1 1529 142 IYENGAR YOGA FOR YOUNG ADULTS WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS: RESULTS FROM A MIXED-METHODS PILOT STUDY. CONTEXT: RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS (RA) IS A CHRONIC DISEASE THAT OFTEN IMPACTS PATIENT'S QUALITY OF LIFE. FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WITH RA, THERE IS A NEED FOR REHABILITATIVE APPROACHES THAT HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO BE SAFE AND TO LEAD TO IMPROVED FUNCTIONING. OBJECTIVES: THIS PILOT STUDY INVESTIGATED THE FEASIBILITY OF A SINGLE-ARM, GROUP-ADMINISTERED, SIX-WEEK, BIWEEKLY IYENGAR YOGA (IY) PROGRAM FOR EIGHT YOUNG ADULTS WITH RA. METHODS: IY IS KNOWN FOR ITS USE OF PROPS, THERAPEUTIC SEQUENCES DESIGNED FOR PATIENT POPULATIONS, EMPHASIS ON ALIGNMENT, AND A RIGOROUS TEACHER TRAINING. TREATMENT OUTCOMES WERE EVALUATED USING A MIXED-METHODS APPROACH THAT COMBINED QUANTITATIVE RESULTS FROM STANDARDIZED QUESTIONNAIRES AND QUALITATIVE INTERVIEWS WITH PARTICIPANTS. RESULTS: INITIAL ATTRITION WAS 37% (N=3) AFTER THE FIRST WEEK BECAUSE OF SCHEDULING CONFLICTS AND A PRIOR NON-RA RELATED INJURY. HOWEVER, THE REMAINING PARTICIPANTS (N=5) COMPLETED BETWEEN 75% AND 100% OF TREATMENT SESSIONS (MEAN=95%). NO ADVERSE EVENTS WERE REPORTED. THE QUANTITATIVE RESULTS INDICATED SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS IN PAIN, PAIN DISABILITY, DEPRESSION, MENTAL HEALTH, VITALITY, AND SELF-EFFICACY. INTERVIEWS DEMONSTRATED IMPROVEMENT IN RA SYMPTOMS AND FUNCTIONING BUT UNCERTAINTY ABOUT WHETHER THE INTERVENTION AFFECTED PAIN. CONCLUSION: THESE PRELIMINARY FINDINGS INDICATE THAT IY IS A FEASIBLE COMPLEMENTARY APPROACH FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WITH RA, ALTHOUGH LARGER CLINICAL TRIALS ARE NEEDED TO DEMONSTRATE SAFETY AND EFFICACY. 2010 2 175 50 A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL EXAMINING IYENGAR YOGA FOR YOUNG ADULTS WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS: A STUDY PROTOCOL. BACKGROUND: RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS IS A CHRONIC, DISABLING DISEASE THAT CAN COMPROMISE MOBILITY, DAILY FUNCTIONING, AND HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE, ESPECIALLY IN OLDER ADOLESCENTS AND YOUNG ADULTS. IN THIS PROJECT, WE WILL COMPARE A STANDARDIZED IYENGAR YOGA PROGRAM FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS TO A STANDARD CARE WAIT-LIST CONTROL CONDITION. METHODS/DESIGN: SEVENTY RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS PATIENTS AGED 16-35 YEARS WILL BE RANDOMIZED INTO EITHER THE 6-WEEK IYENGAR YOGA PROGRAM (12 - 1.5 HOUR SESSIONS TWICE WEEKLY) OR THE 6-WEEK WAIT-LIST CONTROL CONDITION. A 20% ATTRITION RATE IS ANTICIPATED. THE WAIT-LIST GROUP WILL RECEIVE THE YOGA PROGRAM FOLLOWING COMPLETION OF THE FIRST ARM OF THE STUDY. WE WILL COLLECT DATA QUANTITATIVELY, USING QUESTIONNAIRES AND MARKERS OF DISEASE ACTIVITY, AND QUALITATIVELY USING SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS. ASSESSMENTS INCLUDE STANDARDIZED MEASURES OF GENERAL AND ARTHRITIS-SPECIFIC FUNCTION, PAIN, MOOD, AND HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE, AS WELL AS QUALITATIVE INTERVIEWS, BLOOD PRESSURE/RESTING HEART RATE MEASUREMENTS, A MEDICAL EXAM AND THE ASSESSMENT OF PRO-INFLAMMATORY CYTOKINES. DATA WILL BE COLLECTED THREE TIMES: BEFORE TREATMENT, POST-TREATMENT, AND TWO MONTHS FOLLOWING THE TREATMENT. DISCUSSION: RESULTS FROM THIS STUDY WILL PROVIDE CRITICAL DATA ON NON-PHARMACOLOGIC METHODS FOR ENHANCING FUNCTION IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS PATIENTS. IN PARTICULAR, RESULTS WILL SHED LIGHT ON THE FEASIBILITY AND POTENTIAL EFFICACY OF A NOVEL INTERVENTION FOR RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS SYMPTOMS, PAVING THE WAY FOR A LARGER CLINICAL TRIAL. TRIAL REGISTRATION: CLINICALTRIALS.GOV NCT01096823. 