1 2490 87 YOGA AS AN INTERVENTION TO MANAGE MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS SYMPTOMS. MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS (MS) IS AN AUTOIMMUNE, DEMYELINATING, INFLAMMATORY DISEASE OF CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM (CNS) WHICH IS CHARACTERIZED BY SPASTICITY, FATIGUE, DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, BOWEL AND BLADDER DYSFUNCTION, IMPAIRED MOBILITY, COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT ETC. AND AFFECTS APPROXIMATELY 2.5 MILLION PEOPLE WORLDWIDE. DISEASE MODIFYING THERAPIES FOR MS WHICH HELP IN PREVENTING ACCUMULATION OF LESIONS IN WHITE MATTER OF CNS ARE COSTLY AND HAVE SIGNIFICANT ADVERSE EFFECTS. THEREFORE, PATIENTS WITH MS ARE USING COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE (CAM) AND YOGA IS ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR FORM OF CAM WHICH IS BEING USED IMMENSELY TO REDUCE OR OVERCOME THE SYMPTOMS OF MS. IN THE CURRENT REVIEW ATTEMPTED TO PRESENT THE POTENTIAL IMPACT OF YOGA PRACTICES ON REDUCING MS RELATED SYMPTOMS. 2020 2 2300 43 THERAPEUTIC YOGA: SYMPTOM MANAGEMENT FOR MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS. MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS (MS) IS THE MOST COMMON AUTOIMMUNE INFLAMMATORY DEMYELINATING DISEASE OF THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM, AFFECTING OVER 2.3 MILLION PEOPLE WORLDWIDE. ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS AND STROKE, THE AGE OF DISEASE ONSET IS TYPICALLY BETWEEN 20 AND 40 YEARS, WITH A HIGHER INCIDENCE IN WOMEN. INDIVIDUALS WITH MS EXPERIENCE A WIDE RANGE OF SYMPTOMS, INCLUDING DECLINING PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS (E.G., FATIGUE, IMBALANCE, SPASTICITY, CHRONIC PAIN, COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT, BLADDER AND BOWEL DYSFUNCTION, VISUAL AND SPEECH IMPAIRMENTS, DEPRESSION, SENSORY DISTURBANCE, AND MOBILITY IMPAIRMENT). TO DATE, BOTH THE CAUSE OF AND CURE FOR MS REMAIN UNKNOWN. IN RECENT YEARS, MORE INDIVIDUALS WITH MS HAVE BEEN PURSUING ALTERNATIVE METHODS OF TREATMENT TO MANAGE SYMPTOMS OF THE DISEASE, INCLUDING MIND-BODY THERAPIES SUCH AS YOGA, MEDITATION, BREATHING, AND RELAXATION TECHNIQUES. IT HAS BEEN SUGGESTED THAT THE PRACTICE OF YOGA MAY BE A SAFE AND EFFECTIVE WAY OF MANAGING SYMPTOMS OF MS. THEREFORE, THE PURPOSE OF THIS PAPER IS TO SUMMARIZE THE MOST RELEVANT LITERATURE ON EXERCISE AND MIND-BODY MODALITIES TO TREAT MS SYMPTOMS AND, MORE SPECIFICALLY, THE BENEFITS AND POTENTIAL ROLE OF YOGA AS AN ALTERNATIVE TREATMENT OF SYMPTOM MANAGEMENT FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH MS. THE ARTICLE ALSO DISCUSSES FUTURE DIRECTIONS FOR RESEARCH. 2015 3 2460 36 YOGA AS A METHOD OF SYMPTOM MANAGEMENT IN MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS. MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS (MS) IS AN IMMUNE-MEDIATED PROCESS IN WHICH THE BODY'S IMMUNE SYSTEM DAMAGES MYELIN IN THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM (CNS). THE ONSET OF THIS DISORDER TYPICALLY OCCURS IN YOUNG ADULTS, AND IT IS MORE COMMON AMONG WOMEN. CURRENTLY, THERE IS NO CURE AND THE LONG-TERM DISEASE PROGRESSION MAKES SYMPTOMATIC MANAGEMENT CRITICAL FOR MAINTAINING QUALITY OF LIFE. SEVERAL PHARMACOTHERAPEUTIC AGENTS ARE APPROVED FOR TREATMENT, BUT MANY PATIENTS SEEK COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE INTERVENTIONS. REVIEWS HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED REGARDING BROAD TOPICS SUCH AS MINDFULNESS-BASED INTERVENTIONS FOR PEOPLE DIAGNOSED WITH MS AND THE IMPACT OF YOGA ON A RANGE OF NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS. THE OBJECTIVE OF THE PRESENT REVIEW IS TO EXAMINE THE POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF YOGA FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH MS AND ADDRESS ITS USE IN MANAGING SYMPTOMS INCLUDING PAIN, MENTAL HEALTH, FATIGUE, SPASTICITY, BALANCE, BLADDER CONTROL, AND SEXUAL FUNCTION. 