Yoga for the management of pain and sleep in rheumatoid arthritis: a pilot randomized controlled trial.


Author: Ward L1,2, Stebbings S2, Athens J3, Cherkin D4, David Baxter G1

Affiliation: <sup>1</sup>School of Physiotherapy, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.

<sup>2</sup>Department of Medicine, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.

<sup>3</sup>Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.

<sup>4</sup>Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA.
Conference/Journal: Musculoskeletal Care.
Date published: 2017 Jun 16
Other:
  Special Notes: doi: 10.1002/msc.1201. [Epub ahead of print]   ,  Word Count: 258  
    OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to determine the feasibility of a relaxation-based yoga intervention for rheumatoid arthritis, designed and reported in accordance with Delphi recommendations for yoga interventions for musculoskeletal conditions.



METHODS: Participants were recruited from a hospital database, and randomized to either eight weekly 75-min yoga classes or a usual care control. Feasibility was determined by recruitment rates, retention, protocol adherence, participant satisfaction and adverse events. Secondary physical and psychosocial outcomes were assessed using self-reported questionnaires at baseline (week 0), week 9 (primary time point) and week 12 (follow-up).



RESULTS: Over a 3-month period, 26 participants with mild pain, mild to moderate functional disability and moderate disease activity were recruited into the study (25% recruitment rate). Retention rates were 100% for yoga participants and 92% for usual care participants at both weeks 9 and 12. Protocol adherence and participant satisfaction were high. Yoga participants attended a median of seven classes; additionally, seven of the yoga participants (54%) reported continuing yoga at home during the follow-up period. No serious adverse events were related to the study. Secondary outcomes showed no group effects of yoga compared with usual care.



CONCLUSIONS: A relaxation-based yoga programme was found to be feasible and safe for participants with rheumatoid arthritis-related pain and functional disability. Adverse events were minor, and not unexpected from an intervention including physical components. This pilot provides a framework for larger intervention studies, and supports further exploration of yoga as a complex intervention to assist with the management of rheumatoid arthritis.



Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.



KEYWORDS: RCT; complementary medicine; rheumatoid arthritis; yoga



PMID: 28621011  DOI: 10.1002/msc.1201