2011 3 14 52 "NOW I SEE A BRIGHTER DAY": EXPECTATIONS AND PERCEIVED BENEFITS OF AN IYENGAR YOGA INTERVENTION FOR YOUNG PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS. RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS (RA) IS A CHRONIC DISEASE CHARACTERIZED BY INFLAMMATION OF JOINTS AND ASSOCIATED FATIGUE, DETERIORATED RANGE OF MOTION, AND IMPAIRED PSYCHOSOCIAL FUNCTIONING. YOUNG ADULTS WITH RA ARE AT A PARTICULAR RISK FOR COMPROMISED HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE, AND THERE IS A NEED FOR SAFE, EFFECTIVE COMPLEMENTARY TREATMENT IN ADDITION TO TRADITIONAL MEDICAL APPROACHES. THE AIM OF THE PRESENT STUDY WAS TO USE FACE-TO-FACE PARTICIPANT INTERVIEWS, CONDUCTED BEFORE AND AFTER AN IYENGAR YOGA (IY) PROGRAM, TO EXAMINE MECHANISMS THROUGH WHICH YOGA MAY BE BENEFICIAL TO YOUNG ADULTS WITH RA.THIS PILOT STUDY UTILIZED A SINGLE-ARM DESIGN WHERE ALL PARTICIPANTS RECEIVED THE INTERVENTION. CLASSES WERE TAUGHT TWICE PER WEEK (1.5 HOURS EACH) FOR 6 WEEKS BY AN IY TEACHER QUALIFIED IN THERAPEUTICS. INTERVIEW THEMES INCLUDED PARTICIPANTS' BASELINE EXPECTATIONS ABOUT YOGA AND VIEWPOINTS AS TO HOW THEIR FUNCTIONING HAD BEEN IMPACTED BY THE IY INTERVENTION WERE EXAMINED. FIVE YOUNG ADULTS WITH RA AGED 24-31 YEARS (MEAN = 28; 80% FEMALE) COMPLETED THE YOGA INTERVENTION. PARTICIPANTS CONSISTENTLY REPORTED THAT YOGA HELPED WITH ENERGY, RELAXATION AND MOOD AND THEY DISCUSSED PERCEIVED MECHANISMS FOR HOW YOGA IMPACTED WELL-BEING. MECHANISMS INCLUDED PHYSICAL CHANGES SUCH AS RANGE OF MOTION AND PHYSIOLOGICAL AWARENESS, AND PSYCHOSPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENTS SUCH AS ACCEPTANCE, COPING, SELF-EFFICACY AND MINDFULNESS. THOUGH THE STUDY IS LIMITED, PARTICIPANTS' RESPONSES PROVIDE COMPELLING EVIDENCE THAT IY FOR RA PATIENTS IS AN INTERVENTION WORTHY OF FURTHER EXPLORATION. THE MECHANISMS AND OUTCOMES REPORTED BY PARTICIPANTS SUPPORT A BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL MODEL, WHICH PROPOSES THAT YOGA BENEFITS PATIENTS THROUGH BOTH PHYSIOLOGICAL AND PSYCHOSPIRITUAL CHANGES. 2011 4 87 50 A MIXED METHODS EVALUATION OF AN INDIVIDUALISED YOGA THERAPY INTERVENTION FOR RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS: PILOT STUDY. OBJECTIVES: TO EXPLORE PATIENTS' EXPERIENCES OF AN INDIVIDUALISED YOGA THERAPY INTERVENTION FOR RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS (RA), SPECIFICALLY IN TERMS OF ITS ACCEPTABILITY AND IMPACT ON PATIENT-REPORTED OUTCOMES. DESIGN: TEN PATIENTS TOOK PART IN A 16 WEEK YOGA THERAPY INTERVENTION IN A HOSPITAL SETTING, CONSISTING OF 10 ONE-TO-ONE CONSULTATIONS WITH A YOGA THERAPIST FOLLOWED BY TWO GROUP REVIEW SESSIONS. CHANGES IN HEALTH (EQ-5D, HADS) WERE ASSESSED PRE- AND POST-INTERVENTION AND AT 12-MONTH FOLLOW-UP. IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWS WERE CONDUCTED POST-INTERVENTION AND ANALYSED USING THEMATIC ANALYSIS. RESULTS: ATTENDANCE OF THE 1-TO-1 SESSIONS WAS HIGH (98 %) AND ALL PARTICIPANTS REPORTED STRONG COMMITMENT TO THEIR PERSONALISED HOME PRACTICE. THERE WERE SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS IN MEASURES OF DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, PAIN, QUALITY OF LIFE AND GENERAL HEALTH AT POST-INTERVENTION AND 12-MONTHS (P < 0.05). IN INTERVIEWS, ALL BUT ONE PARTICIPANT REPORTED POSITIVE CHANGES TO THEIR SYMPTOMS AND SEVERAL REPORTED REDUCTIONS IN THEIR MEDICATION AND BROADER BENEFITS SUCH AS IMPROVED SLEEP, MOOD AND ENERGY, ENABLING RE-ENGAGEMENT WITH LIFE. THE PERSONALLY TAILORED NATURE OF THE PRACTICE AND PERCEIVED BENEFITS WERE KEY MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS. PARTICULAR VALUE WAS PLACED ON THE THERAPEUTIC FUNCTION OF THE CONSULTATION AND PROVISION OF TOOLS TO MANAGE STRESS AND BUILD RESILIENCE. CONCLUSION: THIS YOGA THERAPY INTERVENTION WAS POSITIVELY RECEIVED BY PATIENTS WITH RA, WITH HIGH LEVELS OF ADHERENCE TO BOTH THE TREATMENTS AND TAILORED HOME PRACTICE. THE FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT YOGA THERAPY HAS POTENTIAL AS AN ADJUNCT THERAPY TO IMPROVE RA SYMPTOMS, INCREASE SELF-CARE BEHAVIOURS AND MANAGE STRESS AND NEGATIVE AFFECT SUCH AS ANXIETY. A LARGER MULTI-CENTRE STUDY IS THEREFORE WARRANTED. 2020 5 1413 33 IMPLEMENTING YOGA INTO THE MANAGEMENT OF PATIENTS WITH REFRACTORY LOW BACK PAIN IN AN OUTPATIENT CLINIC SETTING. PURPOSE: TO EVALUATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF IMPLEMENTING YOGA INTO THE TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC LOW BACK PAIN. DESIGN: QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS WITH OPPORTUNITY FOR QUALITATIVE FEEDBACK. METHOD: EFFECTIVENESS OF THIS COMPLEMENTARY TREATMENT WAS ASSESSED USING A PRETEST/POSTTEST DESIGN OF PATIENTS WHO VOLUNTEERED TO PARTICIPATE IN YOGA CLASSES AS PART OF THEIR BACK PAIN MANAGEMENT. MEASUREMENTS INCLUDED LOW BACK PAIN RATING, PERCEPTION OF BACK PAIN INTERFERENCE WITH DAILY ACTIVITIES, AND SELF-EFFICACY IN DEALING WITH CHRONIC LOW BACK PAIN. FINDINGS: ALTHOUGH NO STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT FINDINGS WERE FOUND DUE TO THE SMALL SAMPLE SIZE, MOST PARTICIPANTS DEMONSTRATED IMPROVED INDIVIDUAL SCORES ON ALL MEASUREMENT SURVEYS INCLUDING QUALITATIVE COMMENTS. CONCLUSION: BASED ON THE FINDINGS OF THIS PILOT STUDY, FURTHER STUDIES ON IMPLEMENTING YOGA INTO THE TREATMENT OF CHRONIC LOW BACK PAIN ARE ENCOURAGED. 