Yoga for proprioception: A systematic review

Abstract

Proprioception is an important and effective measure for neuromuscular function training. Researchers primarily use the joint position sense (JPS) to assess proprioception. The study's aim was to conduct a systematic review of the research on yoga for improving proprioception, with the objective of providing a systematic review for the various bodies' JPSs. Relevant articles were found using the keywords “Yoga AND Proprioception” and “Yoga AND Joint Position Sense (JPS)” in major databases such as Google Scholar, PubMed, Science Direct, EMBASE, and the Cochran Library. The peer-reviewed English language articles published between January 2011 and December 2021 were included in the study. Individually, the rated study quality was assessed using the Downs and Black checklist. The possible scores ranged from 0 to 27. Where possible, the effect size was calculated in the article. Three of the 60 identified studies met the inclusion criteria: one randomized controlled trial and two quasi-experimental studies. All three studies discovered a positive improvement in JPS. The current research has shown that yogic intervention may have a positive effect on proprioception, but research is limited. The number of studies was small, and more research on specific poses for improving proprioception is needed.

Keywords

• joint position sense
• kinesthesis
• meditation
• somesthesia
• yoga