Abstract
Objective
Design
Setting
Participants
Intervention
Main Outcome Measures
Results
Conclusions
Key Words
List of Abbreviations:
BBS (Berg Balance Scale), FoF (fear of falling), LB (lower body), UB (upper body)Methods
Design
Participants
Inclusion and exclusion criteria
Intervention
Assessments
Demographics
Primary outcomes
Fear of falling
Balance
Secondary outcomes
Falls
UB and LB flexibility
Chair sit and reach LB test
Back scratch UB test
Statistical Analysis
Results
Characteristic | N=14 |
---|---|
Age, y | 78.36±8.75 |
Race, white | 14 (100) |
Education, any college | 13 (92) |
Marital status, married | 8 (57) |
Self-rated health, good or better | 12 (86) |
Use an assistive device for ambulation | 2 (14) |
Results of Primary Analyses
Variable | Preintervention | Postintervention | P | % Change T1−T2/T1×100 |
---|---|---|---|---|
FoF | 36.76±6.09 | 34.69±7.9 | .137 | ↓6% |
BBS total score | 49.86±5.66 | 50.64±4.80 | .280 | ↑2% |
BBS static score | 26.64±2.24 | 27.64±0.74 | .045 | ↑4% |
BBS dynamic score | 23.21±3.89 | 23±4.51 | .732 | No change |
UB flexibility | −11.71±9.30 | −11.61±8.51 | .94 | ↑1% |
LB flexibility | −3.96±9.70 | −2.62±10.13 | .29 | ↑34% |
Results of Exploratory Analysis
Discussion
Study Limitations
Future Research
Assessments
Intervention
Conclusions
Appendix 1. Postures and Breathing Used in the 12-Week Yoga and Fof Intervention, Developed by Wendy Gleckler, a Registered Yoga Therapist
- •Each class began with breathing.
- •The first 4 to 6 weeks were the introduction to the class and to yoga.
- •The classes built on previously learned postures and breathing.
- •The classes progressed and became more challenging over time.
- •The classes were held with participants primarily seated, with a few standing postures, then seated again to rest and breathe.
- •The classes focused on building strength in arms/legs/feet to help get up from a fall.
- •The classes emphasized breathing throughout all postures.
Session Number | Yoga Posture and Breathing Weekly Progression |
---|---|
1 | Breathing (same breathing completed at beginning of all sessions) |
Gentle neck stretches, movement of fingers, wrists, elbows, shoulders, toes, ankles, knees (same stretches completed in all sessions) | |
To increase range of motion and lubricate joints | |
Forward bend | |
Hinge at hip to fold forward with straight spine | |
Legs may be wide or hip distance apart | |
Tadasana (mountain pose) in chair | |
Straight spine, knees over ankles, feet parallel, hands on thighs, sit tall | |
Very gentle spine twist | |
Anjali mudra (prayer position) | |
Press hands together to increase arm and chest strength, shoulders down and back | |
One hand on top of other and press; switch hands to increase UB strength | |
Relaxation and breathing (repeated at the completion of each session) | |
Namaste (repeated at the completion of each session) | |
Hands, wrist flexibility | |
2 | Vrksasana (tree pose) in chair |
Standing balance on 1 leg | |
Other leg bends at knee, and foot is placed on standing knee area | |
Can use chair or not (chair in front of student) | |
Standing mountain pose | |
Feet planted parallel about hip-bone width apart on floor, kneecaps lifted, quads engaged, belly lightly firmed, shoulders away from ears; extend up through crown of head | |
Firms all muscles and improves posture | |
Guided relaxation to end | |
3 | Seated mountain pose |
Seated—raise leg and “pump” knee | |
Extend 1 arm up to lengthen side body, shoulder away from ear | |
Standing mountain pose (or seated, for those not comfortable standing) | |
Press feet into floor to engage quads | |
Hands pressing together in different positions | |
Demonstration of how to get up from a fall | |
Explanation of how not leaning on back of chair increases core strength | |
Talked about how to use breath to relax | |
Tree pose seated and standing | |
Standing balance on 1 foot | |
Talked about pressing into 3 (or 4) comers of feet for stability | |
Gentle spine twist in chair | |
Experimentation with resistance bands | |
Guided relaxation and shoulder massage to release muscles | |
4 | Virabhardrasana (warrior I) |
Standing | |
With chair, 1 arm extended up | |
Drop tailbone before bending knee | |
Utkatasana (chair pose) | |
Standing | |
Demonstration of pavanamuktasana (wind-removing pose) | |
Knee to chest in bed to stretch back and improve digestion | |
Discussion about cautions of spine twist | |
Possibility of vertebral fracture as age increases | |
Shoulder rotation | |
Palms up until arms parallel to floor, then palms down to protect rotator cuff | |
Relaxation at end | |
Quick shoulder massage at end of class | |
5 | Seated and standing |
Mountain pose with arms raised | |
Tree pose | |
Standing chair pose | |
Warrior I pose | |
Separate leg forward bend | |
(Hinge at hip joints) hands on chair in front of each student | |
Stand on 1 leg | |
6 | Increased focus on breathing and relaxation throughout class |
Seated—easy twist | |
Cactus arms—open, then forearms together | |
Standing and seated | |
Mountain pose | |
Tree pose | |
Standing | |
Parsvottanasana (pyramid pose) | |
Warrior I pose | |
Padottanasana (forward bend) | |
Seated | |
Tree pose | |
Forward bend | |
7 | Breathing, breathe into belly or 3-part belly breath; extend exhale, release tension by exhaling through mouth |
