Hatha yoga training improves standing balance but not gait in Parkinson's disease

Abstract

Background and purpose

Conclusion

Keywords

Hatha yoga / Parkinson's disease / Posture / Gait

Complementary therapies, such as yoga, have been proposed to address gait and balance problems in Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the effects of yoga on gait and static balance have not been studied systematically in people with PD (PWP). Here we evaluated the effects of a 12-week long Hatha yoga intervention on biomechanical parameters of gait and posture in PWP.

Methods

We employed a pilot randomized controlled trial design with two groups of mild-to-moderate PWP (immediate treatment, waitlist control; N= 10 each; Mean Hoehn and Yahr score = 2 for each group). Baseline Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) motor scores, and gait and postural kinematics including postural sway path length, cadence, walking speed, and turning time were obtained. The immediate treatment group received a 60-min Hatha yoga training twice a week for 12 weeks, while the waitlisted control group received no training. After 12 weeks, gait and postural kinematics were assessed (post-test for treatment group and second-baseline for waitlist group). Then, the waitlist group received the same yoga training and was evaluated post-training.

Results

After Hatha yoga training, UPDRS motor scores improved with an 8-point mean decrease which is considered as a moderate clinically important change for mild-moderate PD. Sway path length during stance decreased significantly (mean reduction: -34.4%). No significant between-group differences or improvements in gait kinematics were observed.

This study showed that a 12-week Hatha yoga training can improve static balance in PWP. We found no evidence that it systematically improves gait performance in PWP.

Authors’ contributions

All authors have participated in the research and/or article preparation. All authors have approved the final submitted article. Study concept and design: CC, JFW, PT, JK; Acquisition of data: NE, AM, CC; Analysis of data: NE, AM; Interpretation of data: NE, CC, AM, JFW, PT, JK; Drafting/revising the article: NE; Critique/review the article: CC, AM, JFW, PT, JK; Final approval of the article: NE, CC, AM, JFW, PT, JK.

Submission statement

The data reported in this manuscript have not been published elsewhere and the manuscript is not under consideration for publication in another journal.

Ethics statement

The study was approved by the Human Research Protection Program, University of Minnesota and registered under ClinicalTrials.gov (registration number: NCT02509611). Written informed consent was obtained from all participants before the baseline measurements.

Funding support

This work was supported by the University of Minnesota Foundation to PJT and University of Minnesota Grant-in-Aid Program to CC.

Conflict of interest

The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

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