P03.05. The Yoga Empowers Seniors Study (YESS)

Focus Area: Integrative Approaches to Care The Yoga Empowers Seniors Study (YESS) was an intervention development study (IDS) that used biomechanical investigation (high-speed cameras, force platforms, and musculoskeletal modeling) to quantify the physical demands of yoga performance by older adults. Secondarily, the YESS used physical-performance testing, muscle-performance testing, and flexibility and balance assessments to quantify the efficacy and safety of a 32-week yoga program for ambulatory seniors. The yoga program was divided into introductory and intermediate phases, each lasting 16 weeks. The participants (N=24; mean 70.7 years of age) learned the associated yoga poses (asanas) from a yoga instructor with expertise working with seniors. In order to quantify the physical demands of the program, the participants performed the asanas at the termination of each phase while instrumented for biomechanical analysis. Follow-up physical performance and balance assessments were conducted at the end of each phase in order to determine the efficacy of the program. Outcome measures included biomechanical indices of the physical demands associated with yoga (joint range-of-motion, joint moments), measures of muscular and functional performance (stair climb, chair stand, gait, strength, and static and dynamic balance), adherence, and safety. Data from the IDS will be used to develop evidenced-based yoga prescriptions, which we postulate will be associated with fewer musculoskeletal side effects compared to non–evidence-based yoga programs. We also postulate that evidenced-based tailoring of yoga for seniors will enhance adherence and efficacy.