Benefits of Thai Yoga on physical mobility and lower limb muscle strength in overweight/obese older women: A randomized controlled pilot trial

Although Thai Yoga (TY) is reported to improve health-related fitness for the elderly, no study has yet carried out the effect of TY Program on physical mobility and lower-limb muscle strength in overweight/obese older women. In a randomized controlled pilot design, twenty-two sedentary women with a BMI ≥ 23 kg/m2, aged 62 ± 1 years were randomly assigned to either a TY group for 60 min, 3 times a week or to a “no exercise” control (CON) group. Sit and reach (SRT), functional reach (FRT) and 30-s chair stand (CST-30), 8-foot up and go (8UGT), 6-min walk (6MWT)) and lower-limb muscle strength were measured at the beginning, 4, and 8 weeks. At week 4, a significant between groups was obtained in CST-30, 8UGT, and 6MWT. At week 8, FRT, 8UGT, 6MWT and knee flexor and extensor muscle strength were improved in the TY over the CON. Significant improvement was found in all variables within the TY, but no change was observed in the CON. An 8-week TY program appears to provide beneficial improvements in physical mobility in overweight/obese older women.