Understanding the physical demands placed upon the musculoskeletal system by individual postures may allow experienced\ninstructors and therapists to develop safe and effective yoga programs which reduce undesirable side effects. Thus, we used\nbiomechanical methods to quantify the lower extremity joint angles, joint moments of force, and muscle activities of 21 Hatha\nyoga postures, commonly used in senior yoga programs. Twenty older adults, 70.7 years �± 3.8 years, participated in a 32-wk yoga\nclass (2 d/wk) where they learned introductory and intermediate postures (asanas). They then performed the asanas in a motion\nanalysis laboratory. Kinematic, kinetic, and electromyographic data was collected over three seconds while the participants held\nthe poses statically. Profiles illustrating the postures and including the biomechanical data were then generated for each asana. Our\nfindings demonstrated thatHatha yoga postures engendered a range of appreciable joint angles, JMOFs, andmuscle activities about\nthe ankle, knee, and hip, and that demands associated with some postures and posturemodifications were not always intuitive.They\nalso demonstrated that all of the postures elicited appreciable rectus abdominis activity, which was up to 70%of that induced during\nwalking.
Loading....