A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of the Effects of Chair Yoga on Pain and Physical Function Among Community‐Dwelling Older Adults With Lower Extremity Osteoarthritis

Objectives To determine effects of Sit ‘N’ Fit Chair Yoga , compared to a Health Education program ( HEP ), on pain and physical function in older adults with lower extremity osteoarthritis ( OA ) who could not participate in standing exercise. Design Two‐arm randomized controlled trial. Setting One HUD senior housing facility and one day senior center in south Florida. Participants Community‐dwelling older adults (N = 131) were randomly assigned to chair yoga (n = 66) or HEP (n = 65). Thirteen dropped after assignment but prior to the intervention; six dropped during the intervention; 106 of 112 completed at least 12 of 16 sessions (95% retention rate). Interventions Participants attended either chair yoga or HEP . Both interventions consisted of twice‐weekly 45‐minute sessions for 8 weeks. Measurements Primary: pain, pain interference; secondary: balance, gait speed, fatigue, functional ability measured at baseline, after 4 weeks of intervention, at the end of the 8‐week intervention, and post‐intervention (1 and 3 months). Results The chair yoga group showed greater reduction in pain interference during the intervention ( P = .01), sustained through 3 months ( P = .022). WOMAC pain ( P = .048), gait speed ( P = .024), and fatigue ( P = .037 ) were improved in the yoga group during the intervention ( P = .048) but improvements were not sustained post intervention. Chair yoga had no effect on balance. Conclusion An 8‐week chair yoga program was associated with reduction in pain, pain interference, and fatigue, and improvement in gait speed, but only the effects on pain interference were sustained 3 months post intervention. Chair yoga should be further explored as a nonpharmacologic intervention for older people with OA in the lower extremities. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02113410.