2015 4 1584 25 MEDICAL THERAPEUTIC YOGA FOR MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS: EXAMINING SELF-EFFICACY FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, MOTIVATION FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, AND QUALITY OF LIFE OUTCOMES. PURPOSE: MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS (MS) IS AN INCURABLE NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASE THAT RESULTS IN DEFICITS IN PHYSICAL AND COGNITIVE FUNCTION, AND OFTEN FOSTERS LOW LEVELS OF SELF-EFFICACY FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, MOTIVATION FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, AND QUALITY OF LIFE [1]. DRUG THERAPIES, PHYSICAL THERAPY REHABILITATION, AND LIFESTYLE MODIFICATIONS SUCH AS INCREASED PHYSICAL ACTIVITY ARE STANDARD PROTOCOL FOR SYMPTOM MANAGEMENT, YET PERSONS WITH MS TEND TO BE PHYSICALLY INACTIVE [2,3]. ADDITIONALLY, SINGLE-MODALITY INTERVENTIONS DO NOT INHERENTLY ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES FACED CONCURRENTLY BY INDIVIDUALS WITH MS [4,5]. METHODS: THIS PROJECT EXAMINED THE EFFECTS OF A 5-WEEK HOLISTIC BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL MEDICAL THERAPEUTIC YOGA PROGRAM ON PHYSICAL ACTIVITY BEHAVIOR OUTCOMES IN INDIVIDUALS DIAGNOSED WITH MS. A MIXED-METHODS APPROACH WAS USED TO EXAMINE SELF-EFFICACY FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, MOTIVATION FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, AND QUALITY OF LIFE OUTCOMES IN 15 PARTICIPANTS. RESULTS: QUANTITATIVE MEASURES DEMONSTRATED INCREASED SELF-EFFICACY (T(14) = -2.23, P = 0.042), AND EMOTIONAL QUALITY OF LIFE (T(14) = -2.66, P = 0.019). RESPONSES TO AN OPEN-ENDED WRITTEN QUESTIONNAIRE AND FOLLOW-UP INTERVIEWS INDICATED OVERALL POSITIVE RESPONSE TO THE PROGRAM INCLUDING INCREASES IN SELF-EFFICACY FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, MOTIVATION FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, AND QUALITY OF LIFE. THESE RESULTS MAY HELP FUTURE HOLISTIC PROGRAMMING FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH MS INCORPORATE BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTIONS WITH THERAPEUTIC REHABILITATION TO INCREASE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY ADHERENCE.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONMULTIPLE SCLEROSIS IS A NEUROLOGICAL DISEASE IMPACTING PHYSICAL AND COGNITIVE FUNCTIONING THAT MAY BE MANAGED WITH A COMBINATION OF DRUG THERAPIES, REHABILITATION, AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY.INDIVIDUALS DIAGNOSED WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS TEND TO BE PHYSICALLY INACTIVE AND PHYSICAL INACTIVITY IS A CHALLENGE FOR OPTIMAL DISEASE MANAGEMENT.MEDICAL THERAPEUTIC YOGA OFFERS AN INTERDISCIPLINARY BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL FRAMEWORK TO SIMULTANEOUSLY ADDRESS THE BEHAVIORAL CHALLENGES AND PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENTS FACING INDIVIDUALS DIAGNOSED WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS.HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS SHOULD CONSIDER DEVELOPING PROGRAMS THAT USE A BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL FRAMEWORK TO AID IN DEVELOPING LONG-TERM ADHERENCE IN HEALTH BEHAVIORS SUCH AS PHYSICAL ACTIVITY PARTICIPATION. 2022 5 2705 26 YOGA INTERVENTIONS USED FOR THE REHABILITATION OF STROKE, PARKINSON'S DISEASE, AND MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS: A SCOPING REVIEW OF CLINICAL RESEARCH. OBJECTIVES: THE CURRENT BODY OF LITERATURE WAS REVIEWED TO COMPILE AND DESCRIBE YOGA INTERVENTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN APPLIED IN CLINICAL RESEARCH AND NEUROLOGIC REHABILITATION SETTINGS WITH PATIENTS AFFECTED BY STROKE, PARKINSON'S DISEASE (PD), AND MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS (MS). DESIGN: AVAILABLE LITERATURE ON YOGA THERAPY (YT) WAS MAPPED FOLLOWING A FIVE-STAGE FRAMEWORK TO IDENTIFY KEY CONCEPTS, KNOWLEDGE GAPS, AND EVIDENCE TO INFORM PRACTICE. PUBLICATIONS WERE IDENTIFIED THROUGH MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, AND PSYCINFO. SELECTED STUDIES REQUIRED SUBJECTS WITH A CLINICAL DIAGNOSIS OF STROKE, PD, AND MS TO PARTICIPATE IN A YOGA INTERVENTION AND HAVE PHYSICAL, COGNITIVE, AND/OR PSYCHOSOCIAL OUTCOME MEASURES ASSESSED. RESULTS: A TOTAL OF 50 STUDIES WERE INCLUDED IN THIS REVIEW. STUDY CHARACTERISTICS, PATIENT DEMOGRAPHICS, DESCRIPTION OF THE YOGA INTERVENTION, REPORTED OUTCOME MEASURES AND THE MAIN FINDINGS WERE EXTRACTED FROM THE STUDIES. CONCLUSION: IMPLEMENTING YT IN NEUROREHABILITATION CAN HELP HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS INTEGRATE A MORE HOLISTIC APPROACH THAT ADDRESSES THE FUNDAMENTAL PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL CHALLENGES OF LIVING WITH A CHRONIC AND DEBILITATING NEUROLOGIC DISORDER. THE INCLUDED STUDIES DESCRIBED YOGIC INTERVENTIONS CONSISTING OF GROUP OR INDIVIDUAL THERAPY SESSIONS LASTING 60-75 MIN THAT WERE CARRIED OUT ONE TO THREE TIMES PER WEEK FOR 8-12 CONSECUTIVE WEEKS ACROSS ALL THREE CONDITIONS. ALL STUDIES