Physical
Therapy
Through Yoga
to Help Low-
Back Pain
by: NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH
Results of a new National Institutes
of Health-funded study show yoga
to people with low socioeconomic
status who had chronic lowback
pain. These improvements
were greater than self-education;
however, they were not considered
that a structured yoga program
may be an alternative to physical
therapy for people with chronic lowback
pain, depending on individual
preferences, availability, and cost.
The year-long study, which enrolled
racially diverse adults with low
socioeconomic status, was
conducted at Boston University
and included researchers from the
University of Pittsburgh, Group
Health Research Institute in Seattle,
the University of Washington,
and the RAND Corporation. It was
published in the Annals of Internal
Medicine.
Some studies suggest yoga helps
with symptoms of chronic low-back
pain. But the evidence has been
extend across diverse populations,
including racial or ethnic minorities,
those with lower socioeconomic
status, or those with challenges in
obtaining medical care because of
health disparities.
study, researchers randomly
assigned 320 predominantly lowincome,
racially diverse adults aged
18 to 64 with chronic low-back pain
groups:
One group participated in a
75-minute yoga class, once per
week, taught by a yoga instructor,
along with home practice.
Another group received individual
physical therapy of up to 15 onehour
sessions delivered by a
physical therapist and combined
with home practice.
education handbook on self-care
for back pain; every 3 weeks, they
received brief newsletters that
summarized the main points from
assigned chapters. Members of this
group also received periodic checkin
calls.
The researchers measured
participants’ average pain intensity
and disability related to back pain at
the study’s start and then at 6, 12,
26, 40, and 52 weeks.
In the next phase of the study,
members of the yoga and physical
therapy groups who had attended
at least one of their classes or
sessions were randomly assigned to
new groups. For example, the yoga
participants were assigned to either
home practice or drop-in yoga
classes, and the physical therapy
participants to either home practice
physical therapy. The education
group continued reviewing their
materials and receiving check-in
calls.
The researchers found that for
12 weeks, the yoga and physical
therapy groups were less likely than
the education group to use any pain
medication.
2018. February - 14 - vervemagazines.com
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