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 .
Physical fitness of older adults in senior activity centres after 24-week silver yoga exercises.
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES Promoting physical fitness of young-older adults is essential in reducing healthcare expenditures which would occur in the future for those with chronic health problems . The silver yoga exercise programme was developed to accommo date the reduced body flexibility experienced by many older adults and was critically review ed by experts and pilot-tested with community-dwelling older adults . This study aim ed to test older adults ' physical fitness after a 24-week silver yoga exercise programme and to examine whether the programme could be further shortened to fit senior activity centres ' programme design s. DESIGN A quasi-experimental , pre-post tests design was used : baseline , at 12-week and at 24-week periods . METHODS Convenience sample s of 204 subjects were recruited from eight senior activity centres and 176 subjects completed the study . Subjects were r and omly assigned into three groups based on the centres : ( 1 ) Experiment I : complete silver yoga with stretching and meditation , ( 2 ) Experiment II : shortened silver yoga without the guided-imagery meditation and ( 3 ) Wait-list control . The interventions were conducted three times per week for 24 weeks . Physical fitness indicators included body compositions , cardiovascular-respiratory functions , physical functions and the range of motion . RESULTS At the end of the 24-week period , the physical fitness of subjects in Experiments I and II had significantly improved whether or not guided-imagery meditation was used and all had better physical fitness than subjects in the control group ( all p < 0.05 ) . CONCLUSIONS The physical fitness of older adults in both the 70-minute complete silver yoga group and the 55-minute shortened silver yoga group had significantly improved after the interventions . It was recommended that the silver yoga programme be shortened by eliminating the guided-imagery meditation . RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE The shortened silver yoga exercise programme is recommended to be incorporated as an activity programme in community- setting s to promote the physical fitness of older adults
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 .