DESCRIBED IN THIS SCOPING REVIEW USED DIFFERENT YOGA PROTOCOLS CONFIRMING THE LACK OF SPECIFIC INTERVENTIONAL PARAMETERS AVAILABLE FOR IMPLEMENTING YOGA INTO THE REHABILITATION OF INDIVIDUALS AFFECTED BY STROKE, PD, OR MS. 2021 6 2767 22 YOGA PROVISION FOR INDIVIDUALS LIVING WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS: IS THE FUTURE ONLINE? BACKGROUND: YOGA HAS MULTIPLE BENEFITS FOR INDIVIDUALS LIVING WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS (MS), INCLUDING REDUCED PAIN, DEPRESSION, FATIGUE, STRENGTH, AND IMPROVED QUALITY OF LIFE. DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, HOME-BASED DELIVERY OF YOGA INCREASED. HOWEVER, NO STUDIES TO DATE HAVE EXPLORED ONLINE HOME-BASED YOGA FOR INDIVIDUALS LIVING WITH MS, MORE SPECIFICALLY THE MOTIVATIONS, EXPERIENCES, OR THE SUSTAINABILITY OF HOME-BASED YOGA PRACTICE FOR INDIVIDUALS LIVING WITH MS. AIM: THIS STUDY AIMED TO EXPLORE THE FACILITATORS AND BARRIERS OF ONLINE YOGA PROVISION FOR INDIVIDUALS LIVING WITH MS. METHODS: ONE FOCUS GROUP AND THREE SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS WERE CARRIED OUT ONLINE VIA ZOOM WITH ONE YOGA INSTRUCTOR AND SEVEN YOGA PARTICIPANTS LIVING WITH MS. THEMATIC ANALYSIS WAS USED TO ANALYSE THIS DATA. FINDINGS: TWO THEMES WERE GENERATED FROM THE INTERVIEWS, THE ENVIRONMENT AND FUTURE PROVISION, EACH WITH THEIR OWN SUB-THEMES. THE THEMES REFLECT VARIOUS FACILITATORS AND BARRIERS OF HOME-BASED YOGA PROVISION WHICH DIFFERED DEPENDING UPON THE INDIVIDUALS HOME ENVIRONMENT, SOCIAL CONNECTIONS, PHYSICAL ABILITY, AND CONFIDENCE PRACTISING YOGA. FURTHERMORE, PREFERENCES OF HOME PROVISION FLUCTUATED OVER TIME DEPENDING UPON SYMPTOMS OF MS. CONCLUSIONS: HOME-BASED YOGA PRACTICE IS A VIABLE AND ENJOYABLE OPTION FOR INDIVIDUALS LIVING WITH MS. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT YOGA STUDIOS OFFERING HOME-BASED YOGA PROVISION CONSIDER INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES IN PREFERENCE, AS WELL AS FLUCTUATIONS IN SYMPTOMS THAT MAY CREATE INEQUITABLE ACCESS TO SERVICES AND MAY PREVENT PARTICIPATION FOR SOME. 2022 7 315 21 AN INDIVIDUALIZED YOGA PROGRAMME FOR MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS: A CASE STUDY. PURPOSE: DESPITE THE EVIDENCE THAT YOGA IS BENEFICIAL FOR PEOPLE WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS (MS), SUBSTANTIAL IN-DEPTH QUALITATIVE STUDIES OF YOGA AND MS-AND INDIVIDUALIZED YOGA PROGRAMMES (IYP), IN PARTICULAR-ARE LACKING. THE AIMS OF THIS PAPER ARE (A) TO CONDUCT A CASE STUDY ON AN IYP FOR ONE PARTICIPANT WITH MS IN TERMS OF HER EXPERIENCE OF YOGA AND HOW YOGA AFFECTED HER PARTICULAR SYMPTOMS OF MS, AND (B) TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE UNIQUE AND CHANGING NEEDS OF SOMEONE WITH MS IN THE CONTEXT OF AN IYP. DESIGN AND METHOD: DATA COLLECTED FOR THIS STUDY WERE SOURCED FROM A QUALITATIVE CASE STUDY DESIGN WITH DATA COLLECTED VIA A PARTICIPANT DIARY COMPLETED OVER THE 24-WEEK DURATION OF AN IYP; AN EXIT INTERVIEW AFTER THE FINAL IYP SESSION; AND WEEKLY RECORDS COMPLETED BY THE YOGA TEACHER. DATA WERE ANALYSED USING THEMATIC ANALYSIS. FINDINGS: OVER THE COURSE OF THE IYP, THE FEMALE PARTICIPANT EXPERIENCED AN INCREASED AWARENESS OF NEGATIVE THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS ABOUT MS AND HOW IT AFFECTED HER AND HER BODY. AS THE PROGRAMME PROGRESSED, SHE BEGAN TO WORK THROUGH THESE FEELINGS AND, BY THE END OF THE PROGRAMME, REPORTED EXPERIENCING IMPROVEMENTS IN MUSCLE TONE, STRENGTH, BALANCE, PSYCHOLOGICAL WELLBEING, AND CONFIDENCE. CONCLUSION: OUR FINDINGS HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF A PROGRAMME INDIVIDUALIZED TO MEET THE COMPLEX HEALTH AND PSYCHOLOGICAL NEEDS OF INDIVIDUALS WITH MS. 2015 8 2348 25 USING THE INTERNATIONAL CLASSIFICATION OF FUNCTIONING, DISABILITY, AND HEALTH MODEL TO GAIN PERSPECTIVE OF THE BENEFITS OF YOGA IN STROKE, MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS, AND CHILDREN TO INFORM PRACTICE FOR CHILDREN WITH CEREBRAL PALSY: A META-ANALYSIS. OBJECTIVE: RESEARCH PERTAINING TO YOGA AND CHILDREN WITH CEREBRAL PALSY (CP) IS NEGLIGIBLE. THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO DETERMINE THE DOMAINS OF THE INTERNATIONAL CLASSIFICATION OF FUNCTIONING, DISABILITY, AND HEALTH (ICF) MODEL AND LEVELS OF EVIDENCE FOR YOGA AND ADULTS WITH STROKE AND MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS (MS), AND CHILDREN. A SECONDARY PURPOSE WAS TO DECIDE WHETHER ANY INFERENCES COULD BE MADE FOR CHILDREN WITH CP. DESIGN: THIS STUDY INCLUDED A