2019 6 112 42 A PILOT STUDY OF A MINDFULNESS INFORMED YOGA INTERVENTION IN YOUNG PEOPLE WITH PSYCHOSIS. AIM: TO DETERMINE THE ACCEPTABILITY AND SAFETY OF A MINDFULNESS INFORMED YOGA INTERVENTION AS ADJUNCT TO USUAL CARE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WITH EARLY PSYCHOSIS. METHODS: PEOPLE AGED 16-25 YEARS ATTENDING A COMMUNITY-BASED SPECIALIST EARLY PSYCHOSIS CLINIC WERE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN A 12-WEEK YOGA INTERVENTION. THE INTERVENTION CONSISTED OF 1-H WEEKLY CLASSES OF MINDFULNESS INFORMED YOGA. ACCEPTABILITY WAS MEASURED BY UPTAKE, ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPANTS' SATISFACTION. SAFETY WAS MEASURED BY INCIDENCE OF PHYSICAL INJURY, PARTICIPANTS' LEVEL OF COMFORT, DISTRESS AND ANXIETY DURING THE SESSIONS, AND THE FOLLOWING MENTAL HEALTH OUTCOMES: POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE PSYCHOTIC, DEPRESSION, ANXIETY AND STRESS SYMPTOMS, SLEEP QUALITY AND FUNCTIONING. RESULTS: OF THOSE WHO CONSENTED TO THE STUDY, 80% (12) PARTICIPATED AND ON AVERAGE ATTENDED 4.4 YOGA CLASSES. THERE WERE NO PHYSICAL INJURIES AND PARTICIPANTS REPORTED MINIMAL DISTRESS AND ANXIETY. POST-INTERVENTION, THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN ANXIETY SYMPTOMS AND AN IMPROVEMENT IN FUNCTION. CONCLUSIONS: MINDFULNESS-BASED YOGA INTERVENTIONS ARE BOTH ACCEPTABLE AND SAFE AS AN INTERVENTION FOR YOUTH WITH EARLY PSYCHOSIS. THOUGH NUMBERS WERE SMALL, THE STUDY SHOWS PROMISE FOR YOGA AS A POTENTIALLY USEFUL INTERVENTION. IMPORTANTLY, THERE WAS NO DETERIORATION IN MENTAL HEALTH OUTCOMES. A LARGER TRIAL EVALUATING CLINICAL EFFECTIVENESS IS NOW TIMELY. 2022 7 124 34 A PILOT STUDY OF YOGA FOR CHRONIC HEADACHES IN YOUTH: PROMISE AMIDST CHALLENGES. THE PRIMARY AIM OF THE CURRENT STUDY WAS TO PROVIDE PRELIMINARY DATA ON THE FEASIBILITY, ACCEPTABILITY, AND SAFETY OF ALIGNMENT-BASED YOGA FOR YOUTHS WITH CHRONIC HEADACHES. A SECONDARY AIM WAS TO PROVIDE PRELIMINARY ESTIMATES OF YOGA'S ABILITY TO IMPROVE HEADACHE PAIN, DAILY FUNCTIONING, QUALITY OF LIFE, AND ANXIETY LEVEL IN THIS POPULATION. THE YOGA INTERVENTION CONSISTED OF 8 WEEKLY, 75-MINUTE CLASSES. PARTICIPANT FLOW DATA REVEALED CHALLENGES TO FEASIBILITY PRIMARILY DUE TO RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION. SCORES ON MOST OUTCOME MEASURES CHANGED IN THE PREDICTED DIRECTION WITH MEDIUM EFFECT SIZES FOUND FOR THE FUNCTIONAL OUTCOMES. PAIN MEASURES DID NOT CHANGE SIGNIFICANTLY. THIS PILOT SUGGESTS THAT YOGA FOR PEDIATRIC HEADACHES MAY BE ACCEPTABLE, AS INDICATED BY POSITIVE PARENT AND PARTICIPANT RATINGS OF THE YOGA EXPERIENCE. THESE PRELIMINARY FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT YOGA TRIALS FOR PEDIATRIC HEADACHES INCLUDE BOTH CHALLENGES AND PROMISE. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR OVERCOMING CHALLENGES INCLUDE DESIGNS THAT OPTIMIZE FAMILY CONVENIENCE. 2014 8 115 35 A PILOT STUDY OF A YOGA INTERVENTION FOR THE TREATMENT OF ANXIETY IN YOUNG PEOPLE WITH EARLY PSYCHOSIS. BACKGROUND: ANXIETY IS COMMON IN YOUNG PEOPLE WITH EARLY PSYCHOSIS AND TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR THIS CO-MORBIDITY REMAIN LIMITED. YOGA IS A PROMISING ADJUNCT INTERVENTION THAT HAS BEEN SHOWN TO REDUCE ANXIETY FOR ADULTS WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA, THEREFORE THIS PILOT STUDY EVALUATED THE ACCEPTABILITY AND POTENTIAL EFFECTIVENESS OF YOGA FOR ANXIETY IN EARLY PSYCHOSIS. METHODS: A PROSPECTIVE SINGLE ARM PILOT STUDY OF A YOGA INTERVENTION WAS CONDUCTED WITHIN AN EARLY INTERVENTION FOR PSYCHOSIS SERVICE. RATES OF ATTENDANCE, AS WELL AS SYMPTOMS OF ANXIETY PRE AND POST YOGA SESSION WERE MEASURED. RESULTS: A TOTAL OF 14 YOUNG PEOPLE PARTICIPATED IN THE STUDY AND OVER 70% ATTENDED HALF OR MORE OF THE YOGA SESSIONS OFFERED. SIGNIFICANT TRANSIENT REDUCTION IN STATE ANXIETY AFTER A SINGLE SESSION OF YOGA WAS OBSERVED (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: YOGA WAS FOUND TO BE AN ACCEPTABLE AND POTENTIALLY EFFECTIVE ADJUNCTIVE TREATMENT FOR ANXIETY IN EARLY PSYCHOSIS AND THE RESULTS WARRANT FURTHER CLINICAL TRIALS. 