Durability of Yoga for Treating Veterans With Chronic Low Back Pain
VA Office of Research and Development
Summary
Chronic low back pain is a prevalent condition among VA patients, but many current treatment options have side effects or limited effectiveness. Veterans with chronic low back pain (cLBP) experience increased disability, functional challenges, and reduced quality of life. A prior VA funded study of Yoga for VA patients with cLBP found that yoga can reduce pain and disability at 3 and 6 months after enrollment. However, the long-term effects and maintenance of yoga practice is unknown. The current study will test an intervention designed to promote long-term yoga practice and long-term health outcome benefits at 12 and 18 months after enrollment.
Description
Significance to VA: Chronic low back pain (cLBP) is a highly prevalent condition for veterans. In addition to chronic pain, cLBP leads to significant amounts of disability, reduced health-related quality of life (QOL), and increased health care utilization. Our previous results and other studies of yoga for Veterans with cLBP show that yoga participants had reduced pain and disability at follow-up assessments at 6-month follow-up. There is also some evidence indicating that self-care treatments like yoga, especially those provided in group format, may be less expensive and may reduce health c…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18+ years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria: * VA patients \> 18 years * Diagnosis of chronic low back pain \> 3 mos * Pain rated 4/10 or higher * No new pain treatments in the past month. * Willing to attend intervention; * Complete 5 assessments; * Respond to text assessments * Practiced yoga \< 3x in the last 6 months * Unless medically necessary, agree to not change pain treatment during intervention Exclusion Criteria: * Back surgery within the last 1 year * Pain due to specific systemic (eg, scleroderma, fibryomalgia) or non-musculoskeletal problem (neuropathy) * Positive Romberg test (with or without sensory…
Interventions
- BehavioralStandard Yoga
Weekly hatha yoga for 12 weeks augmented by home practice guided by yoga instructional videos.
- BehavioralEnhanced Yoga
Weekly hatha yoga for 12 weeks augmented by home practice guided by yoga instructional videos ... plus six weekly 50-minute 1-on-1 coaching sessions starting week 10 of the standard yoga intervention and ending week 15 (3 wks after end of standard yoga). During this transition, participants are supported with development and execution of their plan for continuing their yoga practice. Participants will be offered 1 additional ad-hoc coaching session to help them re-start yoga if they get off track and/or experience major life events such as moving, job change, medical issues, etc.
Location
- VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CASan Diego, California