META-ANALYSIS. INTERVENTIONS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW WAS PERFORMED OF YOGA AND SAID POPULATIONS. OUTCOME MEASURES WERE CATEGORIZED ACCORDING TO THE ICF MODEL DOMAINS OF BODY STRUCTURES AND FUNCTION, ACTIVITY, AND QUALITY OF LIFE. EFFECT SIZES (ESS) WERE CALCULATED BY USING COHEN'S D. SINCE THERE WERE FEW COMMONALITIES AMONG OUTCOME MEASURES AND REPORTING OF OUTCOMES WITHIN AND AMONG DIAGNOSTIC GROUPS, DIRECT COMPARISONS OF ESS WERE DIFFICULT. HENCE, WE CHOSE TO EVALUATE THE IMPACT OF YOGA AS COMPARED WITH THE CONTROL GROUP OR OTHER PHYSICAL EXERCISE BY USING A GENERAL LINEAR MIXED MODEL. RESULTS: THERE WERE 5 YOGA STUDIES WITH STROKE, 15 WITH MS, AND 12 WITH CHILDREN. STUDIES WITH CHILDREN USED OUTCOMES RELATED TO BODY STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION, WHEREAS THOSE WITH STROKE AND MS USED OUTCOMES ACROSS ALL THREE DOMAINS OF THE ICF. ESS VARIED FROM NEGLIGIBLE TO MEDIUM FOR STROKE, FROM NEGLIGIBLE TO LARGE FOR MS AND CHILDREN. CONCLUSIONS: THE FINDINGS OF THIS META-ANALYSIS INDICATE THAT YOGA IS NO BETTER OR WORSE THAN OTHER EXERCISE MODALITIES AS A TREATMENT INTERVENTION FOR ADULTS WITH STROKE AND MS, AND CHILDREN. GROUP YOGA CLASSES ARE TYPICALLY SOCIAL ENVIRONMENTS THAT CAN CONTRIBUTE TO INCREASED PHYSICAL PROGRESS AND FEELINGS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO QUALITY OF LIFE, WHICH MAY BENEFIT INDIVIDUALS WITH CP. MORE RESEARCH ON YOGA AND PARTICULARLY IN CHILDREN AND ADULTS WITH CP WOULD YIELD VALUABLE INFORMATION FOR CREATING EFFECTIVE AND SAFE YOGA PROGRAMS WITH A RICH ARRAY OF BENEFITS. 2018 9 1782 25 PREDICTORS OF FUNCTIONAL IMPROVEMENTS AFTER THERAPEUTIC YOGA INTERVENTION FOR PEOPLE WITH PARKINSON'S DISEASE. PARKINSON'S DISEASE (PD) AFFECTS NEARLY 10 MILLION PEOPLE WORLDWIDE, LEADING TO DECREASED MOBILITY AND BALANCE AND POTENTIAL LOSS OF INDEPENDENCE. YOGA HAS BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH IMPROVED FUNCTION FOR PEOPLE WITH PD, BUT THE PREDICTIVE FACTORS FOR IMPROVED FUNCTIONAL OUTCOMES AS A RESULT OF YOGA PARTICIPATION REMAIN UNEXAMINED. THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS SECONDARY DATA ANALYSIS WAS TO IDENTIFY PREDICTIVE FACTORS OF FUNCTIONAL IMPROVEMENT FOR PEOPLE WITH PD AFTER AN 8-WEEK YOGA INTERVENTION. STEPWISE MULTIPLE LINEAR REGRESSION WAS USED TO IDENTIFY SIGNIFICANT PREDICTORS OF IMPROVEMENT IN BALANCE, FALL CONTROL, PD SYMPTOMS, AND ACTIVITY CONSTRAINTS. LOWER COGNITIVE FUNCTIONING WAS PREDICTIVE OF IMPROVEMENT IN PERCEIVED CONTROL OVER FALLS, BODY RESPONSIVENESS WAS PREDICTIVE OF IMPROVEMENT IN PD-SPECIFIC SYMPTOMS, AND GAIT VELOCITY WAS PREDICTIVE OF IMPROVEMENT IN BALANCE AND ACTIVITY CONSTRAINTS. FUTURE RESEARCH IS WARRANTED TO EVALUATE THE USE OF SCREENERS TO PREDICT WHO IS THE BEST FIT FOR YOGA THERAPY. ADDITIONAL RESEARCH IS NEEDED TO EVALUATE THE NEED TO INCLUDE COGNITIVE SELF-MANAGEMENT TRAINING CONCURRENT WITH YOGA THERAPY. 2020 10 2377 22 WHO PRACTICES YOGA? A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF DEMOGRAPHIC, HEALTH-RELATED, AND PSYCHOSOCIAL FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH YOGA PRACTICE. YOGA HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY POPULAR IN THE US AND AROUND THE WORLD, YET BECAUSE MOST YOGA RESEARCH IS CONDUCTED AS CLINICAL TRIALS OR EXPERIMENTS, LITTLE IS KNOWN ABOUT THE CHARACTERISTICS AND CORRELATES OF PEOPLE WHO INDEPENDENTLY CHOOSE TO PRACTICE YOGA. WE CONDUCTED A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF THIS ISSUE, IDENTIFYING 55 STUDIES AND CATEGORIZING CORRELATES OF YOGA PRACTICE INTO SOCIODEMOGRAPHICS, PSYCHOSOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS, AND MENTAL AND PHYSICAL WELL-BEING. YOGA USE IS GREATEST AMONG WOMEN AND THOSE WITH HIGHER SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS AND APPEARS FAVORABLY RELATED TO PSYCHOSOCIAL FACTORS SUCH AS COPING AND MINDFULNESS. YOGA PRACTICE OFTEN RELATES TO BETTER SUBJECTIVE HEALTH AND HEALTH BEHAVIORS BUT ALSO WITH MORE DISTRESS AND PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENT. HOWEVER, EVIDENCE IS SPARSE AND METHODOLOGICAL LIMITATIONS PRECLUDE DRAWING CAUSAL INFERENCES. NATIONALLY REPRESENTATIVE STUDIES HAVE MINIMALLY ASSESSED YOGA WHILE STUDIES WITH STRONG ASSESSMENT OF YOGA PRACTICE (E.G., TYPE, DOSE) ARE GENERALLY CONDUCTED WITH CONVENIENCE SAMPLES. ALMOST ALL STUDIES REVIEWED ARE CROSS-SECTIONAL AND FEW CONTROL FOR POTENTIAL CONFOUNDING VARIABLES. WE PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE CORRELATES OF YOGA PRACTICE. 