RESULTS

Subjects of all three categories (i.e., adult and child volunteers and adult patients with rheumatoid arthritis) showed significant increases in hand grip strength following yoga. The control group, who did not practice yoga showed no change. The group mean values ±S.D. and percent change where significant are given in Table II.

Among normal volunteers the percentage increases following yoga were comparable for male adults and children, for both hands after 30 days (for adults) and 10 days (for children) of yoga, respectively. However, for adult females following 30 days of yoga, the percent increase in grip strength was almost double that of girls after 10 days of yoga and was also almost double that of adult males, who also received 30 days of yoga training. Percentage increase of boys and girls were comparable. Patients, who were all adults, showed greater percentage increase following 15 days of yoga compared to normal adults after 30 days of yoga. Among patients, female patients showed an increase which was about thrice the increase observed in male patients.

The actual values (rather than percentage increase) showed that at baseline (i) adult male volunteers and patients had higher grip strength than corresponding female subjects (volunteers and patients, respectively). (ii) The gender difference in improvement in grip strength following yoga was smaller between boys and girls. (iii) For all categories of subjects right hand grip strength was greater than that of the left hand.

Finally, the drug score data were analyzed. There was a significant reduction in Drug Score following 14 days of yoga, as values changed from 2.20±1.4 (Day 1) to 0.60 ± 0.5 (Day 14) [P=0.013). The control group showed no change. The values were: 3.16±1.6 (Day 1) and 1.83±1.3 (Day 14)[P=0.22]. It should be noted however, that at baseline the two groups differed in

Table II Hand grip strength in adult volunteers, children, and adult patients of both gruoups (yoga and control), before and after yoga or the non yoga control period, respectively. Values are group mean ± group S.D.

***P < .001, **P < .002, t-test for paired data, 'after' compared to 'before' for yoga and control group

the following points, viz., (1) 10 of the yoga group were on NSAIDs, versus 6 of the control group, with 20 patients in both cases. (2) The drug scores of the 6 control group patients were higher than those of the 10 yoga group patients at baseline, which may also account for differences in the results of the two groups.