Adapting Tai Chi for Upper Limb Rehabilitation Post Stroke: A Feasibility Study

Area of Science:

• Neurorehabilitation
• Physical Therapy
• Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Background:

• Tai chi (TC) is known to improve balance post-stroke.
• Its effectiveness in upper limb rehabilitation after stroke is not well-established.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the feasibility of adapted Tai chi (TC) for upper limb rehabilitation in chronic stroke survivors.
• To explore whether factors like severe upper limb impairment, poor balance, shoulder pain, or spasticity hinder TC practice.

Main Methods:

• Twelve chronic stroke survivors with upper limb paresis participated in 8 weeks of adapted TC (60 min, twice weekly).
• A 10-min home practice was recommended on non-session days.
• Data collected included TC performance, attendance, home practice duration, and movements used.

Main Results:

• Eleven participants completed the study.
• Despite varying impairments (severe paresis, poor balance, shoulder pain, spasticity), participants attended all sessions and practiced TC at home (16.51 ± 9.21 h).
• Self-practice duration was similar across subgroups with different impairment levels.

Conclusions:

• Adapted TC appears feasible for upper limb rehabilitation post-stroke.
• Factors such as low upper limb function, poor balance, spasticity, and shoulder pain did not prevent TC practice in this cohort.
• Further research with larger sample sizes is needed to confirm these findings.