The Effect of Yoga on Balance and Fear of Falling in Older Adults

Objective: To determine the effect of yoga on balance and fear of falling in older adults. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Setting: Jahandidegan Center in Shiraz, southern Iran. Participants: Forty persons (17 men and 23 women) between the ages of 60-74 years with a Modified Falls Efficacy Scale (MFES) score <8 and a Berg Balance Scale (BBS) score <45. After completing the MFES questionnaire and BBS measurement, the participants were divided into intervention and control groups. BBS measurement and the MFES questionnaire were completed again immediately after the intervention. Intervention: The intervention group participated in 2 yoga practice sessions per week for 8 weeks. The control group received no intervention. Main Outcome Measurements: Fear of falling was measured with the MFES and balance was measured with the BBS. Results: We found significant changes in both variables (P <.0001). Mean differences before and after the intervention for the BBS for yoga and control groups were 10.19 and -1.16, respectively. Mean differences before and after the intervention for the MFES for yoga and control groups were 1.62 and -0.21, respectively. Conclusion: Yoga is a potential intervention to reduce fear of falling and improve balance in older adults.