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 .
Appraising the evidence: what is selection bias?
Almost all studies are prone to error — they use sample s drawn from a population to estimate what is occurring or what might occur in the whole population . These errors can broadly be divided into two : r and om error and systematic error . R and om error is the play of chance and results in an estimate of effect ( for example , relative risk ) being equally likely to be above or below the true value . Its role is assessed with statistical measures such as p values and confidence intervals . Systematic error is called bias , and also leads to the estimate being above or below the true value . Systematic error can be further divided into information bias , which relates to the misclassification of data , and selection bias , which is the focus of this article . # # # Bias Any trend in the collection , analysis , interpretation , publication or review of data that can lead to conclusions that are systematic ally different from the truth . ( Last J. A dictionary of epidemiology , 2001 ) Bias limits the conclusions that can be drawn from an analysis . It is particularly problematic because , unlike confounding , little can be done to “ allow ” or “ control ” for it once the data have been collected . As such it is in many ways an issue of study design , planning and practice . Selection bias in epidemiological studies occurs when there is a systematic difference between the characteristics of those selected for the study and those who are not . It also occurs in intervention studies when there are systematic
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 .