Yoga can improve older people’s balance and mobility, a study of Australian participants aged between 59 and 87 has shown.
The study’s 54 participants follow a 12-week program of Iyengar yoga: a branch of the popular Hatha yoga which focuses on balance, precision and alignment. Participants were also encouraged to practise their poses for 10 to 20 minutes two days a week at home.
The results showed that the yoga group significantly improved on standing balance, a sit-to-stand test, four-metre walk, and one-legged stand with eyes closed.
Older people who perform well on these balance and mobility tests are about half as likely to fall as people with poor performance.
Read more at The Georg Institute for Global Health, Australia