ObjectiveTo observe the effect of Baduanjin on the motor function and balance function in patients within 6 months after stroke.Methods Between July 2018 and March 2019, a total of 40 stroke patients were randomly divided into the Baduanjin group and the control group. Twenty patients in the Baduanjin group received the treatment of Baduanjin training and conventional rehabilitation, while the other 20 patients in the control group were treated with conventional rehabilitation only. The duration of the treatment was 3 weeks; then the motor function, balance ability and the ability of daily life in the two groups were assessed by the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA), the 6-minute Walking Test (6MWT), the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), the balance tester and the Barthel Index (BI) respectively before and after treatment.ResultsAfter the 3-week treatment, the motor function, balance ability and the ability of daily life assessed by FMA, 6MWT, BBS, the balance tester, and BI were improved significantly in both groups (P<0.05). The post-treatment scores of FMA, BI, BBS and 6MWT distance in the Baduanjin group were more than those in the control group [72.25±20.91 vs. 57.90±20.25, 89.75±12.08 vs. 77.75±15.68, 53.25±5.74 vs. 47.80±9.77, (251.03±79.43) vs. (186.92±100.09) m; P<0.05]. In the sit-to-stand balance test, compared with those in the control group, the total trajectory length of center of gravity, average swing speed of center of gravity, and unit area trajectory length of center of gravity in standing stance in the Baduanjin group reduced significantly [(235.86±76.08) vs. (303.60±123.01) cm, (11.67±3.37) vs. (15.76±7.05) cm/s, (2.53±0.99) vs. (3.40±1.28) cm/cm2; P<0.05], and the total trajectory length of center of gravity, average swing speed of center of gravity, and unit area trajectory length of center of gravity in sitting stance in the Baduanjin group also reduced significantly [(246.59±98.79) vs. (334.05±155.87) cm, (7.69±2.29) vs. (11.13±6.41) cm/s, (4.10±1.38) vs. (6.25±4.21) cm/cm2; P<0.05].ConclusionConventional rehabilitation with or without Baduanjin can improve the motor function, balance function and the ability of daily life in patients after stroke, but the effect of rehabilitation with Baduanjin is better than conventional rehabilitation.