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- Title
Posturographic Assessment in Yoga Practitioners and Non-Practitioners: Balance Benefits.
- Authors
Fonseca, Alexandra; Tomé, David; Gentil, Fernanda
- Abstract
Introduction: Balance is a complex process resulting from the interaction between the following systems: sensorial (input), central nervous system (coordinator), and motor (output).The aging of the vestibular system, central nervous system, and the rest of the body systems may contribute to balance dysfunction. Balance dysfunction is the main symptom in the population aged over 70 years (47% men and 66% women).Treatment can be pharmacologic, chirurgic, or balance rehabilitation. Additionally, there are some balance improvement exercises like pilates, shiatsu, tai chi, and yoga. Yoga is an old discipline originating from India. According to Baptista & Dantas 2002, each physical posture adopted in yoga practice generates organic, physical, emotional, and energetic effects, improving physical balance. Recently, yoga was classified as a way of complementary and alternative medicine by The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, USA. Objective: The aim of this project was to investigate the relationship between balance and yoga through computerized dynamic posturography (CDP). Further, what was the relation between sensory inputs (vestibular, visual, and proprioceptive) and yoga practicing time. Methods: For this study were selected 50 participants aged between 50 and 80 years: 25 yoga practitioners (experimental group, EG) and 25 non-practitioners (control group, CG) according to exclusion and inclusion criteria. The exclusion criteria for both groups was health-based: no motor, neurologic, visual, or vestibular problems, no hearing loss, and no medication affecting the central nervous system. The inclusion criteria was the practising of at least 2 hours of yoga per week. The evaluation of balance was performed with a computerized dynamic posturography NeuroCom System Version 8.0.1, which included the modified Test of Sensory Interaction and Balance (mCTSIB) and limits of stability test (LOS). The mCTSIB is a simplified variation of the sensorial organization test (SOT) that analyses the patients functional balance control to quantify postural sway velocity during four sensory conditions. The LOS quantifies the maximum distance a person can intentionally displace their center of gravity (COG) in 8 positions. The measured parameters were: reaction time (RT), COG movement velocity (MV), directional control (DC); end-point excursion (EPE), and maximum point excursion (MPE). Results/Conclusions: The statistical analysis revealed significant differences between groups for most variables - RT, MV, EPE, and MPE for anterior movements (p<0.05). Proprioception was the most significantly input for balance in CG, but in EG it was the vestibular input; in both groups vision contributed the least to balance. The increase of yoga practicing time gave an RT decrease and a MV increase. These results suggest that yoga practice gives an improvement in the maintenance of orthostatic balance. Yoga could be used as a prevention for balance disorders in the elderly.
- Subjects
PORTUGAL; AUDIOLOGY associations; CONFERENCES &; conventions; POSTURAL balance; HEARING disorders; YOGA
- Publication
Journal of Hearing Science, 2015, Vol 5, Issue 4, p62
- ISSN
2083-389X
- Publication type
Article