Conclusion This review is the first to compare the effects of yoga with active and inactive controls in older adults not characterised by a specific clinical condition .
Results indicate that yoga interventions improve multiple physical function and HRQoL outcomes in this population compared to both control conditions .
This study provides robust evidence for promoting yoga in physical activity guidelines for older adults as a multimodal activity that improves aspects of fitness like strength , balance and flexibility , as well as mental wellbeing .
Background Yoga has been recommended as a muscle strengthening and balance activity in national and global physical activity guidelines .
However , the evidence base establishing the effectiveness of yoga in improving physical function and health related quality of life ( HRQoL ) in an older adult population not recruited on the basis of any specific disease or condition , has not been systematic ally review ed .
The objective of this study was to synthesis e existing evidence on the effects of yoga on physical function and HRQoL in older adults not characterised by any specific clinical condition .
Randomized, controlled, six-month trial of yoga in healthy seniors: effects on cognition and quality of life.
CONTEXT There are potential benefits of mind-body techniques on cognitive function because the techniques involve an active attentional or mindfulness component , but this has not been fully explored . OBJECTIVE To determine the effect of yoga on cognitive function , fatigue , mood , and quality of life in seniors . DESIGN R and omized , controlled trial comparing yoga , exercise , and wait-list control groups . PARTICIPANTS One hundred thirty-five generally healthy men and women aged 65 - 85 years . INTERVENTION Participants were r and omized to 6 months of Hatha yoga class , walking exercise class , or wait-list control . Subjects assigned to classes also were asked to practice at home . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Outcome assessment s performed at baseline and after the 6-month period included a battery of cognitive measures focused on attention and alertness , the primary outcome measures being performance on the Stroop Test and a quantitative electroencephalogram ( EEG ) measure of alertness ; SF-36 health-related quality of life ; Profile of Mood States ; Multi-Dimensional Fatigue Inventory ; and physical measures related to the interventions . RESULTS One hundred thirty-five subjects were recruited and r and omized . Seventeen subjects did not finish the 6-month intervention . There were no effects from either of the active interventions on any of the cognitive and alertness outcome measures . The yoga intervention produced improvements in physical measures ( eg , timed 1-legged st and ing , forward flexibility ) as well as a number of quality -of-life measures related to sense of well-being and energy and fatigue compared to controls . CONCLUSIONS There were no relative improvements of cognitive function among healthy seniors in the yoga or exercise group compared to the wait-list control group . Those in the yoga group showed significant improvement in quality -of-life and physical measures compared to exercise and wait-list control groups
Conclusion This review is the first to compare the effects of yoga with active and inactive controls in older adults not characterised by a specific clinical condition .
Results indicate that yoga interventions improve multiple physical function and HRQoL outcomes in this population compared to both control conditions .
This study provides robust evidence for promoting yoga in physical activity guidelines for older adults as a multimodal activity that improves aspects of fitness like strength , balance and flexibility , as well as mental wellbeing .
Background Yoga has been recommended as a muscle strengthening and balance activity in national and global physical activity guidelines .
However , the evidence base establishing the effectiveness of yoga in improving physical function and health related quality of life ( HRQoL ) in an older adult population not recruited on the basis of any specific disease or condition , has not been systematic ally review ed .
The objective of this study was to synthesis e existing evidence on the effects of yoga on physical function and HRQoL in older adults not characterised by any specific clinical condition .