive trends in this study suggest that further research should be done to examine the effects of Kundalini yoga on specific illnesses or medical conditions.
Lynton
Holly
H
Continuum Center for Health and Healing, New York, New York, USA.
Kligler
Benjamin
B
Shiflett
Samuel
S
D000368:Aged; D001037:Aphasia / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009048:Motor Skills; D010865:Pilot Projects; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015013:Yoga