Modified Baduanjin improves balance function in subacute stroke survivors: a randomized controlled study

Balance dysfunction is common after stroke, yet subacute patients often are often unable to perform traditional Baduanjin exercises due to severe motor impairments. The objective of this study was to determine whether a modified Baduanjin program, adapted to sitting and standing positions, could improve balance function in subacute stroke survivors beyond conventional rehabilitation. Fifty-four subacute stroke patients were randomly assigned to receive either conventional rehabilitation plus modified Baduanjin (40 min daily, n = 27) or conventional rehabilitation alone (80 min daily, n = 27), five days per week for six weeks. The primary outcome was performance on the Berg Balance Scale (BBS); secondary outcomes included lower extremity motor function (FMA-LE), functional independence (MBI), and dynamic balance during walking assessed by 3D motion analysis. Patients in the modified Baduanjin group demonstrated significantly greater improvements in balance (BBS: between-group difference 6.1 points, 95% CI: 2.5–9.7, p = 0.001), lower extremity motor function (FMA-LE: 2.3 points, p = 0.019), and functional independence (MBI: 8.4 points, p < 0.001) compared to controls. Dynamic balance during walking, as measured by mediolateral sway amplitude, also showed greater improvement in the intervention group (p = 0.015). The intervention was associated with high adherence (94%) and was well tolerated, with no serious adverse events reported. Modified Baduanjin is expected to become a safe and viable adjunctive intervention that could help patients with subacute stroke improve their balance in addition to conventional rehabilitation. These preliminary findings warrant confirmation by multicenter trials on a larger scale.