Effects of selected kriyas and yogic practices on cardiopulmonary functions in asthmatic women

Introduction The present study aimed to determine the effects of selected kriyas and yogic practices on cardiopulmonary functions among female asthmatic patients aged 30–35 years. Subjects and Methods The study recruited 77 participants randomly assigned to two groups: the kriya with yoga intervention group (KYIG) and the control group (CG). KYIG participated in 64 yoga sessions that included kriyas, pranayama, basic asanas and yoga nidra. These sessions were conducted on the college premises four days a week for 16 weeks. CG did not receive any practices. Cardiopulmonary functions were evaluated at baseline and after the intervention. Statistical analyses were conducted using independent t-tests and a Wilcoxon signed-rank test with a significance level set at p < 0.05. Results The yoga group demonstrated statistically significant differences in the mean scores of cardiopulmonary functions, including heart rate (HR), breathing rate (BR), and forced vital capacity (FVC), when compared to the control group. Notably, there was a significant decrease in BR [20.833 ± 3.761, 95% CI (–3.175, –1.815), p < 0.001] and in HR [80.267 ± 6.097, 95% CI (–2.418, –1.209), p < 0.001]. Additionally, there were significant increases in FVC [3.23 ± 0.263, 95% CI (3.308, 5.149), p < 0.001], all with a large effect size. Conclusions These results indicate that a consistent 16-week yoga program significantly reduced HR and BR while enhancing FVC in patients with asthma.