Effect of Therapeutic Yoga on Balance and the Ability to Transfer from the Floor in an Older Adult Population

The purpose of this study, described in the International Journal of Yoga Therapy (2009: 19;1: 60-77),"was to determine if a therapeutic Yoga program could improve the ability of older adults to transfer from the floor. The study also examined how balance, quadriceps strength, and ankle flexibility influence transfer ability in older adults." Participants ranged in age from 58 to 83. The intervention involving a 13-week therapeutic Hatha Yoga program produced results that showed improvement "across all measures. Specifically, a paired sample t-test revealed significant improvement in participants' ability to transfer from the floor (t = 11.25, p <. 001) with a large magnitude of effect (d = 1.36). These improvements were reflected by participants' own perception of their transfer ability and general level of fitness. A series of nested regression models revealed balance and quadriceps strength to be the largest contributors to transfer ability." Abstract.