Healthy living
Exercise and fitness
Yoga poses help prevent falls
Researchers in the US have found that a form of gentle yoga adapted for older people can help with stability and balance and reduce life-threatening falls
Scientists from Temple Medical School in the US looked at 24 elderly women enrolled in a two-month course of Iyengar yoga specially designed for people over 65. The team found that at the end of the study all the participants showed significant improvement in balance and stability regardless of how fit they were to start with. They also had more confidence when walking and were less likely to fall.
The Temple team, aided by the renowned yoga master BKS Iyengar, crafted a specific yoga programme of simple poses tailored to the elderly with little or no experience of yoga. Iyengar yoga is particularly well suited to older people because it uses props and equipment like cushions and chairs to help master the poses safely.
‘In the past, similar studies have been done that look at gait and balance improvement in elderly females using a more aggressive form of yoga,’ said study leader Dr Jinsup Song, ‘For this study, we worked to create a very basic regimen that taught participants proper ways to breathe, stand and pose.’
Falls are a major cause of disability and one of the leading causes of death due to injury in people aged 65 and over in the UK. About a third of all people over 65 reports at least one fall per year.
Song and his team hope that encouraging older people to take up gentle yoga will reduce their risk of falling and sustaining potentially life-threatening injuries.
Study participant, Maryanne Brown, had doubts that she would be able to stick to the routine, ‘I’ve never been one for exercise,’ said Brown. 'But I started attending the classes, and I thought, "Why not?" I really did want to make an effort to get healthy, so I kept at it. I feel more centred now. I have more confidence when I walk, and I’m able to walk further for longer periods of time.’
Song also noted that in addition to the physical improvements brought about by the yoga, attending group activities like an exercise class also had positive effects on participants' psychological well-being.
‘Throughout the programme, participants consistently noted that they had a better outlook on their day-to-day lives,’ he said. ‘The class gave them something to look forward to; they found it engaging, and said that if they couldn’t attend a class, they definitely missed it.’
Song, who presented his findings at the Gait and Clinical Movement Analysis Society’s Annual Meeting, hopes that this research will pave the way for a larger study on how Iyengar yoga can help improve the lives of older people.
‘The bottom line is, people want to stay active as long as possible,’ said Song. ‘This can help elderly women maintain their mobility and independence.’
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Information on this site is for interest only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. You should consult your own doctor about any specific health concerns.