2015 11 2021 20 SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF YOGA AND BALANCE: EFFECT ON ADULTS WITH NEUROMUSCULAR IMPAIRMENT. THIS SYSTEMATIC REVIEW EXAMINES THE EFFICACY OF YOGA AS A NEUROMUSCULAR INTERVENTION FOR COMMUNITY-DWELLING POPULATIONS AT RISK FOR FALLS TO DETERMINE ITS UTILITY FOR USE IN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY INTERVENTION. POPULATIONS INCLUDED OLDER ADULTS AND ADULTS WITH TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY (TBI), CEREBROVASCULAR ACCIDENT (CVA), DEMENTIA AND ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE (AD)-TYPE DEMENTIA, MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS (MS), AND PARKINSON'S DISEASE (PD). BENEFITS OF YOGA INCLUDE IMPROVED POSTURE CONTROL, IMPROVED FLEXIBILITY OF MIND AND BODY, RELAXATION, AND DECREASED ANXIETY AND STRESS. A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE WAS CONDUCTED TO UNDERSTAND THE SALUTARY BENEFITS OF YOGA FOR CLIENTS WHO ARE AT RISK FOR FALLS BECAUSE OF NEUROMUSCULAR ISSUES. MODERATE EVIDENCE SUPPORTS THE USE OF YOGA TO DECREASE THE RISK FOR FALLS FOR COMMUNITY-DWELLING OLDER ADULTS AND PEOPLE WITH CVA, DEMENTIA AND AD-TYPE DEMENTIA, AND MS. STUDIES INVOLVING PEOPLE WITH TBI AND PD DID NOT INCLUDE STRONG ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO BE ABLE TO MAKE A CLEAR CLASSIFICATION. 2019 12 2454 24 YOGA AS A COMPLEMENTARY THERAPY FOR METABOLIC SYNDROME: A NARRATIVE REVIEW. METABOLIC SYNDROME (MS) IS ASSOCIATED WITH A SEDENTARY AND STRESSFUL LIFESTYLE AND AFFECTS UNDERACTIVE PEOPLE DISPROPORTIONATELY. YOGA IS CONSIDERED TO BE A LOW-IMPACT MIND-BODY STRESS-RELIEVING EXERCISE, AND RESEARCHERS ARE INCREASING THEIR FOCUS ON THE BENEFITS OF YOGA FOR MANAGING METABOLIC DISORDERS. IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT FOR PHYSICIANS AND HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS TO UNDERSTAND THE THERAPEUTIC EFFICACY OF YOGA INTERVENTION, IN TERMS OF ITS TYPE, DURATION AND FREQUENCY ON VARIOUS MS RISK FACTORS. THE PRESENT REVIEW SUMMARIZES THE CURRENT SCIENTIFIC UNDERSTANDING OF THE EFFECTS OF YOGA ON MS RISK FACTORS SUCH AS GLUCOSE HOMEOSTASIS MARKERS, LIPID PROFILE, ADIPOCYTOKINES AND CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTORS, AND DISCUSSES THE POSSIBLE MECHANISMS OF ACTION. MEDLINE, PUBMED, SCOPUS AND COCHRANE LIBRARY WERE SEARCHED FROM THEIR INCEPTION UP TO DECEMBER 2019, USING THE KEYWORDS "METABOLIC SYNDROME," "DIABETES," "CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES," "OBESITY" AND "YOGA." THE LITERATURE SUMMARIZED IN THIS REVIEW HAVE SHOWN MIXED EFFECTS OF YOGA ON MS RISK FACTORS AND DO NOT PROVIDE ROBUST EVIDENCE FOR ITS EFFICACY. MORE RIGOROUS RESEARCH AND WELL-DESIGNED TRIALS THAT HAVE A HIGHER STANDARD OF METHODOLOGY AND EVALUATE YOGA'S LONG-TERM IMPACTS ON MS ARE NEEDED. UNDERSTANDING YOGA'S BIOCHEMICAL AND MOLECULAR MECHANISMS OF ACTION ON VARIOUS METABOLIC PATHWAYS IS ALSO NEEDED. 2021 13 549 13 CONTEXTUALIZING THE EFFECTS OF YOGA THERAPY ON DIABETES MANAGEMENT: A REVIEW OF THE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. THIS ARTICLE PROVIDES A REVIEW OF LITERATURE BOTH TO IDENTIFY THE EFFECTS OF YOGA-BASED THERAPY ON THE MANAGEMENT OF TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS AND TO EXAMINE THE SOCIAL CONTEXT OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. FINDINGS FROM THE REVIEW INDICATE THAT YOGA HAS A POSITIVE SHORT-TERM EFFECT ON MULTIPLE DIABETES-RELATED OUTCOMES; HOWEVER, LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF YOGA THERAPY ON DIABETES MANAGEMENT REMAIN UNCLEAR. THE CONTEXT OF THE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT, INCLUDING INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS, COMMUNITY CHARACTERISTICS, AND DISCRIMINATION, INFLUENCES THE ADOPTION AND MAINTENANCE OF HEALTH BEHAVIORS SUCH AS PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, INCLUDING YOGA PRACTICE. FURTHER RESEARCH IS NECESSARY TO DETERMINE THE EXTENT OF THIS INFLUENCE. 