Introduction: Global dispersal has allowed for many styles of yoga to develop over the past few decades, but all have maintained traditional asanas, as well as a focus on breathing, concentration and relaxation. Aging-associated loss of flexibility has a major impact on the quality of life, as it affects day-to-day activities, leads to a decline in functional abilities and the onset of disability. Improvements in flexibility are one of the most obvious and immediate effects of yoga. Purpose: The purpose of this thesis was to analyze the effectiveness of different forms of yoga for maintaining and improving flexibility of older adults, based on a review of published literature. Methodology:A descriptive method of work with an overview and analysis of professional and scientific literature was used. Literature was searched for in English in CINAHL, PubMED, ScienceDirect and PEDro databases. The following keywords were separately or in combinations: yoga, flexibility, elderly, older, back scratch, sit and reach. Results: Based on the criteria, five articles were included in the literature review. All examined studies inspected the effects of yoga on flexibility of older adults and used sit and reach, as well as back scratch test. Discussion and conclusion: The results of the studies suggest that flexibility of the shoulder joint and upper limb has statistically improved in all studies. The flexibility of the lower back and thigh muscles has statistically improved in four studies. These effects persisted for several months after the end of the yoga programme. A repetition of studies in larger and more diverse patterns could probably confirm the positive effects of yoga training on improving flexibility of older adults.
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