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Hatha yoga practice and
fear of falling in older adults
Indiana University researchers
found promising results in an exploratory study involving
yoga practice by older adults who expressed a
fear of falling. After a 12-week, twice weekly hatha
yoga class, taught by a professional yoga therapist, study
participants reported a reduced fear of falling, increased
lower body flexibility and a reduction in their leisure
constraints.
Fear of falling is an important public health concern
because it can cause older adults - even those who have not
fallen - to limit their social and physical activity. This
effort to avoid falls can create a harmful cycle that can
diminish health and quality of life.
"Our study found that yoga was a feasible intervention with
older adults and that they perceived great benefit from it,"
said Marieke Van Puymbroeck, assistant professor in the
Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Studies in IU's
School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation.
Van Puymbroeck discussed some of her findings at the
International Association of Yoga Therapists' Symposium for
Yoga Therapy and Research. More about the
study:
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The study
involved 14 men and women with an average age of 78.
Five participants had fallen previously.
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Van
Puymbroeck said the 90 percent weekly attendance rate
was notable, as was the 6 percent dropout rate, which
she said was much lower than most physical activity and
yoga studies. The participants took a class in hatha
yoga, which is a gentle form of yoga that easily can be
adapted for individual needs and can be performed from a
seated position. The twice weekly classes each lasted 60
minutes.
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After the
12-week class, participants reported a 6 percent
reduction in their fear of falling, a 34 percent
increase in lower body flexibility, and a statistically
significant reduction in leisure constraints.
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Van
Puymbroeck said participants reported "tremendous
benefits," with emerging themes that included the
ability to generalize principals of posture to other
situations, increased range of motion, increased
flexibility and improved balance.
Source: Indiana University
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