Full text

Turn on search term navigation

© 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.

Abstract

This study investigates gait symmetry and single-leg stance balance of professional yoga instructors versus age-matched typically developed controls using inertial measurement unit (IMU)-based evaluation. We recruited twenty-five yoga instructors and twenty-five healthy control subjects to conduct the walking experiments and single-leg stance tests. Kinematic data were measured by attaching IMUs to the lower limbs and trunk. We assessed the asymmetry of swing phases during the normal-walk and tandem-walk tests with eyes open and closed, respectively. The subjects subsequently conducted four single-leg stance tests, including a single-leg stance on both legs with eyes open and closed. Two balance indexes regarding the angular velocities of the waist and chest were defined to assess postural stability. The gait asymmetry indexes of yoga instructors were significantly lower than those of the typically developed controls. Similarly, the yoga instructors had better body balance in all four single-leg stance tests. This study’s findings suggest that yoga improves gait asymmetry and balance ability in healthy adults. In the future, further intervention studies could be conducted to confirm the effect of yoga training.

Details

Title
Superior Gait Symmetry and Postural Stability among Yoga Instructors—Inertial Measurement Unit-Based Evaluation
Author
Ang-Chieh Lin 1 ; Lin, Tzu-Tung 1 ; Yin-Keat, Tan 2 ; Wei-Ren, Pan 2 ; Shih, Chih-Jen 2 ; Chun-Ju, Lee 3 ; Szu-Fu, Chen 4 ; Fu-Cheng, Wang 2   VIAFID ORCID Logo 

 Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Cheng Hsin General Hospital, Taipei 112, Taiwan 
 Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan 
 Yogabija Studio, Taipei 106, Taiwan 
 Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Cheng Hsin General Hospital, Taipei 112, Taiwan; Department of Physiology and Biophysics, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 114, Taiwan 
First page
9683
Publication year
2022
Publication date
2022
Publisher
MDPI AG
e-ISSN
14248220
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2756782465
Copyright
© 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.