Effects of Isha Hatha Yoga on Core Stability and Standing Balance

Context • Isha Hatha yoga is a form of yoga practice that practitioners claim can improve health. Gaining a scientific understanding of its effects on health is a crucial step in claiming health benefits. Objective • The study intended to investigate the effects of Isha Hatha yoga on core stability and standing balance in healthy volunteers. Design • The research team designed a quasiexperimental study. Setting • The setting was at Isha Yoga Center at Isha Foundation in Coimbatore, India. Participants • Participants were individuals registered for a residential program providing training in Isha Hatha yoga at the Isha Yoga Center. Intervention • The training consisted of 21 d of training in Isha Hatha yoga, including Upa yoga, Surya Kriya, Angamardhana, Bhuta Suddhi, and asanas. Outcome Measures • The single-leg stork test and the plank test were conducted before and after the training. Results • Significant increases occurred in the standing-stork test scores on the right (P = .014) and left (P = .033) sides and in the plank test scores (P < .001). Conclusions • The current study concluded that healthy volunteers who underwent 21 d of training in Isha Hatha yoga showed significant improvements in core strength and balance.