Self-regulation evaluation of therapeutic yoga and walking for patients with irritable bowel syndrome: a pilot study.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to evaluate the efficacy of walking as a self-regulation strategy for symptom relief and mood management in IBS patients compared to yoga.
Results Summary
Walking showed significant improvements in negative affect, overall GI symptoms, and state anxiety from pre- to post-treatment, with continued decline in GI symptoms at 6-month follow-up. Participants in the walking group were more likely to maintain weekly practice compared to yoga.
Population
35 adult IBS patients (89% women, 11% men; mean age 36 ± 13 years).
Effective Dosage
16 biweekly group sessions.
Duration
8 weeks (biweekly sessions) with a 6-month follow-up.
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
walking program | decrease | negative affect | IBS patients | - | showing improvement | #1 |
Iyengar yoga | no change | IBS severity | IBS patients | - | no significant group by time effect | #2 |
walking program | no change | IBS severity | IBS patients | - | no significant group by time effect | #3 |
Iyengar yoga | decrease | IBS severity measures | IBS patients | - | significant decreases | #4 |
Iyengar yoga | decrease | visceral sensitivity | IBS patients | - | significant decreases | #5 |
Iyengar yoga | decrease | severity of somatic symptoms | IBS patients | - | significant decreases | #6 |
walking program | decrease | overall GI symptoms | IBS patients | - | significant decreases | #7 |
walking program | decrease | negative affect | IBS patients | - | significant decreases | #8 |
walking program | decrease | state anxiety | IBS patients | - | significant decreases | #9 |
walking program | decrease | overall GI symptoms | IBS patients | - | continued to significantly decline | #10 |
Iyengar yoga | increase | GI symptoms | IBS patients | - | rebounded toward baseline levels | #11 |
walking program | increase | self-regulated home practice | IBS patients | - | significantly more participants practiced at least weekly | #12 |
With limited efficacy of medications for symptom relief, non-medication treatments may play an important role in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), the most common functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorder. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of two self-regulation strategies for symptom relief and mood management in IBS patients. Thirty-five adult participants meeting ROME III criteria for IBS were enrolled, 27 of the 35 participants (77%) completed treatment and pre- and post-treatment visits (89% women, 11% men; M (SD) age = 36 (13)), and 20 of the 27 (74%) completed a 6-month follow-up. Participants were randomly assigned to 16 biweekly group sessions of Iyengar yoga or a walking program. Results indicated a significant group by time interaction on negative affect with the walking treatment showing improvement from pre- to post-treatment when compared to yoga (p < .05). There was no significant group by time effect on IBS severity. Exploratory analyses of secondary outcomes examined change separately for each treatment condition. From pre- to post-treatment, yoga showed significant decreases in IBS severity measures (p < .05), visceral sensitivity (p < .05), and severity of somatic symptoms (p < .05). Walking showed significant decreases in overall GI symptoms (p < .05), negative affect (p < .05), and state anxiety (p < .05). At 6-month follow-up, overall GI symptoms for walking continued to significantly decline, while for yoga, GI symptoms rebounded toward baseline levels (p < .05). When asked about self-regulated home practice at 6 months, significantly more participants in walking than in yoga practiced at least weekly (p < .05). In sum, results suggest that yoga and walking as movement-based self-regulatory behavioral treatments have some differential effects but are both beneficial for IBS patients, though maintenance of a self-regulated walking program may be more feasible and therefore more effective long term.