A woman holds her aching back. The spine is artificially highlighted in bright light.

Study on yoga for back pain

Robert B. Saper, Chelsey Lemaster et al.

July 2017

Back pain

Yoga (individual)

The aim of the study was to determine whether yoga is as effective as physiotherapy (PT) for chronic low back pain.

It was a 12-week study followed by a 40-week maintenance phase involving 320 adults with non-specific low back pain from low-income, culturally diverse backgrounds.

Participants received either yoga healing therapies, PT sessions or a textbook and newsletter.

The primary outcomes measured were back-related function and pain at 12 weeks, with non-inferiority cut-offs pre-specified.

The results showed that yoga was non-inferior to physical therapy in terms of improving function and pain.

Both the yoga and PT groups showed similar results for secondary outcomes, with fewer participants requiring pain medication than in the education group.

Adverse events were minor and comparable between yoga and PT. Overall, the study concluded that a yoga program is as effective as physical therapy in the treatment of non-specific chronic low back pain.

The most important information on the study at a glance

Indications: Back pain
Institution: Boston University School of Medicine, Massachusetts, USA
Title: Study on yoga for back pain
Brief description: Study shows that yoga is as effective as physiotherapy for chronic low back pain, with improvements in function and pain.
Original title: Yoga, Physical Therapy, or Education for Chronic Low Back Pain: A Randomized Noninferiority Trial
Link to the study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28631003/