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

UNLABELLED: 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.

METHODS: Sample 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.

RESULTS: Fear 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.