Effects of Yoga Trainings on Selected Physical Fitness Factors in MS Patients

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of yoga trainings on selected physical fitness factors in MS patients. Thirty women members of Isfahan MS association affected by MS with the weakness degrees of 1 to 5 voluntarily participated in this study and randomly divided into two groups of experimental group (height: 159.4±3.3 cm, weight: 59.1±11.3 kg, age: 31.1±9 yr) and control group(height: 161.9±4.6 cm, weight: 59.5±10.4 kg, age: 35.7±8.3 yr). At the beginning of the program, balance rate (Berg Balance Test), flexibility (Weles Test), functional endurance (6 min walking) and hand grip strength (Hand Dy namometer) were assessed, then the experimental groupperformed yoga trainings for 12 weeks (each week 2 sessions at the yoga class and one session at home), while the control group proceeded only their routine activities. After 12 weeks both groups were tested again. The covariance analysis was used to analyses data. A significant difference was observed for balance between pre-test and post-test in experimental group (P<0.05) but differences werent significant for control group (P<0.05).A significant difference was found for flexibility between pre and post tests in experimental group (P<0.05), but not in control group (P<0.05). A significant difference wasfond between the pre and post-test in functional endurance in the experimental group (P<0.05) but it wasnt significant for control group (P<0.05). Differences between pre and post tests for hand grips werent significant for both groups (P<0.05). In conclusion, balance, flexibility and functional endurance were improved in MS patients following 12 weeks yoga training. So, yoga trainings make considerable improvement in physical fitness factors of the women affected with MS. Therefore, by involving these patients in yoga trainings, it can help them to facilitate their routine activities through elevating their physical fitness factors and prevent from their more and faster disability.