Yoga and Neurological cases

Why Yoga in Neurological cases?

Brain cells are non- regenerative cells, Right?  Then …What makes people recover from stroke, MS or insult to the brain? We have learned through our practice seeing many neurological cases and many researchers have proven it. Whenever we talk about recovery in stroke or neurological insult cases, we need a repetitive and functional-based task to help to regain function. Functional task needs concentration and helps to fire the area of the brain which eventually helps to do a similar task. So the brain relearns the pattern which was damaged and the neighbourhood area takes over which is called Neuroplasticity or Motor Relearning.

Yoga helps to focus, improve concentration and allowed relearning. In any Neurological insult, the central nervous system suffers in one or the other way. The Brain is like an electrical organ with many neuronal circuits that fire synchronously to carry out any activity effectively. As in brain injury cases, these circuits don’t work together and lead functional impairment which further causes depression due to inability to be independent again as previous to the injury. This all linked up together with anxiety, stress developing shallow breathing and low oxygen to the brain.

Yoga and Breathing Concept

Yoga gives natural breathing with mind and body relations. When the body is moving in space, the brain is activated to focus on where the body part is and thus increase the somatosensory pathways and provide sensory-motor feedback. With controlled breathing, the brain gets proper oxygen and helps in Neural Plasticity.

Yoga and relaxation.                         

With guided movement and relaxed mind, the Vagus nerve is activated which increases the parasympathetic system and thus provides mental calmness.

 

                   “Neurons that fire together wire together”

       (Hebbian Theory)

Himani Prajapati and Rashmikant Shah

( Neurophysiotherapists team – At HEALTHY FUTURE)