2022 9 2383 31 YOGA & CANCER INTERVENTIONS: A REVIEW OF THE CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF PATIENT REPORTED OUTCOMES FOR CANCER SURVIVORS. LIMITED RESEARCH SUGGESTS YOGA MAY BE A VIABLE GENTLE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY OPTION WITH A VARIETY OF HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE, PSYCHOSOCIAL AND SYMPTOM MANAGEMENT BENEFITS. THE PURPOSE OF THIS REVIEW WAS TO DETERMINE THE CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF PATIENT-REPORTED OUTCOMES FROM YOGA INTERVENTIONS CONDUCTED WITH CANCER SURVIVORS. A TOTAL OF 25 PUBLISHED YOGA INTERVENTION STUDIES FOR CANCER SURVIVORS FROM 2004-2011 HAD PATIENT-REPORTED OUTCOMES, INCLUDING QUALITY OF LIFE, PSYCHOSOCIAL OR SYMPTOM MEASURES. THIRTEEN OF THESE STUDIES MET THE NECESSARY CRITERIA TO ASSESS CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE FOR EACH OF THE OUTCOMES OF INTEREST WAS EXAMINED BASED ON 1 STANDARD ERROR OF THE MEASUREMENT, 0.5 STANDARD DEVIATION, AND RELATIVE COMPARATIVE EFFECT SIZES AND THEIR RESPECTIVE CONFIDENCE INTERVALS. THIS REVIEW DESCRIBES IN DETAIL THESE PATIENT-REPORTED OUTCOMES, HOW THEY WERE OBTAINED, THEIR RELATIVE CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPLICATIONS FOR BOTH CLINICAL AND RESEARCH SETTINGS. OVERALL, CLINICALLY SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN PATIENT-REPORTED OUTCOMES SUGGEST THAT YOGA INTERVENTIONS HOLD PROMISE FOR IMPROVING CANCER SURVIVORS' WELL-BEING. THIS RESEARCH OVERVIEW PROVIDES NEW DIRECTIONS FOR EXAMINING HOW CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE CAN PROVIDE A UNIQUE CONTEXT FOR DESCRIBING CHANGES IN PATIENT-REPORTED OUTCOMES FROM YOGA INTERVENTIONS. RESEARCHERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO EMPLOY INDICES OF CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE IN THE INTERPRETATION AND DISCUSSION OF RESULTS FROM YOGA STUDIES. 2012 10 2695 38 YOGA INFLUENCES RECOVERY DURING INPATIENT REHABILITATION: A PILOT STUDY. PURPOSE: THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO ADD YOGA THERAPY TO INPATIENT REHABILITATION AND ASSESS WHETHER PATIENTS CHOSE TO ENGAGE IN YOGA THERAPY IN ADDITION TO OTHER DAILY THERAPIES, TO DESCRIBE PATIENTS' PERCEPTIONS OF HOW YOGA THERAPY INFLUENCED RECOVERY, AND TO ASSESS AND DESCRIBE PATIENT SATISFACTION WITH THE PROGRAM. METHODS: THIS WAS A SINGLE-ARM PILOT STUDY, ADDING YOGA THERAPY TO ONGOING INPATIENT REHABILITATION. YOGA THERAPY WAS OFFERED AS GROUP YOGA OR INDIVIDUAL YOGA TWICE A WEEK. SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEW QUESTIONS WERE COMPLETED VIA TELEPHONE POST-DISCHARGE. RESULTS: A TOTAL OF 55 OF THE 77 (71%) PEOPLE CONTACTED ABOUT THE STUDY ENGAGED IN YOGA THERAPY IN THE INPATIENT REHABILITATION SETTING FOR THIS STUDY AND 31 (56%) OF THESE COMPLETED THE SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEW QUESTIONS. QUALITATIVE DATA SUPPORT THAT PARTICIPANTS PERCEIVED THAT YOGA THERAPY IMPROVED BREATHING, RELAXATION, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WELLBEING. OVERALL, PARTICIPANTS WERE SATISFIED WITH THE PROGRAM, ALTHOUGH THEY OFTEN INDICATED THEY WOULD LIKE INCREASED FLEXIBILITY OR FREQUENCY OF YOGA. ALMOST ALL PARTICIPANTS (97%) SAID THEY WOULD RECOMMEND THE YOGA THERAPY PROGRAM TO OTHERS IN INPATIENT REHABILITATION. CONCLUSION: WE WERE ABLE TO ADD YOGA THERAPY TO ONGOING INPATIENT REHABILITATION AND PARTICIPANTS PERCEIVED BENEFITS OF HAVING THE YOGA THERAPY IN THEIR REHABILITATION STAY. 2015 11 1243 46 FEASIBILITY OF A YOGA, AEROBIC AND STRETCHING-TONING EXERCISE PROGRAM FOR ADULT CANCER SURVIVORS: THE STAYFIT TRIAL. BACKGROUND: THE USE OF YOGA AS A MIND-BODY PRACTICE HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY POPULAR AMONG CLINICAL POPULATIONS AND OLDER ADULTS WHO USE THIS PRACTICE TO MANAGE AGE AND CHRONIC DISEASE-RELATED SYMPTOMS. ALTHOUGH YOGA CONTINUES TO GAIN POPULARITY AMONG PRACTITIONERS AND RESEARCHERS, PILOT STUDIES THAT EXAMINE ITS FEASIBILITY AND ACCEPTABILITY, ESPECIALLY AMONG CANCER SURVIVORS, ARE LIMITED. FEASIBILITY STUDIES PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN DETERMINING WHETHER THE TARGET POPULATION IS LIKELY TO ENGAGE WITH LARGER SCALE EFFICACY AND EFFECTIVENESS TRIALS. IN THIS PAPER WE PRESENT FEASIBILITY AND ACCEPTABILITY DATA FROM A 12-WEEK RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL (RCT) CONDUCTED WITH ADULT CANCER SURVIVORS. METHODS: PARTICIPANTS N = 78 (MEAN AGE: 55 YEARS) WERE RANDOMIZED TO ONE OF THREE GROUPS: A HATHA