Application of Yoga as an Effective Tool for Improving Postural Balance in Healthy Young Indian Adults

Since ages practicing Yoga is said to be a panacea and is assumed to play a multifaceted role in improving quality of human life even today. This study attempts to evaluate efficacy of short term Yoga training as a tool to improve postural balance in healthy young Indian adults. This was evaluated in terms of sway parameters during different standing postures expressed as Center of Pressure (COP), kinetic work and power responses of thirteen randomly selected healthy young adults, who participated in yoga training sessions for one-month involving five asanas viz., Suryanamaskar, Utkatasana, Brikshasana, Tuladandasana and Garurasana. A pair of Kistler Forceplates (model no. 9286 AA) and Bioware software were used to collect the COP, work and power data before initiation of yoga training (BY), after 15 days of yoga training (15D) and after 30 days of yoga training (30D) during five different standing postures i.e., normal standing while both feet placed as “V” shape (NS), no gap between feet (NG), both feet placed parallel with gap in between (PG), left leg stance (LS) and right leg stance (RS). It was observed from scatter plots that during experimental conditions NS, NG and PG, the COP (sway area) shifted towards midline. No such gradual changes were observed for both LS and RS but sway area increased for condition 30D. Both work and power responses either increased or remained same during different experimental conditions. Results indicate that yoga training could be used as an important tool for enhancing performances where postural stability is an important criterion, e.g., sports, agriculture and military operations.