2008 14 1236 21 FEASIBILITY OF A 6-MONTH YOGA PROGRAM TO IMPROVE THE PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOSOCIAL STATUS OF PERSONS WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS. CONTEXT: TO THE BEST OF OUR KNOWLEDGE, THERE HAS BEEN NO STUDY ON YOGA THAT INCLUDES BOTH PERSONS WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS (MS) AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS. BECAUSE YOGA HAS THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS IN BOTH PERSONS WITH MS AND HEALTHY PERSONS, WE HYPOTHESIZED THAT IT WOULD BE AN EFFECTIVE METHOD TO IMPROVE NOT ONLY THE PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOSOCIAL STATUS BUT ALSO THE TIME PERSONS WITH MS AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS SPEND TOGETHER. OBJECTIVE: TO EXAMINE THE FEASIBILITY OF A 6-MONTH (LONG-TERM) YOGA PROGRAM TO IMPROVE THE PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOSOCIAL STATUS OF PERSONS WITH MS AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS. DESIGN: UNCONTROLLED CLINICAL TRIAL. SETTING: THE PROTOCOL WAS DEVELOPED AT THE DEPARTMENT OF NEUROLOGY, FACULTY OF MEDICINE, AND SCHOOL OF PHYSICAL THERAPY AND REHABILITATION, DOKUZ EYLUL UNIVERSITY, IZMIR, TURKEY. PARTICIPANTS: PERSONS WITH MS AND HEALTHY FAMILY MEMBERS. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: WALKING, BALANCE, FATIGUE, HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE, DEPRESSION, PAIN, AND KINESIOPHOBIA. INTERVENTIONS: YOGA TRAINING WAS GIVEN ONCE A WEEK (AT LEAST 1H) FOR 6 MONTHS. THE SAME ASSESSORS WHO ASSESSED AT BASELINE ALSO PERFORMED THE SAME ASSESSMENTS IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE END OF THE TRAINING (I.E., AFTER 6 MONTHS). RESULTS: IN TOTAL, 44 PARTICIPANTS (27 PERSONS WITH MS AND 17 HEALTHY FAMILY MEMBERS) PARTICIPATED IN THE STUDY. TWELVE PERSONS WITH MS AND THREE HEALTHY FAMILY MEMBERS COMPLETED THE 6-MONTH YOGA INTERVENTION. THE COMPLETION RATE FOR PERSONS WITH MS AND HEALTHY SUBJECTS WAS 44.4% AND 17.6%, RESPECTIVELY. IN PERSONS WITH MS, THE MENTAL DIMENSION OF HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE, WALKING SPEED, FATIGUE, AND DEPRESSION LEVELS SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED AFTER THE YOGA PROGRAM (P < .05). HOWEVER, THERE WAS NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN THE SELF-REPORTED WALKING IMPACT, BALANCE, PAIN, PHYSICAL DIMENSION OF HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE, AND KINESIOPHOBIA LEVELS IN THE PERSONS WITH MS (P > .05). THIS STUDY SUGGESTS THAT A 6-MONTH YOGA PROGRAM CAN IMPROVE THE MENTAL DIMENSION OF HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE, WALKING SPEED, FATIGUE, AND DEPRESSION IN THE PERSONS WITH MS. HOWEVER, THE 6-MONTH YOGA PROGRAM DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE A FEASIBLE METHOD TO INCREASE THE TIME THAT PERSONS WITH MS SPEND TOGETHER WITH THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS. 2018 15 826 25 EFFECT OF YOGA ON HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE IN CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM DISORDERS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW. OBJECTIVE: INVESTIGATE THE EFFECT OF YOGA ON HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE (HRQOL) IN PATIENTS WITH CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM DISORDERS. METHODS: A SYSTEMATIC SEARCH WAS CONDUCTED ON THE PUBMED-NCBI, EBSCO HOST, COCHRANE LIBRARY, SCOPUS AND SCIENCEDIRECT DATABASES UNTIL 05 APRIL 2021. ONLY RANDOMIZED CONTROL TRIALS PUBLISHED IN ENGLISH OR FRENCH WERE INCLUDED AND HAD TO COMPARE YOGA TO ANOTHER INTERVENTION GROUP OR A CONTROL GROUP. THEY ALSO HAD TO CLEARLY MEASURE HRQOL. METHODOLOGICAL QUALITY WAS ASSESSED WITH THE REVISED COCHRANE RISK-OF-BIAS TOOL FOR RANDOMIZED TRIALS AND THE QUALITY OF EVIDENCE WAS EVALUATED USING THE GRADING OF RECOMMENDATIONS ASSESSMENT, DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION (GRADE) CRITERIA. RESULTS: SIXTEEN STUDIES WERE FOUND, INCLUDING SIX FOR MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS, FIVE FOR PARKINSON'S DISEASE, TWO FOR STROKE, ONE FOR DEMENTIA, ONE FOR EPILEPSY AND ONE FOR BRAIN TUMOUR. ONLY 12 STUDIES PERFORMED BETWEEN-GROUP STATISTICS AND 8 FOUND A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GROUPS AFTER TREATMENT. WHEN YOGA WAS COMPARED TO NO INTERVENTION, THE RESULTS WERE GENERALLY IN FAVOUR OF THE YOGA GROUP, BUT WHEN YOGA WAS COMPARED TO ANOTHER INTERVENTION PROGRAMME, THERE WAS GENERALLY NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GROUPS. THERE WERE MANY DIFFERENT HRQOL QUESTIONNAIRES, EVEN WITHIN THE SAME DISEASE, WHICH REDUCES THE COMPARABILITY OF STUDIES. CONCLUSIONS: WITH LOW TO MODERATE QUALITY OF THE EVIDENCE, YOGA SEEMS EFFECTIVE TO IMPROVE HRQOL IN PEOPLE WITH PARKINSON'S DISEASE. FOR MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS, STROKE, DEMENTIA, EPILEPSY AND BRAIN TUMOUR, THE QUALITY OF THE EVIDENCE IS STILL INSUFFICIENT TO CONCLUDE OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF YOGA. 2021 16 2774 25 YOGA RESEARCH