Positive Health Online

Abstract

PARK and COLLEAGUES, 1. School of Social Work, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida; 2. Georgia Baptist College of Nursing, Mercer University, Atlanta, Georgia; 3. Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida; 4. Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida set out to determine effects of Sit 'N' Fit Chair Yoga, compared to a Health Education program (HEP), on pain and physical function in older adults with lower extremity osteoarthritis (OA)

Background

To determine effects of Sit 'N' Fit Chair Yoga, compared to a Health Education program (HEP), on pain and physical function in older adults with lower extremity osteoarthritis (OA) who could not participate in standing exercise.

Methodology

Design: Two-arm randomized controlled trial; Setting: One HUD senior housing facility and one day senior center in south Florida; Participants: Community-dwelling older adults (N = 131) were randomly assigned to chair yoga (n = 66) or HEP (n = 65). Thirteen dropped after assignment but prior to the intervention; six dropped during the intervention; 106 of 112 completed at least 12 of 16 sessions (95% retention rate); Interventions: Participants attended either chair yoga or HEP. Both interventions consisted of twice-weekly 45-minute sessions for 8 weeks. Measurements: Primary: pain, pain interference; secondary: balance, gait speed, fatigue, functional ability measured at baseline, after 4 weeks of intervention, at the end of the 8-week intervention, and post-intervention (1 and 3 months).

Results

The chair yoga group showed greater reduction in pain interference during the intervention (P = .01), sustained through 3 months (P = .022). WOMAC pain (P = .048), gait speed (P = .024), and fatigue (P = .037) were improved in the yoga group during the intervention (P = .048) but improvements were not sustained post intervention. Chair yoga had no effect on balance.

Conclusion

An 8-week chair yoga program was associated with reduction in pain, pain interference, and fatigue, and improvement in gait speed, but only the effects on pain interference were sustained 3 months post intervention. Chair yoga should be further explored as a nonpharmacologic intervention for older people with OA in the lower extremities. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02113410.

References

Park J1, McCaffrey R2, Newman D3, Liehr P3, Ouslander JG4. A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of the Effects of Chair Yoga on Pain and Physical Function Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults With Lower Extremity Osteoarthritis. J Am Geriatr Soc: 65(3):592-597. Mar 2017 doi: 10.1111/jgs.14717. Epub Dec 23 2016.

Comment

The above research demonstrated that an 8-week chair yoga program was associated with reduction in pain, pain interference, and fatigue, and improvement in gait speed; only the effects on pain interference were sustained 3 months post intervention. The authors conclude that chair yoga should be explored as a nonpharmacologic intervention for older people with osteoarthritis (OA) in the lower extremities.