Clinical Research Directory

Participants in the aquatic exercise group will participate in an Ai Chi exercise program. The exercises will be performed in a group setting for 45 minutes per session, five days per week for five weeks, resulting in a total of 25 sessions. Ai Chi utilizes the properties of water to facilitate movements that primarily focus on balance, muscle strength, flexibility, and breathing control. The sessions will be conducted in a pool with a water depth of 1.2 m and a temperature maintained between 28 and 30°C. Appropriate environmental conditions and safety measures will be ensured throughout the intervention. Before each session, participants will be informed about the aquatic exercise program and the precautions to be taken during the sessions. All sessions will be supervised by a physiotherapist experienced in neurological rehabilitation and Ai Chi.

Participants in the land-based exercise group will participate in 45-minute exercise sessions, five days per week for five weeks. During the first five minutes of each session, participants will perform warm-up exercises consisting of light aerobic activities, including upper and lower extremity swings, low-intensity walking, and stretching. The subsequent 35 minutes will be devoted to balance, mobility, and strengthening exercises. Balance exercises will include single-leg standing, forward-reaching exercises, and standing on a balance board. Mobility exercises will include sit-to-stand transfers from a chair, lateral walking, heel-to-toe walking, and walking over obstacles. Strengthening exercises will include upper and lower extremity exercises using a yellow resistance band, mini-squats, and elbow flexion and extension exercises using light weights.