YOGA, AEROBIC EXERCISE, OR STRETCHING-TONING CONTROL GROUP WITH GROUP EXERCISE CLASSES HELD FOR 150 MIN/WEEK FOR 12 WEEKS. HEREIN WE REPORT FEASIBILITY AND ACCEPTABILITY, INCLUDING ENROLLMENT RATES, ATTENDANCE, ATTRITION AND ADVERSE EVENTS, AND PARTICIPANT FEEDBACK AND SATISFACTION DATA. RESULTS: OF THE 233 ADULTS SCREENED, 109 WERE ELIGIBLE AND 78 RANDOMIZED TO ONE OF THE THREE INTERVENTION ARMS. SESSION ATTENDANCE WAS HIGH FOR ALL GROUPS (75.5-89.5%) AND 17 PARTICIPANTS DROPPED OUT DURING THE 12-WEEK INTERVENTION. PROGRAM SATISFACTION WAS HIGH (4.8 OR HIGHER OUT OF 5) AND NO ADVERSE EVENTS WERE REPORTED. ONE COHORT (N = 15) OF THE INTERVENTION TRANSITIONED TO REMOTE INTERVENTION DELIVERY DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. FEASIBILITY DATA FROM THESE PARTICIPANTS SUGGESTED THAT SYNCHRONIZED GROUP EXERCISE CLASSES VIA ZOOM WITH A LIVE INSTRUCTOR WERE ACCEPTABLE AND ENJOYABLE. PARTICIPANT FEEDBACK REGARDING MOST AND LEAST HELPFUL ASPECTS OF THE PROGRAM AS WELL AS SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE YOGA INTERVENTIONS ARE SUMMARIZED. CONCLUSIONS: OVERALL, THE YOGA INTERVENTION WAS HIGHLY FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE. THE FEASIBILITY PARAMETERS FROM THIS TRIAL CAN AID RESEARCHERS IN ESTIMATING RECRUITMENT RATES FOR DESIRED SAMPLE SIZES TO SUCCESSFULLY RANDOMIZE AND RETAIN CANCER SURVIVORS IN SHORT- AND LONG-TERM YOGA-BASED EFFICACY AND EFFECTIVENESS TRIALS. THE FINDINGS ALSO PROVIDE EVIDENCE TO CLINICIANS WHO CAN RECOMMEND UP TO 150 MIN OF A COMBINATION OF EXERCISES-AEROBIC, YOGA, OR STRETCHING-TONING TO THEIR CANCER PATIENTS IN ORDER TO IMPROVE HEALTH AND WELLBEING DURING CANCER SURVIVORSHIP. 2021 12 2430 43 YOGA AND PHYSICAL REHABILITATION MEDICINE: A RESEARCH PARTNERSHIP IN INTEGRATIVE CARE. MIND-BODY INTERVENTIONS, SUCH AS YOGA, THAT TEACH STRESS MANAGEMENT WITH PHYSICAL ACTIVITY MAY BE WELL SUITED FOR INVESTIGATION IN BOTH OSTEOARTHRITIS AND RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS. IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED AS VIABLE CARE OPTIONS INTEGRATIVE STUDIES NEED TO OFFER A COMPREHENSIVE DESIGN AND INCLUDE CLINICIANS FAMILIAR WITH THE DISEASE PROCESS OF THE STUDY POPULATIONS. A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE REVEALS A DEARTH OF INFORMATION RELATED TO THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN YOGA AND PHYSICAL REHABILITATION MEDICINE. THIS ARTICLE DISCUSSES THE COLLABORATION WITH PHYSICAL REHABILITATION MEDICINE TO COLLECT RELEVANT PRE- AND POST-INTERVENTION MEASURES FOR AN ON-GOING PILOT ACCEPTABILITY/FEASIBILITY YOGA STUDY FOR MINORITY PATIENTS WITH OSTEOARTHRITIS OR RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS. AN INTERDISCIPLINARY CLINICAL RESEARCH TEAM SELECTED PSYCHOSOCIAL AND PHYSICAL MEASURES FOR A COMMUNITY SAMPLE OF BILINGUAL MINORITY PATIENTS, NOT TYPICALLY IDENTIFIED AS PRACTICING YOGA. SIXTEEN FEMALE ADULTS AGED 40-63 YEARS (MEAN =51) COMPLETED BASELINE PHYSICAL ASSESSMENTS USING SINGLE LEG STANCE, FUNCTIONAL REACH TEST, TIME UP AND GO TEST, TIMED UP FROM THE FLOOR TEST AND THE DISABILITIES OF THE ARM, SHOULDER AND HAND MEASURES. BASELINE VALUES SHOW AN AVERAGE LEVEL OF FUNCTIONAL ABILITY PRIOR TO BEGINNING THE INTERVENTION. PRELIMINARY RESULTS INDICATE SOME IMPROVEMENT; HOWEVER, SELECTED MEASURES MAY NOT HAVE THE SENSITIVITY AND SPECIFICITY NEEDED TO IDENTIFY SIGNIFICANT CHANGE. IN THIS STUDY, COMBINING INTERDISCIPLINARY PERSPECTIVES ENHANCED THE QUALITY OF THE RESEARCH STUDY DESIGN. THE EXPERIENCE OF THIS INTERDISCIPLINARY CLINICAL RESEARCH TEAM OPENS THE DISCUSSION FOR FUTURE COLLABORATIONS. 2013 13 2609 52 YOGA FOR QUALITY OF LIFE IN INDIVIDUALS WITH CHRONIC DISEASE: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW. BACKGROUND: CHRONIC DISEASES, INCLUDING HEART DISEASE, STROKE, CANCER, AND CHRONIC PULMONARY DISEASE ARE THE LEADING CAUSES OF DEATH AND DISABILITY WORLDWIDE. COMPOUNDING SYMPTOMS AND LOSS OF FUNCTION, PEOPLE LIVING WITH CHRONIC DISEASE OFTEN EXPERIENCE REDUCED QUALITY OF LIFE (QOL). VARIOUS PHYSICAL AND MENTAL PRACTICES HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO RELIEVE STRESS AND IMPROVE QOL. YOGA IS A PHYSICAL AND MENTAL PRACTICE THAT MAY BE A VIABLE APPROACH FOR IMPROVING QOL IN PEOPLE WITH CHRONIC DISEASE. OBJECTIVE: THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO EXAMINE AND SUMMARIZE THE EVIDENCE FOR THE EFFECTIVENESS OF YOGA ON QOL IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC