This study may clarify a potential promising mechanism and clearest evidence to support the value of yoga as a therapeutic option for reducing chronic low back pain.
Low back pain is a common problem, with 70-80% of adults were bothered in their lives, which influence the work and quality of life. Yoga is one of the most popular complementary and alternative medicine for back pain, and this mind-body intervention has increasingly chosen to effectively treat chronic pain. This is a parallel-arm randomized controlled trial which will compare the outcomes of participants assigned to the experimental treatment group (yoga, with 36 participants) with those assigned to a passive modality control group for 3 months (12 weeks). Each group will receive regular 60-minutes yoga classes or passive modality twice a week. The investigators confer the difference of pain relief and functional life improvement between passive modality and yoga. The latter is expected to have positive effects on Chronic low back pain. The effects and possible mechanisms of action responsible for passive modality and yoga on salivary cortisol concentrations, inflammatory cytokines and autonomic nervous tone will be also evaluated. The study's primary endpoints are (1) back pain relief, (2) functional life improved, (3) Salivary cortisol concentrations decreased, (4) brain-derived neurotrophic factor improved, (5) heart rate variability improved, and (6) immune function improved significantly among the participants in the experimental group than the control group. This study may clarify a potential promising mechanism and clearest evidence to support the value of yoga as a therapeutic option for reducing chronic low back pain. If the results are positive, clinicians will attain more options for treating patient with chronic low back. Furthermore, the positive results from this study will help focus more future in-depth research on the most promising potential mechanism of action identifies.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
86
Passive modality control group will receive regular 40-minutes rehabilitation twice a week for 3 months.
Yoga treatment group will receive regular 60-minutes yoga classes twice a week for 4 months.
Division of Core Laboratory; Chang Bing Show Chwan Memorial Hospital
Changhua County, Taiwan
RECRUITINGBack pain relief and functional life improved
Back pain relief and functional life improved will assessed by visual analogue scale (VAS) and Roland-Morris disability questionnaire at five different times: (1)baseline data : before intervention, (2)outcome data: 3, 6, 9 and 12 week yoga exercise, right after exercise measure post-test.
Time frame: Change from baseline in back pain and life quality at 6 months
Salivary cortisol concentrations decreased
Cortisol concentrations will be measured at three different times: (1)baseline data : before intervention, (2)outcome data: 6 and 12 week yoga exercise, right after exercise measure post-test.
Time frame: Change from baseline in salivary cortisol at 6 months
Heart rate variability improved
Heart rate variability will be measured at three different times: (1)baseline data : before intervention, (2)outcome data: 6 and 12 week yoga exercise, right after exercise measure post-test.
Time frame: Change from baseline in heart rate variability at 6 months
Immune function improved
Immune function will be assessed by blood analysis including lymphocyte subpopulations (Th1/ Th2/ Treg/ Th17), polarization (T-bet/ Gata-3/ Foxp3/ RORrt), its related cytokines (Th1: IL-12/ IFN-γ/ IL-27; Th2: IL-4/ IL-13/ IL-25; Th17: IL-17A/ IL-6/ IL-21; Treg: TGF/ IL-10), lipid prolife and C-reactive protein at at three different times: (1)baseline data : before intervention, (2)outcome data: 6 and 12 week yoga exercise, right after exercise measure post-test.
Time frame: Change from baseline in immune function at 6 months
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor improved
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor will be assessed by blood analysis at at three different times: (1)baseline data : before intervention, (2)outcome data: 6 and 12 week yoga exercise, right after exercise measure post-test.
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Time frame: Change from baseline in brain-derived neurotrophic factor at 6 months