Effects of a chair-yoga exercises on stress hormone levels, daily life activities, falls and physical fitness in institutionalized older adults

• Chair-yoga was able to maintain the and physical fitness and levels of stress hormonals protecting against stress.
• This study revealed that hormonal levels of stress are a promising indicator of functional autonomy in older populations.
• Chair-based method adopted to perform the Yoga exercises may have been a factor to the greater exercise adherence.

The aim of this study was to assess the changes mediated by exercise on activities of daily life and falls, physical fitness, salivary cortisol and alpha amylase in older adults living in social and health care givers centers.MethodsSample consisted in 35 women (83.81 ± 6.6 years old) were divided into two groups: chair-yoga exercises group (CY, n = 20) and control group (CG, n = 15). All subjects were evaluated before and after 14-weeks. CY was involved in exercise classes two times per week, while the GC did not participate in any exercise.ResultsFear of falling decreased in both groups, cortisol increased and alpha-amylase decreased in the CG. No significant changes occurred in physical fitness outcomes. Conclusion: CY practice was able to maintain the physical fitness scores and stress hormone levels, but was not able to improve the subject's perception on the ability to perform the instrumental activities of daily life.

Flowchart of the hypothetical model of the effects of chronic exercise on physical fitness, functional autonomy and stress.Figure optionsDownload high-quality image (123 K)Download as PowerPoint slide