Introduction: People's life expectancy is increasing, mainly due to the improvement of living conditions, which consequences in increasing number of older adults. Aging related changes occur in the neuromuscular, musculoskeletal and sensory systems, which can lead to problems with posture control and consequent falls. Yoga is a form of exercise that involves a combination of mind and body exercise.Yoga mainly focuses on self-awareness, energy, breathing and muscle activation. Purpose: The aim of this diploma work was to determine the impact of different forms of yoga practice on improvement of balance in older adults. Methods: In the preparation of diploma work a descroptive method was used. The literature was searched in the PubMed and Cinahl database. Literature searches were limited to articles in English, not older than 15 years. The key words used were: yoga, balance, physical function, older adults, seniors. Results: In the literature review, we included eight studies that examined the impact of different forms of yoga practice on balance of older adults. Five studies have reported that practicing yoga has positive effects on the increase of balance in older adults. Discussion and conclusion: Based on the results, yoga practice could be an effective method to improve balance in older adults and could be included in balance improvement programs. Based on the results we have included in the review literature, yoga should be practiced at least two hours per week, to improve balance. The most effective form of yoga, according to the results, could be Hatha yoga, as it connects postures or asanas with breathing techniques or pranayama. Yoga also focuses on the mental health and well-being of the individual, which is one of the advantages by comparison to other forms of exercise. Future research should include the increase in the number of subjects, especially men, and compare the different forms of yoga and the duration of exercise units.
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