Arm stretching | |
Arms at side, raise arms and lower—like flying | |
Extend arm up , keep shoulder down to lengthen side, both arms | |
Seated and standing mountain pose | |
Seated leg lift, toe and ankle movement, leg extension | |
Increase quad strength and core with straight spine | |
Standing | |
Warrior I pose—drop tailbone before bending knee, can pulse bent leg | |
Pyramid pose | |
Standing lift leg, modification ball of foot on floor | |
Demonstration of how to get up from a fall | |
8 | Relaxed breathing |
Seated—hold hands under knee, lift and pump leg | |
Seated and standing mountain pose and tree | |
Seated baddha konasana (crossed-leg gentle spine twist) | |
Ankle to knee, gently press/stroke from hip to knee to help release hip joint, maybe | |
Repeat other side | |
Standing | |
Warrior I pose | |
Forward bend pose | |
Sit and breathe; relaxation; emphasize exhale for relaxation | |
9 | Addition of yoga blocks and resistance bands |
Demonstration of wind-removing pose | |
In bed in morning before getting up | |
Mountain pose | |
With blocks and resistance bands | |
10 | Breathing |
Introduction of alternate nostril breathing—relaxing and balances brain | |
Shitali (cooling breath)—improves memory | |
Standing | |
Mountain pose | |
Tree pose | |
Used resistance bands to strengthen quads, increase range of motion of knee, worked biceps, deltoids, and triceps | |
11 | Standing |
Pyramid pose | |
Forward bend pose | |
Tree pose | |
Mountain pose | |
Resistance bands UB and LB, extend leg to work quads with support of band | |
12 | Heel drops to increase bone strength and growth |
Standing | |
Modified warrior III pose | |
Mountain pose | |
Tree pose | |
Chair pose with resistance bands wrapped around legs and opened knees to strengthen adductors | |
Mountain pose with and without block to compare muscle activation with block | |
Standing stand lift | |
Foot and knee balance | |
Seated | |
Crossed-leg gentle spine twist | |
Seated pyramid | |
Seated gentle spine twist | |
Standing stretch, clasped hands behind back and lifted away from back to open chest and shoulders | |
13 | Focus on resistance bands exercises for strength |
14 | Seated mountain pose and crossed-leg gentle spine twist |
Standing postures with and without block | |
Warrior I | |
Mountain pose | |
Forward bend | |
Pyramid | |
Seated | |
Block between legs, squeeze to strengthen adductors | |
Easy spine twist | |
Internal and external rotation of hip joint | |
Cactus arms, I=open, E=forearms together | |
15 | Standing postures |
Mountain pose | |
Tree pose | |
Stand on 1 foot and knee out to side | |
Warrior I pose | |
Chair pose | |
Pyramid pose | |
Seated | |
Easy spine twist | |
Crossed-leg gentle spine twist | |
Cactus arms and breathe | |
Block between legs and squeeze | |
Mountain pose | |
16 | Brahmari breath (bee's breath, humming breath) |
To loosen head and chest congestion, helps focus | |
Seated | |
Mountain pose | |
Tree pose | |
Crossed-leg gentle spine twist | |
Standing | |
Mountain pose | |
Tree pose | |
Lift leg forward, extended hand, big toe toward the ceiling | |
Warrior I pose | |
Chair pose | |
Pyramid pose | |
Forward bend | |
Seated | |
Seated gentle spine twist | |
Relaxation | |
17 | Breathing |
Alternate nostril breathing | |
Seated | |
Mountain pose | |
Spinal twist | |
Crossed-leg gentle spine twist | |
Standing | |
Warrior I pose | |
Pyramid pose | |
Mountain pose | |
Standing with and without block | |
Tree pose | |
Pyramid pose | |
Mountain pose | |
18 | Seated |
Eagle pose in chair—legs crossed and arms crossed over each other, then opposite side | |
19 | Standing |
Chair pose | |
Eagle pose | |
Warrior I pose | |
Warrior II pose | |
Pyramid pose | |
Seated | |
Spinal twist | |
Heel drops | |
20 | Seated |
Mountain pose | |
Tree pose | |
Crossed-leg gentle spine twist | |
Eagle arms | |
Standing | |
Mountain pose with and without block | |
Tree pose | |
Forward bend | |
Pyramid pose | |
Warrior I pose | |
Eagle legs | |
21 | Standing |
Mountain pose | |
Warrior I pose | |
Tree pose | |
Forward bend | |
Pyramid pose | |
Yogic squat | |
Seated | |
Eagle arms | |
Mountain pose | |
Tree pose | |
Crossed-leg gentle spine twist | |
22 | Breathing |
Alternate nostril breathing | |
Brahmari breath | |
Standing tree | |
Mountain pose | |
Forward bend | |
Yogic squat | |
Eagle legs | |
Resistance bands under foot, for leg movements | |
23 | Breathing |
Alternate nostril | |
Standing | |
Chair pose | |
Seated | |
Chair pose | |
Heel drops | |
24 | Review of all poses with a faster pace |
Demonstrations of using the block at the wall for wall push-ups | |
Question and answer session | |
Answered questions |
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Article Info
Footnotes
Supported by the Indiana University School of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation Faculty Sponsored Research Program and the Department of Veterans Affairs Rehabilitation Research and Development Service (grant nos. CDA-2 , D6174W ).
No commercial party having a direct financial interest in the results of the research supporting this article has or will confer a benefit on the authors or on any organization with which the authors are associated.