The Effects of Yoga Exercise on Blood Pressure and Hand Grip Strength in Chronic Stroke Patients: A Pilot Controlled Study

Abstract

Background: We investigated the beneficial effect of add-on yoga with rehabilitation on blood pressure (BP) and hand grip strength in patients with chronic stroke (more than 90 days). Methods: The study included patients 30–80 years of age who could stand independently for 1 min. Patients with psychiatric diseases or undergoing other therapies (like acupuncture) were excluded. The yoga group received training (1 h session twice weekly) with standard rehabilitation for 8 weeks. The control group received standard rehabilitation only. There were no differences in age, gender, hand grip strength, or BP between the two groups (16 subjects in each group) at baseline. Results: The systolic BP (p = 0.01) decreased significantly, and the diastolic BP also decreased but not significantly in the yoga group (p = 0.11). For hand grip strength, both the unaffected hand (p = 0.00025) and the affected hand (p = 0.027) improved significantly. The control group showed no significant change in systolic or diastolic BP, nor did the grip strength change in both hands. Gender and age also affected the results of overall rehabilitation in that women benefited more from a decrease in BP, while men and young people (lower than the mean age of 60) benefited from hand grip strength improvement. Conclusions: Combining yoga with rehabilitation in chronic stroke patients can improve hand grip strength and decrease systolic BP.

Effect of Yoga Therapy on Insomnia Severity and Systolic Blood Pressure in Aged Women: A 12-Week Intervention Study Conducted in Kerala

“…The decreases observed in SBP after the yoga therapy intervention align with prior research emphasizing the potential blood pressure-lowering effects of yoga [ 14 , 15 ]. Studies have demonstrated that yoga practices, including pranayama (breathing exercises) and meditation, can trigger relaxation responses, decrease activity in the sympathetic nervous system, and enhance endothelial function.…”

“…Studies have demonstrated that yoga practices, including pranayama (breathing exercises) and meditation, can trigger relaxation responses, decrease activity in the sympathetic nervous system, and enhance endothelial function. These factors collectively contribute to the reduction of blood pressure levels [ 8 , 14 ]. Given the strong association between insomnia and hypertension in older adults [ 4 ], the simultaneous improvement in both measures points to yoga therapy's beneficial effects on older women's sleep and cardiovascular health.…”

“…14 (46.7%) lived without one. Economically, the group exhibited a diverse distribution, with 10 (33.3%) categorized as low class, 18 (60%) as middle class, and a smaller two (6.7%) classified as high class.…”

Effect of Yoga Implementation on Degenerative Disease Risk: Systematic Literature Review

“…This study shows that yoga increases the oxygen content in the blood and may increase brain activity and improve cognitive abilities, so it can be said that early yoga intervention in stroke sufferers will improve cognitive abilities. Lai et al (2023), combining yoga with rehabilitation in chronic stroke patients, has the potential to increase hand grip strength and lower blood pressure. Gender and age can also affect the outcome of rehabilitation.…”