Yoga 'improved balance and endurance in stroke patients'

Yoga helps older people who have had a stroke to improve their balance and endurance, according to new findings.

A team at Indiana University uncovered "exciting" results in a pilot study which gave 20 people who had had a stroke eight weeks of bi-weekly yoga lessons.

Balance items measured by the Berg Balance Scale improved by 17 per cent by the end of the study, while balance items measured using the Fullerton Advance Balance Scale were seen to improve by 34 per cent.

A gain in confidence of balance was also observed among participants.

Lead researcher Arlene A Schmid said: "It also was interesting to see how much the men liked it.

 "They enjoyed it so much partly because they weren't getting any other treatment. They had already completed their rehabilitation but felt there still was room for improvement."

Meanwhile, research conducted at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center found that Tai Chi was able to improve the quality of life in individuals with chronic heart failure.

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