Effectiveness of an Unsupervised Online Yoga Program on Pain and Function in People With Knee Osteoarthritis : A Randomized Clinical Trial.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an unsupervised 12-week online yoga program compared to online education for improving knee pain during walking and physical function in adults with knee osteoarthritis.
Results Summary
The study found that the online yoga program improved physical function but not knee pain during walking at 12 weeks, with benefits not sustained at 24 weeks. More yoga participants achieved the minimal clinically important difference for both outcomes compared to controls.
Population
212 adults with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis.
Effective Dosage
1 video per week, with each session to be performed 3 times per week.
Duration
12 weeks (with optional continuation thereafter).
Interactions
None mentioned.
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
an unsupervised 12-week online yoga program | increase | physical function | adults with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis | -4.0 [95% CI, -6.8 to -1.3] (between-group mean difference in change) | improved | #1 |
an unsupervised 12-week online yoga program | no change | knee pain during walking | adults with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis | -0.6 [CI, -1.2 to 0.1] (between-group mean difference in change) | did not improve | #2 |
an unsupervised 12-week online yoga program | increase | knee stiffness | adults with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis | - | improved more | #3 |
an unsupervised 12-week online yoga program | increase | quality of life | adults with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis | - | improved more | #4 |
an unsupervised 12-week online yoga program | increase | arthritis self-efficacy | adults with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis | - | improved more | #5 |
an unsupervised 12-week online yoga program | no change | benefits | adults with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis | - | were not maintained | #6 |
BACKGROUND: Yoga is a mind-body exercise typically done in groups in person, but this delivery method can be inconvenient, inaccessible, and costly. Effective online programs may increase access to exercise for knee osteoarthritis. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of an unsupervised 12-week online yoga program. DESIGN: Two-group superiority randomized trial. (Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12620000012976). SETTING: Community. PARTICIPANTS: 212 adults with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis. INTERVENTION: Both groups received online osteoarthritis information (control). The yoga group also received access to an unsupervised online yoga program delivered via prerecorded videos over 12 weeks (1 video per week, with each session to be performed 3 times per week), with optional continuation thereafter. MEASUREMENTS: Primary outcomes were changes in knee pain during walking (0 to 10 on a numerical rating scale) and physical function (0 to 68 on the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index) at 12 weeks (primary time point) and 24 weeks, analyzed using mixed-effects linear regression models. Secondary outcomes were self-reported overall knee pain, stiffness, depression, anxiety, stress, global change, quality of life, self-efficacy, fear of movement, and balance confidence. Adverse events were also collected. RESULTS: A total of 195 (92%) and 189 (89%) participants provided 12- and 24-week primary outcomes, respectively. Compared with control at 12 weeks, yoga improved function (between-group mean difference in change, -4.0 [95% CI, -6.8 to -1.3]) but not knee pain during walking (between-group mean difference in change, -0.6 [CI, -1.2 to 0.1]), with more yoga participants than control participants achieving the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) for both outcomes. At 12 weeks, knee stiffness, quality of life, and arthritis self-efficacy improved more with yoga than the control intervention. Benefits were not maintained at 24 weeks. Adverse events were minor. LIMITATION: Participants were unblinded. CONCLUSION: Compared with online education, an unsupervised online yoga program improved physical function but not knee pain at 12 weeks in people with knee osteoarthritis, although the improvement did not reach the MCID and was not sustained at 24 weeks. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE: National Health and Medical Research Council and Centres of Research Excellence.