Comparative impacts of Tai Chi, balance training and a specially-designed yoga program on balance in older fallers.
Author: Ni M1, Mooney K2, Richards L2, Balachandran A1, Sun M1, Harriell K1, Potiaumpai M1, Signorile JF3.
Affiliation:
1University of Miami, Laboratory of Neuromuscular Research and Active Aging, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL. 2BalaVinyasa Yoga, Naples, FL. 3University of Miami, Laboratory of Neuromuscular Research and Active Aging, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL; Miller School of Medicine, Center on Aging, University of Miami, Miami, FL. Electronic address: jsignorile@miami.edu.
Conference/Journal: Arch Phys Med Rehabil.
Date published: 2014 May 14
Other:
Pages: S0003-9993(14)00342-6 , Special Notes: doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2014.04.022. , Word Count: 242
OBJECTIVE:
To compare the effect of a custom-designed yoga program with two other balance training programs.
DESIGN:
Randomized controlled trial.
SETTING:
University neuromuscular research laboratory, Miami, US.
PARTICIPANTS:
A group of 39 older adults (74.15 ± 6.99 years) with a history of falling.
INTERVENTIONS:
Three different exercise interventions, Tai Chi, standard balance training (SBEP) or yoga (BYOGA) were given for 12 weeks.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:
Balance performance was examined during pretest and post-test using field tests including the 8-Foot Up & Go, One-Leg Stance, Functional Reach, usual and maximal walking speed. The static and dynamic balance was also assessed by postural sway and dynamic posturography, respectively.
RESULTS:
Training produced significant improvements in all field tests (p < .005), but no group difference or time x group interaction were detected. For postural sway, significant decreases in the area of center of pressure with eyes open (p = .001) and closed (p = .002) were detected after training. For eyes open, maximums medial-lateral velocity significantly decreased for the sample (p = .013). For eyes closed, medial-lateral displacement decreased for Tai Chi (p < .01). For dynamic posturography, significant improvements in overall score (p = .001), Time on the test (p = .006) and two linear measures in lateral (p = .001) and anterior/posterior (p < .001) direction were seen for the sample.
CONCLUSIONS:
BYOGA was as effective as Tai Chi and SBEP for improving postural stability and may offer an alternative to more traditional programs.
Copyright © 2014 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
KEYWORDS:
Balance, Exercise, Fall, Training
PMID: 24835753
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