DISEASE. DESIGN: THE STUDY DESIGN WAS A A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW WITH QUALITATIVE SYNTHESIS. METHODS: WE INCLUDED RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS THAT EVALUATED THE EFFECT OF YOGA ON QOL OR HEALTH-RELATED QOL (HRQOL) FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH CHRONIC DISEASE. WE INCLUDED ONLY STUDIES THAT USED AT LEAST 1 PREVIOUSLY VALIDATED MEASURE OF QOL OR HRQOL AND SPECIFIED A MINIMUM DURATION OF FOLLOW-UP OF AT LEAST 1 WK. INTERVENTIONS: WE INCLUDED BOTH MOVEMENT-BASED AND BREATH-BASED YOGA PRACTICES. STUDIES THAT INCLUDED YOGA AS PART OF A LARGER INTERVENTION PROGRAM (EG, MINDFULNESS-BASED STRESS REDUCTION TRAINING) OR STUDIES THAT DID NOT PROVIDE FINDINGS SPECIFIC TO YOGA WERE EXCLUDED. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES: THE PRIMARY OUTCOME ANALYZED WAS IMPROVEMENT IN QOL AS MEASURED BY A VALIDATED QOL OR HRQOL SCALE. RESULTS: AMONG THE 1488 STUDIES THAT WERE IDENTIFIED ON INITIAL SEARCH, 7 ARTICLES MET ALL INCLUSION CRITERIA. FIVE STUDIES REPORTED A STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT ADVANTAGE OVER USUAL CARE ALONE FOR IMPROVEMENT OF QOL IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC DISEASE, BUT THE CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE DIFFERENCES WAS CLEAR IN ONLY 1 TRIAL. WE FOUND CONSIDERABLE HETEROGENEITY AMONG THE INCLUDED STUDIES AND STUDY QUALITY WAS GENERALLY LOW. CONCLUSIONS: MORE HIGH-QUALITY RESEARCH IS NEEDED TO DETERMINE THE VALUE OF YOGA AS AN ADJUNCTIVE APPROACH TO IMPROVING QOL IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC DISEASE. 2019 14 1239 44 FEASIBILITY OF A MANUALIZED MINDFUL YOGA INTERVENTION FOR PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC MOOD DISORDERS. CHRONIC MOOD DISORDERS POSE AN IMPORTANT MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEM. INDIVIDUALS WITH THESE DISORDERS EXPERIENCE A SIGNIFICANT IMPAIRMENT, OFTEN FAIL TO SEEK HELP, AND THEIR ILLNESSES FREQUENTLY DO NOT RESPOND TO TREATMENT. IT IS THEREFORE IMPORTANT TO DEVELOP INNOVATIVE AND ATTRACTIVE TREATMENTS FOR THESE DISORDERS. MINDFUL YOGA REPRESENTS A PROMISING TREATMENT APPROACH. THIS PILOT STUDY TESTED THE FEASIBILITY OF A 9-WEEK MANUALIZED MINDFUL YOGA INTERVENTION FOR PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC MOOD DISORDERS. ELEVEN PATIENTS RECEIVING STANDARD TREATMENT WERE RECRUITED TO COMPLETE A 9-WEEK MINDFUL YOGA INTERVENTION. QUALITATIVE METHODS WERE USED TO ASSESS PATIENTS' EXPERIENCES OF THE INTERVENTION AND QUANTITATIVE METHODS WERE USED TO ASSESS PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS AND MECHANISMS THAT PLAY A ROLE IN CHRONIC MOOD DISORDERS. EIGHT PATIENTS COMPLETED THE INTERVENTION AND RATED THE OVERALL QUALITY OF THE INTERVENTION WITH A MEAN SCORE OF 8.8 (RANGE OF 8 TO 9, USING A SCALE OF 1 TO 10). ALL PARTICIPANTS REPORTED A REDUCTION IN PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS AND NO ADVERSE EVENTS. AMONG THE MECHANISMS THAT PLAY A ROLE IN CHRONIC MOOD DISORDERS, THE MOST POTENTIALLY PROMISING EFFECTS FROM THE INTERVENTION WERE FOUND FOR WORRY, FEAR OF DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY, RUMINATION, AND AREAS RELATED TO BODY AWARENESS, SUCH AS TRUSTING BODILY EXPERIENCES AND NOT DISTRACTING FROM SENSATIONS OF DISCOMFORT. A 9-WEEK MINDFUL YOGA INTERVENTION APPEARS TO BE A FEASIBLE AND ATTRACTIVE TREATMENT WHEN ADDED TO TREATMENT AS USUAL FOR A GROUP OF PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC MOOD DISORDERS. A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL TO STUDY THE EFFECTS OF MINDFUL YOGA IS RECOMMENDED. 2021 15 2628 44 YOGA FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF PAIN AND SLEEP IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS: A PILOT RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL. 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. 