Effects of 30-minute single sessions of yoga and Pilates on frailty in patients with psychiatric disorders: A pilot randomized controlled trial.

The present study aims to evaluate the effects of single yoga and Pilates sessions on frailty in patients with psychiatric disorders. In this open‐label randomized controlled trial (RCT), we recruited in/outpatients aged 40 or above with any psychiatric diagnosis and no changes to their antipsychotic treatment over the last 8 weeks between August 2017 and June 2018 at Minami‐Hanno Hospital in Japan. Thirty‐one patients participated in this study (19 men; mean ± SD age, 52.6 ± 9.5 years; schizophrenia, 80.7%; mean ± SD duration of illness, 14.7 ± 10.8 years). Participants were randomly assigned to a 30‐min session of Hatha yoga, floor‐based Pilates, or group therapy focusing on a healthy lifestyle in addition to their psychopharmacological treatments. The ANCOVA demonstrated a significant difference in the range of trunk motion (P < 0.001) and the salivary alpha‐amylase (SAA) activity (P = 0.046) among the three groups. Participants in the yoga (n = 11) and Pilates groups (n = 10) showed a significantly greater improvement in the range of trunk motion compared to those in the group therapy session. The yoga group also showed a lower SAA activity relative to the Pilates group (P = 0.043). However, the clinical gains in the range of trunk motion and SAA activity were not maintained at the 1‐week follow‐up. Further investigations focusing on the appropriate module and intensity are needed to achieve long-term improvements in frailty.