ICF-based improvements in body structures and function, and activity and participation in chronic stroke following a yoga-based intervention
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to understand the perceived outcomes following a yoga intervention for individuals with chronic stroke, framed within the context of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health.Method: Twenty-six individuals with chronic stroke participated in one of five focus groups immediately following completion of an 8-week yoga intervention.Results: Primary themes emerged related to body structure and function (with subthemes of improved emotional regulation, increased stability and range of motion, and unexpected improvements in body function), and improvements in activity and participation. The improvements in body function led to participants more fully participating in their lives.Conclusions: While rehabilitation is not typically offered in the chronic poststroke period, the participants in this yoga study perceived changes in body functions, activity, and participation that they associated with the yoga intervention. Larger studies need to quantify these changes to make specific policy recommendations.