ASSESSING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A TRADITIONAL INDIAN YOGA BASED EXERCISES PROGRAM IN IMPROVING BALANCE AND REDUCING FALLS AMONG ELDERLY PATIENTS WITH OSTEOARTHRITIS: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRAIL
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Keywords
Yoga, Osteoarthritis, Elderly, Fall Prevention, Balance
Abstract
Introduction: Osteoarthritis (OA) in elderly individuals significantly increases the risk of falls, leading to reduced mobility and quality of life. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a traditional Indian Yoga-based exercise program in improving balance and reducing falls among elderly patients with osteoarthritis.
Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 128 participants (aged ≥60 years) with knee or hip OA, randomly assigned to either a Yoga intervention group or a control group receiving standard care. The Yoga program consisted of 60-minute sessions held thrice weekly for 12 weeks. Outcomes were measured at baseline, 6 weeks, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks, including the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, fall incidence, pain intensity, WOMAC score, and Falls Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I).
Results: The Yoga group showed significant improvements in BBS scores (between-group difference at 12 weeks: 5.9 points, p<0.001) and TUG test times (between-group difference at 12 weeks: -2.3 seconds, p<0.001) compared to the control group. Fall incidence in the Yoga group was significantly lower (incidence rate ratio: 0.56, p<0.001). Pain intensity, WOMAC scores, and FES-I scores also improved significantly in the Yoga group. These improvements were largely maintained at the 24-week follow-up.
Conclusion: The traditional Indian Yoga-based exercise program demonstrated significant effectiveness in improving balance, reducing falls, and enhancing overall function in elderly patients with osteoarthritis. These findings suggest that Yoga could be a valuable addition to standard care protocols for fall prevention and OA management in this population.
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Dr. Vijay Shankar
Assistant Professor, Department of Orthopedics, Maharishi Vashisht Autonomous State Medical College Basti , Uttar Pradesh.
Dr Geetesh Kumar Singh
Associate Professor, Department of Orthopedics, United Institute of Medical Sciences, Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh
Dr. Siddhartha Yadav
Associate Professor, Department of Orthopedics, United Institute of Medical Sciences, Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh
Dr. Hetandar Kumar Bhartiya
Assistant Professor, Department of Orthopedics, Rajshree Medical College and Research Centre, Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh.