Evidence mapPaperPMID 41781983Full record

Trial reportBMC complementary medicine and therapies2026

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

Weiwei Zhao, Wang Yao, Pei Che, Guogang Deng, Ming Wu, Yan Cao, Yingying Ji, Guilan Huang, Lan Chen, Tong Wang

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMC complementary medicine and therapies, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Weiwei Zhao *Wuxi Central Rehabilitation Hospital, The Affiliated Mental Health Center of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214151, China. 13814284945@163.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0009-3416-7021
Wang Yao *Wuxi Central Rehabilitation Hospital, The Affiliated Mental Health Center of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214151, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0004-2531-7263
Pei CheWuxi Central Rehabilitation Hospital, The Affiliated Mental Health Center of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214151, China.
Guogang DengWuxi Central Rehabilitation Hospital, The Affiliated Mental Health Center of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214151, China.
Ming WuWuxi Central Rehabilitation Hospital, The Affiliated Mental Health Center of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214151, China.
Yan CaoWuxi Central Rehabilitation Hospital, The Affiliated Mental Health Center of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214151, China.
Yingying JiWuxi Central Rehabilitation Hospital, The Affiliated Mental Health Center of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214151, China.
Guilan HuangWuxi Central Rehabilitation Hospital, The Affiliated Mental Health Center of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214151, China. huangguilan211@163.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9384-607X
Lan ChenXishan People's Hospital Of Wuxi City, Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214151, China. chenlan080501@163.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0368-2890
Tong WangRehabilitation Medicine Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210029, China. wangtong60621@163.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6516-4397

Funding

Jiangsu Province Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine Project MS2021046Wuxi Traditional Chinese Medicine Science and Technology Project ZYYB10
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundBalance 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.

methodsFifty-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.

resultsPatients 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.

conclusionModified 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.

Indexed as

Exercise TherapyPostural BalanceStrokeStroke RehabilitationAgedFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedWalking3D motion analysisBalanceModified BaduanjinSacral calibrationStroke

Identifiers

PMID41781983
PMCPMC13069734

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.