This study investigated the effectiveness of a yoga exercise and relapse prevention program on physical health outcomes, predictors of exercise and exercise adherence in adults aged 40-64 years with osteoarthritis. A yoga intervention was first implemented to all the participants, and then participants were randomized into one of two conditions: a relapse prevention program, which provided continued encouragement and guidance for practicing yoga, and a control group. Results (two-way repeated measures ANOVA) indicated that participation in the yoga intervention significantly improved pain (P<0.001), physical function (P<0.001) and physical activity levels (P=0.003), but the relapse prevention interven-tion provided no added benefit.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of an 8-week Tai Chi Chih exercise program on physical functional performance (PFP) among women aged 45 to 65 years.

No relationships reported)Resistance training and TaiJi exercise have been shown to be effective in reducing symptoms of knee osteoarthritis (OA), however the actual effects are varied widely or mixed. No studies have compared the effects of resistance training and TaiJi exercise. PURPOSE:To compare the effectiveness of a 10-week Taiji intervention and a 10-week strength training intervention in senior citizens with knee OA. METHODS:Thirty one participants randomly assigned to one of the resistance training (RT, 69.5±6.7 years) and TaiJi (TJ, 68.1±5.3 years) participated in a 10-week training program along with a control group (CT, 70.5±5.0 years). OA symptoms were evaluated using the Western Ontario and MacMaster University Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) immediately before and after the training programs. In addition, the 6-minute walk test (6MW), the timed up-and-go test (TUG) and the timed stair climb and descent (SCD) were administered to evaluate performance of physical functions of the participants before and after the training programs. The baseline and post-training related data were compared using a 3 x 2 (group x time) mixed model ANOVA. A paired t-test was also used to detect the training effect. RESULTS:The ANOVA results showed a significant time main effect for the WOMAC total score (p = 0.018), stiffness (p = 0.012) and physical function (p = 0.038) sub-scales as well as near significant pain subscale (p = 0.052). The t-test results showed a significant improvement in the post-training score for the pain (p = 0.006, Effect Size (ES) = -0.86), stiffness (p = 0.001, ES = -1.16), physical function (p = 0.011, ES = -0.58) and total WOMAC (p = 0.004, ES = -0.75) for the RT group. For the performance of physical functions, the ANOVA showed a significant reduction of TUG (p = 0.001) between the pre-and post-training. The t-test showed that both RT and TJ had significant improvement in this task. The time main effect for the SCD was almost significant (p = 0.072). No group differences were found. CONCLUSIONS:The results of this randomized clinical trial demonstrated that the resistance training was effective for improving mobility and improving the symptoms of knee OA. TaiJi was also effective for improving mobility, but did not improve the knee OA symptoms of the participants which may be partially due to difficulty of learning TaiJi exercise. (No relationships reported)As indicated in a recent systematic review relating to Canada's Physical Activity Guidelines for Older Adults, exercise interventions (comprised of aerobic and strength training) in older adults can maintain or improve functional abilities. Many older adult programs place an emphasis on flexibility, however, there currently does not exist a synthesis of the literature to support this recommendation. PURPOSE:To systematically review the literature assessing the effect of flexibility specific training interventions on functional outcomes in older adults. METHODS:An electronic search strategy was developed, where all reasonable expressions of th...