ผลของการออกกำลังกายแบบหะฐะโยคะต่อสมรรถภาพทางกายในผู้สูงอายุ

Abstract

The process of aging results in a decrease of physical fitness, that indicates the ability to perform activities of daily living independently among older persons. Moderate intensity aerobic exercise can improve physical fitness. The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to examine the effect of Hatha Yoga exercise on physical fitness among older persons. Fifty-two older persons were selected by simple random sampling from Tambol Sansai-ngam, Thoeng district, Chiang Rai Province during February to May 2013. Subjects were purposively selected and randomly assigned into an experimental and a control group, with 26 persons in each group, matched by gender, age, level of flexibility and cardiorespiratory endurance. Subjects in the experimental group performed Hatha Yoga exercise 50 minutes per session, three times per week for 12 weeks, while those in the control group did not participate in Hatha Yoga exercise. The instruments used in this study consisted of the demographic data recording form and the recording form for flexibility and cardiorespiratory endurance. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the hypotheses were tested by t-test.

The results of this study revealed that: 1. Flexibility in the experimental group after performing Hatha Yoga exercise was significantly higher than that of the control group at the significant level of .001. 2. Cardiorespiratory endurance in the experimental group after performing Hatha Yoga exercise was significantly higher than that of the control group at the significant level of .001. 3. Flexibility and cardiorespiratory endurance in the experimental group after performing Hatha Yoga exercise were significantly higher than that of before at the significant level of .001. The results of this study indicate that Hatha Yoga exercise could improve flexibility and cardiorespiratory endurance among older persons. Therefore, healthcare personnel should encourage older persons to adopt Hatha Yoga exercise for improving physical fitness.