2018 16 1684 29 OPEN TRIAL OF VINYASA YOGA FOR PERSISTENTLY DEPRESSED INDIVIDUALS: EVIDENCE OF FEASIBILITY AND ACCEPTABILITY. THE AIM OF THIS STUDY WAS TO ASSESS THE ACCEPTABILITY AND FEASIBILITY OF VINYASA YOGA AS AN ADJUNCTIVE TREATMENT FOR DEPRESSED PATIENTS WHO WERE NOT RESPONDING ADEQUATELY TO ANTIDEPRESSANT MEDICATION. THE AUTHORS ALSO PLANNED TO ASK PARTICIPANTS FOR QUALITATIVE FEEDBACK ON THEIR EXPERIENCE OF THE CLASS AND TO ASSESS CHANGE OVER TIME IN DEPRESSION AND IN POSSIBLE MEDIATING VARIABLES. THE AUTHORS RECRUITED 11 PARTICIPANTS IN 1 MONTH FOR AN 8-WEEK OPEN TRIAL OF YOGA CLASSES. THEY FOUND THAT 10 PARTICIPANTS COMPLETED FOLLOW-UP ASSESSMENTS, 9 OF 10 WERE POSITIVE ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE, AND ALL PROVIDED FEEDBACK ABOUT WHAT WAS AND WAS NOT HELPFUL ABOUT YOGA, AS WELL AS BARRIERS TO CLASS ATTENDANCE. OVER THE 2-MONTH PERIOD, PARTICIPANTS EXHIBITED SIGNIFICANT DECREASES IN DEPRESSION SYMPTOMS AND SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN AN ASPECT OF MINDFULNESS AND IN BEHAVIOR ACTIVATION. THIS PILOT STUDY PROVIDED SUPPORT FOR CONTINUING TO INVESTIGATE VINYASA YOGA AS AN ADJUNCT TREATMENT FOR DEPRESSION. THE NEXT STEP REQUIRED IS A RIGOROUS RANDOMIZED CLINICAL TRIAL. 2010 17 13 42 "MORE THAN I EXPECTED": PERCEIVED BENEFITS OF YOGA PRACTICE AMONG OLDER ADULTS AT RISK FOR CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE. OBJECTIVE: THIS STUDY WAS CONDUCTED WITH PARTICIPANTS FROM TRIALS EXAMINING THE EFFECTS OF AN IYENGAR YOGA PROGRAM ON CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE RISK. THE OBJECTIVE OF THE CURRENT STUDY WAS TO EVALUATE THE PERCEIVED BENEFITS OF YOGA IN A POPULATION OF OLDER, PREDOMINANTLY OVERWEIGHT ADULTS PARTICIPATING IN A GENTLE 8-WEEK YOGA PROGRAM. DESIGN: THIS STUDY USED A CONSTRUCTIVIST-INTERPRETIVE APPROACH TO NATURALISTIC INQUIRY. SETTING: A TOTAL OF 42 PARTICIPANTS COMPLETED THE INTERVENTION AND MET THE INCLUSION CRITERIA FOR THE CURRENT QUALITATIVE STUDY. INTERVENTION: THE 8-WEEK IYENGAR YOGA PROGRAM INCLUDED TWO 90-MIN YOGA CLASSES AND FIVE 30-MIN HOME SESSIONS PER WEEK. PARTICIPANTS COMPLETED WEEKLY LOGS AND AN EXIT QUESTIONNAIRE AT THE END OF THE STUDY. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: QUALITATIVE DATA FROM WEEKLY LOGS AND EXIT QUESTIONNAIRES WERE COMPILED AND CONVENTIONAL CONTENT ANALYSIS PERFORMED WITH THE USE OF ATLAS.TI TO FACILITATE THE PROCESS. RESULTS: FOUR BROAD THEMES EMERGED FROM CONTENT ANALYSIS: PRACTICING YOGA IMPROVED OVERALL PHYSICAL FUNCTION AND CAPACITY (FOR 83% OF PARTICIPANTS); PRACTICING YOGA REDUCED STRESS/ANXIETY AND ENHANCED CALMNESS (83% OF PARTICIPANTS); PRACTICING YOGA ENRICHED THE QUALITY OF SLEEP (21% OF PARTICIPANTS); AND PRACTICING YOGA SUPPORTED EFFORTS TOWARD DIETARY IMPROVEMENTS (14% OF PARTICIPANTS). CONCLUSIONS: THESE RESULTS SUGGEST THAT YOGA MAY HAVE ANCILLARY BENEFITS IN TERMS OF IMPROVED PHYSICAL FUNCTION, ENHANCED MENTAL/EMOTIONAL STATE, ENRICHED SLEEP QUALITY, AND IMPROVED LIFESTYLE CHOICES, AND MAY BE USEFUL AS A HEALTH PROMOTION STRATEGY IN THE PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT OF CHRONIC DISEASE. 2013 18 1710 41 PERCEIVED ACTIVITIES AND PARTICIPATION OUTCOMES OF A YOGA INTERVENTION FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH PARKINSON'S DISEASE: A MIXED METHODS STUDY. PARKINSON'S DISEASE (PD) OFTEN LEADS TO POOR BALANCE, INCREASED FALLS, AND FEAR OF FALLING, ALL OF WHICH CAN REDUCE PARTICIPATION IN LIFE ACTIVITIES. YOGA, WHICH USUALLY INCLUDES PHYSICAL EXERCISE, CAN IMPROVE FUNCTIONING AND LIFE PARTICIPATION; HOWEVER, LIMITED RESEARCH HAS BEEN CONDUCTED ON THE EFFECTS OF YOGA ON LIFE PARTICIPATION OF INDIVIDUALS WITH PD. THIS STUDY HAD TWO PURPOSES: (1) TO IDENTIFY AND UNDERSTAND THE PERCEIVED ACTIVITIES AND PARTICIPATION OUTCOMES ASSOCIATED A THERAPEUTIC YOGA INTERVENTION FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH PD; AND (2) TO COMPARE THE PERCEIVED ACTIVITIES AND PARTICIPATION OUTCOMES WITH THE OUTCOMES MEASURED IN THE CLINICAL TRIAL. A SINGLE-BLIND, RANDOMIZED, WAITLIST-CONTROLLED, PHASE II EXPLORATORY PILOT STUDY USING AN AFTER-TRIAL EMBEDDED MIXED METHODS DESIGN (CLINICAL TRIAL PRO00041068) EVALUATED THE EFFECT OF AN 8-WEEK HATHA YOGA INTERVENTION ON INDIVIDUALS WITH PD. DIRECTED CONTENT ANALYSIS WAS USED TO ANALYZE FOCUS GROUP INTERVIEWS WITH PARTICIPANTS WHO COMPLETED THE YOGA INTERVENTION. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DATA WERE MERGED AND COMPARED USING A DATA COMPARISON MATRIX. QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS INDICATED MANY ACTIVITIES AND PARTICIPATION OUTCOMES. COMPARISON OF QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE DATA INDICATED THE YOGA INTERVENTION LED TO IMPROVED BALANCE, MOBILITY, AND FUNCTIONAL GAIT, AND FEWER FALLS. THESE OUTCOMES REACHED BEYOND THE INTERVENTION AND INTO PARTICIPANTS' DAILY LIVES. RESULTS SUPPORT THE USE OF HATHA YOGA AS A COMMUNITY-BASED REHABILITATION INTERVENTION FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH PD. YOGA, AS PART OF AN INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACH TO TREATMENT, CAN IMPROVE MANY TYPES OF ACTIVITIES AND PARTICIPATION OUTCOMES (E.G., MOBILITY, SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS, SELF-CARE, HANDLING STRESS, RECREATION). 