Osteoarthritis, the most common
form of arthritis, causes pain, functional limitation and disability in older
adults, especially women. About twenty-nine percent of individuals ages 45-64
are affected, and half of adults over the age of 65 are affected. The total
cost for medical treatments alone are approximately $81 billion with no
available effective cure or treatment. Yoga is theorized to help manage
symptoms of osteoarthritis by reducing fluid pressure and, in turn, preserving
cartilage that would be lost through inactivity.
A recent pilot study sought to
determine the feasibility, acceptability and safety of an eight-week yoga
program for older women with knee osteoarthritis. Participants were randomly divided
into either the intervention group, an 8-week yoga program consisting of home-based
sessions and group sessions, or the control group, where participants were
placed on a wait list. The program consisted of weekly 60-minute group classes
and four weekly 30-minute at-home practice sessions. The study’s objective was
to establish evidence for effects on symptoms and the trial of a larger
population group in the future. The study measured symptoms, number of pain
medications per day, physical performance tests, body mass index, sleep and
quality of life.
The mean age of participants was
72 years with a mean BMI of 29. The participants in the intervention group improved
significantly between the four and eight-week measurements for chair stands
(one of the performance tests) and the walking test. Both self-perceived
quality of life scores and total pain scores significantly improved at eight weeks.
These benefits were also demonstrated at the 20-week follow-up
despite decreased frequency of yoga practice among participants after the eight-week intervention.
Bottom Line: Yoga was determined
to be safe, feasible and acceptable for older women with knee osteoarthritis.
Participants experienced significant reductions in symptoms and increases in
basic physical functions ranging from small to large. Pain scores also
decreased significantly. While exercising with knee osteoarthritis can be
difficult, yoga may be a great way to stay active and even reduce symptoms.
Remember to check with your doctor before starting a new exercise regimen.
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