The Cleveland Clinic researchers conducted a study on a virtual yoga program for chronic low back pain, finding it to be safe and effective. Chronic low back pain affects up to 20% of adults worldwide and can significantly impact daily activities. Non-pharmacologic treatments like physical therapy and in-person yoga classes are usually recommended, but virtual yoga classes were examined in this study. Participants in the study reported reduced back pain intensity and improved back-related function, showing promising results for virtual yoga as a treatment option.
The 24-week randomized clinical trial involved 140 participants with chronic low back pain, with an average age of 48 and mostly female. The participants were members of the Cleveland Clinic’s Employee Health Plan from Northeast Ohio and Florida. Assessments were conducted to measure pain intensity and back-related function using the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire, with participants randomly assigned to either the “yoga now” group or the “yoga later” control group. The yoga now group participated in virtual live-streamed yoga classes for 12 weeks followed by a 12-week assessment period, while the yoga later group continued with their usual care.
Cleveland Clinic yoga instructors delivered a 12-week program designed for participants with chronic low back pain. Participants were reassessed at six, 12, and 24 weeks for pain intensity, back-related function, pain-medication use, and sleep quality. At the end of the 12-week program, yoga now participants reported significant reductions in pain intensity and improvements in back-related function compared to those who did not take the classes. Fewer patients in the yoga now group reported using pain medication, and improvements in sleep quality were also reported. These improvements were sustained at 24 weeks, showing the long-term benefits of the virtual yoga program.
The study’s first author, Hallie Tankha, emphasized that yoga offers a comprehensive approach to managing low back pain, which traditional treatments often struggle to address. Dr. Saper, the senior author, plans to continue this research with a larger and more diverse sample of patients from multiple health care systems. The results of this study indicate that virtual yoga classes can be a safe and effective therapeutic option for chronic low back pain, providing an accessible alternative to in-person classes for patients.
The findings of this study highlight the potential benefits of virtual yoga for chronic low back pain, including reduced pain intensity and improved back-related function. The study participants, who were mainly female and from the Cleveland Clinic’s Employee Health Plan, showed significant improvements in pain, medication use, and sleep quality after taking part in the 12-week virtual yoga program. The researchers plan to further explore the effectiveness of virtual yoga for chronic low back pain in larger and more diverse populations to increase access to this safe and effective treatment option.