Stretch after Stroke

I decided to look into the therapeutic value of yoga, as I know that it provides multiple health benefits, and it is an intervention which is not currently utilised much within CVA rehabilitation programmes.  I am interested in finding out how yoga may influence an individual’s ability to engage in everyday occupations post CVA. Image retrieved from: http://www.momentumbodyworkandmassage.com/yoga-class-descriptions 

CVA is one of the most prevalent diseases worldwide, causing devastating impairments, influencing one’s ability to engage in everyday occupations (Lazaridou, Philbrook, & Tzika, 2013) . The physical postures in yoga help CVA survivors to gain strength, and improve flexibility and balance following their CVA, and the breathing exercises associated with yoga help to ease anxiety and depression following a CVA (Thayabaranathan et al., 2012). Image retrieved from: http://www.zenlines.com/health/benefits-chair-yoga.html 

I have enjoyed the challenge of creating a blog, as it required me to learn a new skill, and provided me with an opportunity for professional development in a topic which I am interested in. I also think a blog is an excellent way of health promotion, as it can be read by many people worldwide. This topic has meaning to me, as I have a family history of CVA, and have seen first hand the benefits of occupational therapy rehabilitation in improving quality of life. I am very interested in CVA rehabilitation due to the meaning it has to me, and have enjoyed researching alternative interventions to add to my occupational therapist tool kit.  Image retrieved from:  http://www.kongadventure.com/our-events/yoga/