The Effects of Yoga Intervention on Fall Risk Factors including Balance and Strength in Older Adults

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess changes in strength, balance, and overall physical function in community-dwelling older adults following a 6-week hatha yoga intervention with one, 6-minute yoga session per week. In total, 12 community-dwelling older adults (mean age = 77 years) were selected for this study. Due to absences, the pre- and post-intervention data for only 6 participants were included in the final analysis. There was a statistically significant improvement in timed up-and-go performance from pre- to post-intervention (p = .038). On the other hand, the results showed no statistically significant differences for the BTracks Balance Test nor the 30-second chair stand after the intervention. Thus, this study demonstrated that 6-weeks of once weekly hatha yoga can improve lower extremity capacity and overall function but not balance or muscular strength.