Suffer from chronic low back pain? Been thinking about trying yoga but you can’t find a nearby studio or simply prefer to stay at home?
Researchers at Cleveland Clinic have found that a 12-week therapeutic virtual yoga program is a safe, feasible and effective treatment for chronic low back pain.
These findings were published in JAMA Network Open and contribute to the growing understanding of non-pharmacologic treatments for lower back pain, which affects up to 20% of adults worldwide.
Chronic low back pain can severely impact daily life, making activities such as walking, sleeping and working difficult.
Clinical guidelines often recommend starting with non-drug treatments, like physical therapy and in-person yoga classes.
This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of virtual yoga classes as an alternative for those with chronic low back pain.
How the Study Was Done
The randomized clinical trial involved 140 participants, with an average age of 48; over 80% were female.
Participants were members of Cleveland Clinic’s Employee Health Plan from Northeast Ohio and Florida, and the study ran from May 2022 to May 2023.
The research team assessed baseline measures, including pain intensity and back related function, using the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire.
Participants were divided into two groups: the “yoga now” group, which engaged in virtual live-streamed yoga classes for 12 weeks, and a “yoga later” control group, which continued their usual care.
After the trial, those in the control group were offered access to yoga classes outside the study.
The 12-week virtual yoga program was tailored to ensure effectiveness and safety for participants with ongoing low back pain.
What were the results?
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At the end of the program, people in the yoga now group reported significantly greater reductions in pain intensity and improvements in back related function compared to the control group.
Specifically, they experienced six times greater reductions in pain intensity scores and 2.7 times greater improvements in function.
Plus, 34% fewer participants in the yoga now group reported using pain medication.
They experienced 10 times greater improvements in sleep quality compared to those in the control group.
Also, these improvements were sustained at the 24-week follow-up.
Dr. Robert Saper, chair of the Department of Wellness and Preventive Medicine at Cleveland Clinic and senior author of the study, pointed out that attending in-person yoga classes can be challenging for many people.
This holds true especially if there’s bad weather.
The study suggests that virtual yoga classes provide a valuable alternative for managing chronic low back pain.
Dr. Hallie Tankha, the study’s first author, remarked that yoga offers an effective approach to managing this condition, which often proves resistant to traditional treatments including heat packs and daily pain drugs.
More access to virtual yoga programs will undoubtedly benefit more people.
Following these promising results, Dr. Saper plans to expand this research with a larger and more diverse patient population across multiple health care systems.
The aim is to further explore the impact of virtual yoga on chronic low back pain management and to establish broader access to such therapeutic options.
Lorra Garrick is a former personal trainer certified through the American Council on Exercise. At Bally Total Fitness she trained women and men of all ages for fat loss, muscle building, fitness and improved health.
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