Yoga and Occupational Therapy to Improve Pain (YoPain)

This was a randomized control trial of a yoga and self-management intervention for individuals with chronic pain. Participants were assigned to either a wait-list control group (self-management only), or a yoga intervention (self-management and yoga). Self-management education session occurred monthly within the community. Group yoga intervention was delivered two times a week with a specifically designed program that was progressively more difficult. Assessments were then administered pre and post intervention, and a semi-structured interview was completed following the intervention. Quantitative and qualitative data were then compared between groups.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Chronic Pain
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Yoga; Other: Self-management

Detailed Description

This was a randomized control trial completed with two specific aims.

Aim 1: To assess the feasibility of completing a group yoga intervention in conjunction with an ongoing self-management education for people with chronic pain.

Aim 2: To explore the preliminary efficacy of a group yoga intervention in people with chronic pain. The key variables of interest were pain interference, functional performance, balance, strength, mobility, and quality of life (QoL)

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 83
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Colorado
    • Fort Collins, Colorado, United States, 80524
      • UC Health Fort Collins Family Medicine Residency Program Pain Management Clinic

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• greater than 18 years of age
• Individual with self-reported pain for over six months
• attending outpatient pain clinic
• ability to attend yoga classes
• ability to complete assessments
• ability to provide informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• consistent yoga practice over the past year
• self-reported exercise restrictions
• serious and recent medical procedures or conditions without doctor's note
• high risk pregnancy

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Yoga Arm; Yoga administered twice a week for 8 weeks. Self-management education sessions administered once a month through the University of Colorado Health Fort Collins Family Medicine Residency Program Pain Management Clinic (Pain Clinic). Yoga interventions were administered twice a week at the Pain Clinic.	Other: Yoga; The yoga intervention group addressed pain as a primary variable and balance as a secondary variable and how to best manage these symptoms in the clinic and community. Yoga was delivered in sitting, standing, and floor postures; Other: Self-management; The self-management education group was provide once a month through University of Colorado Health Fort Collins Family Medicine Residency Program Pain Management Clinic. The program consisted of lifestyle variations, accountability, modifications, and strategies to management pain in daily life.
Experimental: Wait-list Control Arm; Participants received only self-management intervention, which is provided once a month through the University of Colorado Health Fort Collins Family Medicine Residency Program Pain Management Clinic.	Other: Self-management; The self-management education group was provide once a month through University of Colorado Health Fort Collins Family Medicine Residency Program Pain Management Clinic. The program consisted of lifestyle variations, accountability, modifications, and strategies to management pain in daily life.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Brief Pain Inventory--Short Form	The Brief Pain Inventory (Short Form) is a 9 item self-report questionnaire designed to assess general pain. Minimum 0 - Maximum 10 (higher score is indicated worse severity and interference with everyday life).	8 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Berg Balance Scale	14 items to assess balance	8 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Colorado State University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Arlene Schmid, PhD, Colorado State University

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Schmid AA, Atler KE, