Immediate effects of bandha hasta utthanasana on cerebral hemodynamics in healthy individuals: a protocol for randomized controlled trial

Background: Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is a tool to measure variations in cerebral hemodynamics. The study investigates the physiological changes in cerebral blood flow before, during, and after the practice of bantha hasta utthanasana among healthy participants. Methods: The proposed study is a hospital-based randomized controlled trial comparing bantha hasta utthanasana with the control group. A total of 60 participants will be randomly divided into an intervention group (n=30) and a control group (n=30) as per inclusion and exclusion criteria. The intervention group will practice bantha hasta utthanasana for 10 minutes. The control group will be instructed to sit for 10 minutes. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy will be performed before (5 minutes), during (10 minutes), and after (5 minutes) the practice in both groups. Conclusions: This study protocol aims to investigate whether the practice of bandha hasta utthanasana can enhance cerebral hemodynamics. The research seeks to determine if this simple practice can be used to manage individuals with cerebral hemodynamic impairment and potentially prevent such issues in the future. Trial Registration: CTRI/2023/10/059039.