The Impact of Yoga-based Physical Therapy for Individuals With Traumatic Brain Injury

All yoga-based sessions will be led by the same therapist to maximize between-session consistency. A trained researcher will also be present to provide additional cueing to subjects when required. The basic elements of the postures are similar to that of traditional physical therapy balance exercises. Cues will be provided throughout to pair appropriate breath cycles with appropriate postures consistent with a standard, able-bodied yoga program. The session will close with a 4-5 minute savasana performed in a supine or seated position pending patient physical abilities, which consists of progressive relaxation, guided meditation, and guided motor imagery.

Subjects will engage in 1 hour of seated rest in a relaxing environment in a group of approximately 2-5 individuals. This session will occur in the same enclosed, quiet space as condition A to minimize outside noise or distraction and to reproduce environment of condition A. The lights will be dimmed, and the same light, instrumental, calming music will be played throughout to contribute to a relaxing ambiance. Subjects will be instructed to rest quietly.

"Subjects will engage in 1 hour of a conventional PT session (or treatment as usual) led by a different physical therapist than who is leading the yoga-based session to minimize bias. There will be no restrictions on what can and cannot occur during conventional PT sessions in order to accurately represent and preserve the wide range of treatments that may occur during a physical therapy session in the inpatient setting. Examples of what may occur include, but are not limited to: gait, standing balance, functional mobility, or therapeutic exercise."