2018 19 1248 48 FEASIBILITY OF YOGA TO IMPROVE SYMPTOMS IN INDIVIDUALS WITH SEVERE, CHRONIC TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY: A MIXED-METHODS CASE SERIES. CONTEXT: PEOPLE WITH SEVERE TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY (TBI) EXPERIENCE LIFELONG SEQUELAE THAT AFFECT PHYSICAL, COGNITIVE, AND MENTAL HEALTH. IN OTHER POPULATIONS, YOGA HAS SHOWN POTENTIAL TO ALLEVIATE INSOMNIA, PAIN, AND DEPRESSION AND TO IMPROVE COGNITION. OBJECTIVE: THE STUDY INTENDED TO INVESTIGATE THE FEASIBILITY OF A SIX-WEEK, GROUP-YOGA INTERVENTION FOR ADULTS WITH SEVERE CHRONIC TBI, FOCUSING ON SLEEP, PAIN, MOOD, AND EXECUTIVE FUNCTION. DESIGN: THE RESEARCH TEAM PERFORMED A FEASIBILITY STUDY USING A MIXED-METHODS, CASE-SERIES DESIGN. SETTING: THE STUDY RECRUITED PARTICIPANTS BY DISTRIBUTING FLYERS TO LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND TBI SUPPORT GROUPS. PARTICIPANTS: PARTICIPANTS WERE TWO PEOPLE WITH SEVERE, CHRONIC, TBI. INTERVENTION: THE INTERVENTION WAS A SIX-WEEK COURSE OF GROUP YOGA, WITH 70-MINUTE CLASSES TWICE A WEEK. OUTCOME MEASURES: THE STUDY ASSESSED OUTCOMES AT BASELINE AND POSTINTERVENTION USING VALIDATED MEASURES TO ASSESS EXECUTIVE FUNCTION, MOOD, SLEEP, AND PAIN: THE BEHAVIOR RATING INVENTORY OF EXECUTIVE FUNCTION-ADULT VERSION (BRIEF-A), BECK DEPRESSION INVENTORY (BDI), PITTSBURGH SLEEP QUALITY INDEX (PSQI), AND NEUROPATHIC PAIN SCALE (NPS). A SEMISTRUCTURED INTERVIEW WAS CONDUCTED DURING THE WEEK POSTINTERVENTION TO OBTAIN QUALITATIVE DATA. RESULTS: THE STUDY HAD A 100% RETENTION RATE, A 91.67% ATTENDANCE RATE, AND HIGH SATISFACTION. ONE PARTICIPANT DEMONSTRATED IMPROVEMENT IN ALL OUTCOMES, WHILE THE OTHER SHOWED MIXED RESULTS. DEPRESSION SHOWED THE MOST CONSISTENT IMPROVEMENT, 47.2% ON AVERAGE. FOR INSOMNIA, ONE PARTICIPANT SHOWED IMPROVED SLEEP AT 14.29%. THE QUALITATIVE DATA DEMONSTRATED POSITIVE CHANGES IN COGNITION, MOOD, SLEEP, AND PAIN. CONCLUSIONS: A SIX-WEEK GROUP YOGA INTERVENTION IS FEASIBLE AND APPEARS TO BE BENEFICIAL IN ALLEVIATING SYMPTOMS, ESPECIALLY DEPRESSION AND INSOMNIA, IN PEOPLE WITH SEVERE CHRONIC TBI. A LONGER INTERVENTION PERIOD WAS SUGGESTED BY THE PARTICIPANTS. 2022 20 2281 45 THE SUITABILITY OF YOGA AS A POTENTIAL THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTION FOR RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS: A FOCUS GROUP APPROACH. OBJECTIVES: THE AIM OF THIS STUDY WAS TO EXPLORE THE VIEWS OF PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS (RA) REGARDING THE SUITABILITY OF YOGA AS A POTENTIAL THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTION IN THE MANAGEMENT OF RA. METHODS: TWENTY-TWO PARTICIPANTS WITH RA WERE RECRUITED FROM OUTPATIENT CLINICS AT A REGIONAL HOSPITAL IN NEW ZEALAND AND DIVIDED INTO FOUR FOCUS GROUPS. HETEROGENEITY BETWEEN GROUPS IN TERMS OF AGE, GENDER, DURATION OF RA AND FUNCTIONAL ABILITY PROVIDED OPINIONS FROM A CROSS-SECTION OF RA PATIENTS. TRANSCRIPTS WERE ANALYSED USING THEMATIC ANALYSIS, WITH FOUR THEMES PREDOMINATING. RESULTS: FIRSTLY, PARTICIPANTS DESCRIBED THEIR EXPERIENCE OF SYMPTOMS RELATED TO THEIR RA IN THREE INDEPENDENT BUT LINKED CATEGORIES OF PHYSICAL, MENTAL AND SOCIAL WELL-BEING. SECONDLY, PARTICIPANTS PERCEIVED THE MANAGEMENT OF THEIR RA TO BE PRESCRIPTIVE, MEDICALIZED AND FAILING TO ADDRESS THEIR WIDER HEALTH CONCERNS. THIRDLY, PARTICIPANTS PERCEIVED YOGA AS A SAFE, ADAPTABLE THERAPY THAT MAY ALLOW SELF-MANAGEMENT OF THEIR RA. HOWEVER, THERE WAS SOME CONCERN THAT FUNCTIONAL LIMITATIONS MAY INHIBIT ABILITY TO PRACTISE THE PHYSICAL ASPECTS OF YOGA. FOURTHLY, REQUIREMENTS FOR A YOGA INTERVENTION THAT WOULD BE FEASIBLE FOR PEOPLE WITH RA WERE PRESENTED BY PARTICIPANTS. CONCLUSIONS: PATIENTS WITH RA PERCEIVE A DISPARITY BETWEEN THEIR PERSONAL EXPERIENCE OF LIVING WITH RA AND THEIR CURRENT MEDICAL MANAGEMENT. YOGA IS PERCEIVED AS A POTENTIAL THERAPY TO ADDRESS THIS DISPARITY. BASED ON OPINIONS EXPRESSED BY PARTICIPANTS, FUTURE RESEARCH REGARDING A YOGA INTERVENTION AS AN ADJUNCTIVE THERAPY FOR MANAGING RA SHOULD MEET PATIENTS' VIEWS ON FEASIBILITY AND TEST OUTCOME MEASURES REFLECTING THE DOMAINS OF PHYSICAL, MENTAL AND SOCIAL WELL-BEING. 2011