Introduction: Osteoarthritis is a chronic degenerative musculoskeletal disease and one of the predominant chronic conditions occurring in older adults worldwide. Osteoarthritis is characterized by premature decay of articular cartilage and joint structures. To prevent the progression of the disease, many methods are used, such as education, physiotherapy, other therapeutic methods, physical exercise and pharmacological treatment. For patients with osteoarthritis, regular physical exercise is of great importance, an adapted yoga program with a chair is recommended. Purpose: The purpose of the literature review was to determine the usefulness and effectiveness of chair yoga for older adults with osteoarthritis using existing literature. Methods: We used a descriptive method with a literature review. We searched the literature in the PubMed electronic database under the keywords: “chair yoga AND older adults AND osteoarthritis”. Included were studies published in English between 2014 and 2024, which investigated the effects of chair yoga on older adults (>65 years) with osteoarthritis. Results: Six articles that met the inclusion criteria were included in the literature review. Half of the studies looked at the effectiveness of chair yoga compared to the effectiveness of an educational program, and two studies compared the effects of chair yoga with a control group in which subjects continued their daily activities. In one study, the effectiveness of chair yoga was compared to the effectiveness of exercises to improve strength and mobility in the chair. The most observed effects of chair yoga are pain reduction and improvement of function, fitness and mobility. Discussion and conclusion: The results of the reviewed studies indicate positive short-term effects such as reduced pain, increased function, improved quality of life and sleep, improved fitness, mobility, balance and less depressed feelings and increased ability to perform daily activities. Positive long-term effects, however, have been little studied and only suggest improvements in pain, quality of life, and a reduced impact of pain on function. In the future, more research should be done to verify the findings and long-term effects of chair yoga.
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