REVIEW. THIS PAPER IS A REVIEW OF EMPIRICAL STUDIES, REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS PUBLICATIONS ON YOGA FROM THE LAST FEW YEARS. THE REVIEW INCLUDES DEMOGRAPHICS/PREVALENCE OF YOGA AS A PRACTICE, BIBLIOMETRIC ANALYSES OF THE YOGA PUBLICATIONS AND THE USE OF YOGA FOR PHYSICAL FITNESS AND COGNITIVE FUNCTION. MOST OF THE STUDIES REVIEWED HERE INVOLVE YOGA EFFECTS ON PSYCHIATRIC AND MEDICAL CONDITIONS. THESE INCLUDE PREGNANCY, PRENATAL AND POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION; STRESS, PTSD, ANXIETY, AND OBESITY; CARDIOVASCULAR CONDITIONS INCLUDING HYPERTENSION; PAIN SYNDROMES INCLUDING ARTHRITIS, HEADACHES AND LOW BACK PAIN; AUTOIMMUNE CONDITIONS INCLUDING ASTHMA, TYPE II DIABETES AND MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS; IMMUNE CONDITIONS INCLUDING HIV AND BREAST CANCER; AND AGING PROBLEMS INCLUDING BALANCE, OSTEOPOROSIS AND PARKINSON'S. THE METHODS AND RESULTS OF THOSE STUDIES ARE BRIEFLY SUMMARIZED ALONG WITH THEIR LIMITATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH. BASICALLY YOGA HAS BEEN MORE EFFECTIVE THAN CONTROL AND WAITLIST CONTROL CONDITIONS, ALTHOUGH NOT ALWAYS MORE EFFECTIVE THAN TREATMENT COMPARISON GROUPS SUCH AS OTHER FORMS OF EXERCISE. MORE RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED STUDIES ARE NEEDED IN WHICH YOGA IS COMPARED TO ACTIVE EXERCISE GROUPS. HAVING ESTABLISHED THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH BENEFITS OF YOGA MAKES IT ETHICALLY QUESTIONABLE TO ASSIGN PARTICIPANTS TO INACTIVE CONTROL GROUPS. SHORTER SESSIONS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED FOR COST-EFFECTIVENESS AND FOR DAILY PRACTICE. MULTIPLE PHYSICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL MEASURES NEED TO BE ADDED TO THE SELF-REPORT RESEARCH PROTOCOLS AND POTENTIAL UNDERLYING MECHANISMS NEED TO BE FURTHER EXPLORED. IN THE INTERIM, THE STUDIES REVIEWED HERE HIGHLIGHT THE THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS OF YOGA, A PRACTICE THAT COULD COME TO BE CALLED YOGA THERAPY. 2016 17 2150 20 THE EFFECTS OF PRANAYAMA, HATHA AND RAJA YOGA ON PHYSICAL PAIN AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF WOMEN WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS. IN A CLINICAL TRIAL CARRIED OUT ON 60 WOMEN WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS, THE RESEARCHERS OBTAINED DATA USING SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRES. IN ADDITION TO DEMOGRAPHIC DATA, THE MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS QUALITY OF LIFE-54 (MSQOL-54) INSTRUMENT WAS USED TO DETERMINE HOW MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS INFLUENCES THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF THE STUDIED WOMEN. WITHIN THE FRAME OF THIS RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL, THE PARTICIPANTS WERE DIVIDED INTO TWO EQUALLY SIZED GROUPS (THE CASE AND THE CONTROL GROUP) IN WHICH THE LEVEL OF PAIN AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE WERE EVALUATED. THE CASE GROUP EXERCISED PAIN-MANAGING YOGA METHODS FOR THREE MONTHS, KEEPING THE PACE OF EIGHT 90-MINUTE SESSIONS PER MONTH. THE CONTROL PARTICIPANTS WERE SUBJECTED TO NO INTERVENTION. ONE MONTH AFTER THE YOGA THERAPY, THE LEVEL OF PAIN AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE WERE EVALUATED IN BOTH GROUPS AND COMPARED TO THE BASELINE DATA. DATA WERE ANALYZED USING SPSS SOFTWARE AND PAIRED T-TESTS. AFTER THE YOGA THERAPY, THE CASE GROUP SHOWED A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN PHYSICAL PAIN MANAGEMENT (P=0.007) AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE (P=0.001) AS COMPARED TO THE CONTROL GROUP. THE RESULTS SHOWED THAT YOGA TECHNIQUES CAN ALLEVIATE PHYSICAL PAIN AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS PATIENTS. 2012 18 2081 24 THE EFFECT OF GROUP MINDFULNESS-BASED STRESS REDUCTION AND CONSCIOUSNESS YOGA PROGRAM ON QUALITY OF LIFE AND FATIGUE SEVERITY IN PATIENTS WITH MS. INTRODUCTION: THE CHRONIC NATURE OF MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS (MS), HAVE CAN LEAVE DEVASTATING EFFECTS ON QUALITY OF LIFE AND FATIGUE. THE PRESENT RESEARCH AIMED TO STUDY THE EFFECT OF GROUP MINDFULNESS-BASED STRESS REDUCTION (MBSR) AND CONSCIOUS YOGA PROGRAM ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND FATIGUE SEVERITY AMONG PATIENTS WITH MS. METHODS: THIS STUDY WAS QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL WITH INTERVENTION AND CONTROL GROUPS. THE STATISTICAL POPULATION INCLUDED ALL MEMBERS TO MS SOCIETY OF TEHRAN