INVESTIGATION OF FUNCTIONAL MOVEMENT IMPAIRMENTS IN YOGA PRACTITIONERS BEFORE AND AFTER YOGA POSTURE TRAINING AND WITH TARGETED EXERCISE INTERVENTION

Buchner S.¹, Folger A.¹, Boucher B.¹

¹Texas State University, Physical Therapy, San Marcos, United States

Background: Our study focused on the following movement impairments as described by Sahrmann: cervical extension rotation, scapular depression and downward rotation, anterior glide and medial rotation of the shoulder, lumbar extension rotation, anterior glide and medial rotation of the hip and dominant hamstrings.

Purpose: Movement impairments involve faulty movement patterns including abnormalities in posture and musculature. Spine and/or extremity deficits cluster to form movement impairments, which may result in mechanical breakdown over time. The study purpose was threefold: 1) investigate the extent to which common movement impairments were found in a group of asymptomatic yoga practitioners prior to participation in an 8-week yoga training course, 2) assess the extent to which movement impairments initially identified changed upon completion of an 8-week yoga training course, and 3) assess response to a follow-up 6-week home exercise program (HEP) that addressed individual impairments of participants.

Methods: 12 subjects, 3 males and 9 females, mean age 28 years old (±8.06SD) inclusion criteria: >18 years of age, >3 mo participation in yoga, registration and completion of an 8-week yoga training course, functional AROM and PROM in all extremities, > 3 mo without major injury, and no current spine abnormalities. Prior to initiation of an 8-week yoga training course, each participant was assessed using functional movements, and postural and muscular length/strength measurements. Identified deficits were placed into appropriate categories, ranked from 0-3 (0 = absent, 3 = severe). Assessment of movement impairments, defined and measured by Sahrmann, were performed for each participant prior to initiation and at completion of the training course.

Results: Movement impairments existed in all subjects prior to participation in an 8-week yoga training course. At completion of the training course, re-assessment revealed significant increase in severity of movement impairments. Post 6-week individualized HEP, a significant decrease in severity of movement impairments was found in all subjects.

Conclusion(s): In the sample studied, movement impairments existed at a high rate among yoga practitioners, and the severity increased after participation in a yoga training course. The severity of movement impairments decreased among all subjects after a targeted exercise program.

Implications: Clinical relevance: The study identified the presence of movement impairments in a regularly practicing yoga population and revealed an increased severity of these impairments following an 8-week yoga training course. This indicates that yoga may enhance faulty movement patterns present in individuals who practice regularly. The results also support the clinical use of specific exercises that effectively treated the movement impairments addressed in this study.

Funding acknowledgements: This study was funded by Texas State University, Department of Physical Therapy.

Topic: Human movement analysis

Ethics approval: This project was approved by the Texas State IRB. Approval Number: 2015L1674

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