Yoga Medical News Daily

Trial underway in Seattle to assess yoga's effectiveness on chronic low back pain

This trial will investigate whether yoga is effective for treating chronic low back pain compared with self care and exercise and will explore the mechanisms responsible for any observed benefits. "A total of 210 participants with low back pain lasting at least 3 months will be recruited from primary care clinics of a large healthcare system based in Seattle. They will be randomized in a 2:2:1 ratio to receive 12 weekly yoga classes, 12 weekly conventional therapeutic exercise classes of comparable physical exertion, or a self-care book. . .  Information will be collected on specific physical, psychological, and physiological factors to allow exploration of possible mechanisms of action through which yoga could relieve back pain and dysfunction. The effectiveness of yoga will be assessed using analysis of covariance (using general estimating equations - GEE) within an intention-to-treat context. If yoga is found effective, further analyses will explore whether yoga's benefits are attributable to physical, psychological and/or physiological factors."

". . . This study will provide the clearest evidence to date about the value of yoga as a therapeutic option for treating chronic back pain, and if the results are positive, will help focus future, more in-depth, research on the most promising potential mechanisms of action identified by this study." ClinicalTrials.gov ID number of NCT00447668. Abstract: PubMed PMID: 20356395. "Comparison of yoga versus stretching for chronic low back pain: protocol for the Yoga Exercise Self-care (YES) trial," by Karen J Sherman, Daniel C Cherkin, Andrea J Cook, Rene J Hawkes, Richard A Deyo, Robert Wellman and Partap S Khalsa, Trails Journal [2010 Mar 31;11(1):36]

New yoga controlled trial funded by Arthritis Research Campaign planned

A systematic review of three small randomised controlled trials of yoga for low back pain revealed the positive effects of yoga. "To build on these studies a larger trial, with longer term follow-up, and a number of different yoga teachers delivering the intervention is required. This study protocol describes the details of a randomised controlled trial (RCT) to determine the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of Yoga for chronic Low Back Pain, which is funded by Arthritis Research Campaign (arc) and is being conducted by the University of York. 262 patients will be recruited from GP practices in 5 centres in England."

"Patients will be randomised to receive usual care or 12 weekly classes of yoga. A yoga programme will be devised that can be delivered by yoga teachers of the two main national yoga organisations in the UK (British Wheel of Yoga and Iyengar Yoga Association (UK). Trial registration: Current controlled trials registry ISRCTN81079604 (date registered 30/03/2007)." Abstract: PubMed PMID: 20347837.  H. Cox, et al, "A pragmatic multi-centred randomised controlled trial of yoga for chronic low back pain: trial protocol," Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice [2010 May;16(2):76-80]

Characteristics and outcomes of individuals self-selecting yoga versus physical therapy for the treatment of chronic low back pain

Dissertation by Dian Dowling Evans, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, 2009, 133 pages. Full-text of the dissertation available for download in pdf format.

Evaluation of the effectiveness and efficacy of iyengar yoga therapy on chronic low back pain

This study published in Spine (2009 Sept;34(19): 2066-76) concluded that yoga improves functional disability, pain intensity, and depression in adults with chronic low back pain. There was also a clinically important trend for the yoga group to reduce their pain medication usage compared to the control group. Abstract at: PubMed. More on these findings at: Yoga Can Ease Lower Back Pain, by Jennifer Thomas, HealthDay Reporter.