PROVINCE, 24 OF WHOM DIAGNOSED WITH MS WERE SELECTED AS THE SAMPLE BASED ON THE INCLUSION CRITERIA. THE SUBJECTS WERE RANDOMLY ASSIGNED INTO THE TEST GROUP (12 PATIENTS) AND THE CONTROL GROUP (12 PATIENTS). MS QUALITY OF LIFE-54 (MSQOL-54) AND FATIGUE SEVERITY SCALE (FSS) WERE USED FOR DATA COLLECTION. SUBJECTS IN THE TEST GROUP UNDERWENT A MBSR AND CONSCIOUS YOGA PROGRAM IN 8 TWO-HOUR SESSIONS. THE DATA WERE ANALYZED USING THE SPSS VER.13 SOFTWARE. RESULTS: THE STUDY FINDINGS SHOWED THAT THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SUBJECTS IN THE EXPERIMENTAL AND CONTROL GROUPS IN TERMS OF MEAN SCORE OF SOME SUBSCALES OF QUALITY OF LIFE INCLUDING PHYSICAL HEALTH, ROLE LIMITATIONS DUE TO PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL PROBLEMS, ENERGY, EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING, HEALTH DISTRESS, HEALTH PERCEPTION, AND SATISFACTION WITH SEXUAL FUNCTION, OVERALL QUALITY OF LIFE, AND FATIGUE SEVERITY. CONCLUSION: THE RESULTS SHOW THAT THE PROGRAM IS EFFECTIVE IN REDUCTION OF FATIGUE SEVERITY AND IMPROVING SOME SUBSCALES OF QUALITY OF LIFE IN MS PATIENTS. HENCE, THIS SUPPORTIVE METHOD CAN BE USED AS AN EFFECTIVE WAY FOR IMPROVING QUALITY OF LIFE AND RELIEVING FATIGUE IN MS PATIENTS. 2016 19 2079 30 THE EFFECT OF EXERCISE, YOGA AND PHYSIOTHERAPY ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF PEOPLE WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS: SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS. INTRODUCTION: MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS (MS) IS A CHRONIC AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE AFFECTING THE MYELINATED AXONS OF THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM CAUSING NEUROLOGICAL DETERIORATION. PEOPLE LIVING WITH MS HAVE A POOR QUALITY OF LIFE (QOL) BECAUSE OF THE SYMPTOMS CAUSED BY THE DISEASE AND THERE ARE VARIOUS TYPES OF TREATMENTS TO MANAGE THE SYMPTOMS ASIDE FROM MEDICATION. OBJECTIVE: THIS META-ANALYSIS EXAMINES THE EFFECT OF EXERCISE, YOGA AND PHYSIOTHERAPY ON THE PHYSICAL, MENTAL AND SOCIAL QOL AMONG INDIVIDUALS LIVING WITH MS. SETTING: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW WITH META-ANALYSIS WAS CONDUCTED USING PUBMED, MEDLINE, AND SCOPUS FROM 1990 TO 2017. THE STANDARD MEAN DIFFERENCE SCORES WERE COMPUTED IN EACH STUDY FOR THE DOMAINS OF PHYSICAL, MENTAL AND SOCIAL FUNCTIONING. RESULTS: EIGHTEEN STUDIES MET THE INCLUSION CRITERIA FOR THIS META-ANALYSIS. AEROBIC EXERCISE WAS EFFECTIVE IN IMPROVING SATISFACTION WITH PHYSICAL FUNCTIONING,D = 0.35 (95% CI = 0.08 TO 0.62), MENTAL FUNCTIONING D = 0.42 (95% CI = 0.11 TO 0.72), AND SOCIAL FUNCTIONING D = 0.42 (95% CI = 0.15 TO 0.69). PHYSIOTHERAPY WAS ALSO FOUND TO BE EFFECTIVE FOR PHYSICAL FUNCTIONING D = 0.50 (95% CI 0.19 TO 0.80), MENTAL FUNCTIONING D = 0.44 (95% CI 0.14 TO 0.75) AND SOCIAL FUNCTIONING D = 0.60 (95% CI 0.21 TO 0.90). HOWEVER YOGA AND COMBINATION OF EXERCISES DID NOT HAVE A SIGNIFICANT EFFECT ON ANY OF THE QOL DOMAINS. CONCLUSION: THESE FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT AEROBIC EXERCISE AND PHYSIOTHERAPY IMPROVES THE SATISFACTION OF MS PATIENTS WITH THEIR PHYSICAL, MENTAL AND SOCIAL FUNCTIONING AND MAY BE INCLUDED AS NORMAL PRACTICE IN THE TREATMENT OF MS. 2019 20 947 23 EFFECTS OF A 4-MONTH ANANDA YOGA PROGRAM ON PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH OUTCOMES FOR PERSONS WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS. OBJECTIVES: YOGA HAS BEEN FOUND TO BE EFFECTIVE FOR ADDRESSING PROBLEMS WITH STRENGTH, FLEXIBILITY, BALANCE, GAIT, ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, AND CONCENTRATION. VARYING DEGREES OF THESE PROBLEMS OCCUR IN INDIVIDUALS WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS (MS). THIS STUDY EXAMINED THE EFFECTS OF A COMPREHENSIVE, 4-MONTH YOGA PROGRAM ON STRENGTH, MOBILITY, BALANCE, RESPIRATORY FUNCTION, AND QUALITY OF LIFE FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH MS. METHODS: TWENTY FOUR INDIVIDUALS WITH MS PARTICIPATED IN AN INTENSIVE ANANDA YOGA TRAINING FOLLOWED BY 17 WEEKS OF HOME PRACTICE. RESULTS: SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS IN FUNCTIONAL STRENGTH, BALANCE, AND PEAK EXPIRATORY FLOW AND A TREND TOWARD IMPROVEMENTS IN MENTAL HEALTH AND QUALITY OF LIFE OUTCOMES WERE DETECTED FOLLOWING THE INTERVENTION. CONCLUSIONS: THE RESULTS OF THIS EXPLORATORY STUDY SUGGEST THAT YOGA CAN HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON PHYSICAL FUNCTIONING AND QUALITY OF LIFE FOR PERSONS WITH MILD TO MODERATE MS. 2013