Upper extremity strength and motor speed in children with visual impairment following a 16-week yoga training program

BACKGROUND: Yoga's benefits on various aspects of health for sighted children is substantially supported by the literature. This study aimed to extend those fidings to children with visual impairment. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to measure changes in upper extremity strength and motor speed in children with visual impairment following 16-weeks of yoga training. METHODS: This was a two arm pre post, single blind, waitlist-controlled study. Eighty-three (yoga [n= 41], control [n= 42]) participants (aged 9-16 years) enrolled, 6 dropped out from the trial. Demographic characteristics were not significantly different between the two groups. The following variables: upper extremity muscle strength; elbow flexion and elbow extension, pinch strength and motor speed were evaluated bilaterally using a handheld dynamometer, pinch dynamometer and finger tapping board respectively at baseline and after the 16-week intervention. SPSS-20 was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Significant improvements in all variables (P CONCLUSION: The study suggests that yoga may be considered an effective option to improve muscle strength and motor function in children with visual impairment.