Yoga helps prevent falls in women over 60

Yoga training and physical health benefits for senior citizens.

9 April, 2008

Yet another health benefit of yoga has surfaced. Gentle yoga and related exercises can reduce considerably the risk of falls among older women.

Even the most basic yoga poses and breathing exercises, researchers at Temple Medical School in Philadelphia, the United States, have found, can improve the stability and balance of women aged over 65.

The study, led by Dr Jinsup Song, director of the Gait Study Centre at the School of Podiatric Medicine, Temple Medical School, found that after 2 months of gentle yoga exercise, elderly ladies showed significant improvements in gait and posture. At the end of the program, they had greater leg flexibility, strength and a faster stride as well as fewer falls.

The results of the research were presented at the annual meeting of the Gait and Clinical Movement Analysis Society held on April 4, 2008, the website telegraph.co.uk has reported.

The findings become especially important since, according to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, falls are the leading cause of non-fatal injuries and hospital admissions for trauma among people aged 65 and above. Almost a third of older adults suffer some type of fall each year.

Dr Jinsup Song studied the progress of 24 women who enrolled on an Iyengar yoga course, a gentle form of the exercise which uses props to aid balance. After nine weeks, all the participants showed substantial progress in balance and stability, irrespective of their health or fitness.

Dr Song was quoted by telegraph.co.uk as saying of the results, "We were very impressed at the progress our participants made by the end of the program. Subjects demonstrated improved muscle strength in lower extremities, which helps with stability. There was also a pronounced difference in how pressure was distributed on the bottom of the foot, which helps maintain balance.”

The research team, which included Dr Marian Garfinkel, an Iyengar Yoga instructor, devised a gentle routine custom-made to the elderly with little or no yoga experience.

The study subjects used props like cushions, rubber bricks and chairs that allowed them to master gradually the poses even while building their confidence levels.

“In the past,” added Dr Jinsup Song, “similar studies have been conducted that looked at gait and balance improvement in elderly females using a more aggressive form of yoga. For this study, we worked to create a very basic regimen that taught participants proper ways to breathe, stand and pose. The bottom line is, people want to stay active as long as possible. This can help elderly women maintain their mobility and independence in several ways.”

Dr Song said he also noted that participation in a group setting, such as an Iyengar yoga class, could have positive psychological effects also for the elderly. He explained: “Throughout the program, participants noted that they had a better outlook on their day-to-day lives. 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.”

Iyengar Yoga, created by B K S Iyengar, of India, is a form of yoga known for its use of props, such as belts and blocks, as aids in performing asanas (postures). It is firmly based on the traditional eight limbs of yoga as expounded by Patanjali in his Yoga Sutras, emphasizing the development of strength, stamina, flexibility and balance, as well as concentration (Dharana) and meditation (Dhyana).

Iyengar Yoga – a form of Hatha Yoga – focuses on the structural alignment of the physical body through the development of asanas. Through the practice of a system of asanas, it aims to unite the body, mind and spirit for health and well-being.

Iyengar Yoga, believed to be a powerful tool to relieve the stresses of modern-day life which, in turn, can help promote total physical and spiritual well-being, is characterized by great attention to detail and precise focus on body alignment.