Yoga Medical News Daily

Study shows Pilates improves quality of life in healthy elderly females

This study evaluated the effect of Pilates on 52 healthy elderly females. The 27 members of the Pilates group participated in Pilates exercises twice weekly for eight weeks. Descriptive statistics were compiled using the Shapiro-Wilk test. 

Results showed "significant post-test differences in the Pilates group in the following areas balance (Delta%=4.35%, p=0.0001) and General Index of GDLAM (Delta%=-13.35%, p=0.0001); the Wilcoxon test demonstrated significant post-test differences in the quality of life Index (Delta%=1.26%, p=0.0411). CONCLUSION: The Pilates method can offer significant improvement in personal autonomy, static balance and quality of life." Abstract: PubMed. "Pilates method in personal autonomy, static balance and quality of life of elderly females," by Siqueira Rodrigues BG, Ali Cader S, Bento Torres NV, Oliveira EM, Martin Dantas EH, Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies [2010 Apr;14(2):195-202]

The Effect of Exercise and Alagebrium on the Diastolic Function of the Heart (AGE)

Clinical trial currently seeking participants. Location: The Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine Recruiting Dallas, Texas. The purpose of this study is to determine whether an investigational drug (Alagebrium (generic: ALT-711), a type of medication referred to as an advanced glycaton end-product clever) can be combined with exercise training to reverse the stiffening of the heart that takes place naturally with aging. Tai Chi and/or Yoga Training will be used. Ages Eligible for Study: 65 Years to 80 Years. Hypothesis: We hypothesize that AGE cross-links must be broken before a meaningful improvement in cardiac compliance can occur with exercise training in previously sedentary seniors; the combination of the AGE cross-link breaker, ALT-711, with exercise training will be superior to either intervention alone in improving cardiac compliance in these subjects.

Specific Aim: To test this hypothesis, we will study four groups of previously sedentary senior subjects for one year with the following interventions: A) sedentary controls taking placebo; B) sedentary subjects taking ALT-711; C) subjects undergoing moderate intensity exercise training while taking placebo and D) subjects undergoing moderate intensity exercise training while taking ALT-711.  Details: ClinicalTrials.gov.

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.

An evaluation of yoga for the reduction of fall risk factors in older adults

This doctoral dissertation study by Dawn Marie Morris, Florida State University, 2008, evaluated "the effects of an 8-week yoga intervention, balance training, and awareness class on measures of postural control, attention and visual search strategy, confidence, fear, and awareness to environmental hazards." The study concluded that "yoga and balance training may have potential as an intervention for improving physiological and psychological fall risk factors among older adults."  Dissertation available for download at the Florida State University dissertations site.