Yoga for back pain

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Hi All,

Yoga may help back pain in the pdf-available not in Medline yet paper.

Comparing Yoga, Exercise, and a Self-Care Book for Chronic Low Back Pain: A

Randomized, Controlled Trial

J. Sherman, C. Cherkin, Janet Erro, L. Miglioretti, and

A. Deyo

Arch Intern Med. 2005 Dec 20;165(23):849-856

The authors randomly assigned 101 adults with chronic low back pain to receive

12

weeks of yoga, 12 weeks of conventional therapeutic exercise classes, or a

self-care

book. At 12 weeks, the yoga group had less bothersome symptoms and better

back-related function than the self-care book group. Differences between

conventional exercise and yoga were not consistent at different times in the

study.

Background: Chronic low back pain is a common problem that has only modestly

effective treatment options.

Objective: To determine whether yoga is more effective than conventional

therapeutic

exercise or a self-care book for patients with chronic low back pain.

Design: Randomized, controlled trial.

Setting: A nonprofit, integrated health care system.

Patients: 101 adults with chronic low back pain.

Intervention: 12-week sessions of yoga or conventional therapeutic exercise

classes

or a self-care book.

Measurements: Primary outcomes were back-related functional status (modified

24-point Roland Disability Scale) and " bothersomeness " of pain (11-point

numerical

scale). The primary time point was 12 weeks. Clinically significant change was

considered to be 2.5 points on the functional status scale and 1.5 points on the

bothersomeness scale. Secondary outcomes were days of restricted activity,

general

health status, and medication use.

Results: After adjustment for baseline values, back-related function in the yoga

group was superior to the book and exercise groups at 12 weeks (yoga vs. book:

mean

difference, –3.4 [95% CI, –5.1 to – 1.6] [P < 0.001]; yoga vs. exercise: mean

difference, –1.8 [CI, –3.5 to – 0.1] [P = 0.034]). No significant differences in

symptom bothersomeness were found between any 2 groups at 12 weeks; at 26 weeks,

the

yoga group was superior to the book group with respect to this measure (mean

difference, –2.2 [CI, –3.2 to – 1.2]; P < 0.001). At 26 weeks, back-related

function

in the yoga group was superior to the book group (mean difference, –3.6 [CI,

–5.4 to

– 1.8]; P < 0.001).

Limitations: Participants in this study were followed for only 26 weeks after

randomization. Only 1 instructor delivered each intervention.

Conclusions: Yoga was more effective than a self-care book for improving

function

and reducing chronic low back pain, and the benefits persisted for at least

several

months.

Editors' Notes

Context

Yoga combines exercise with achieving a state of mental focus through breathing.

In

the United States, 1 million people practice yoga for low back pain.

Contribution

The authors recruited patients who had a recent primary care visit for low back

pain

and randomly assigned 101 to yoga or conventional exercise or a self-care book.

Patients in the yoga and exercise groups reported good adherence at 26 weeks.

Compared with self-care, symptoms were milder and function was better with yoga.

The

exercise group had intermediate outcomes. Symptoms improved between 12 and 26

weeks

only with yoga.

Implications

Yoga was a more effective treatment for low back pain than a self-care book.

—The Editors

Al Pater, PhD; email: old542000@...

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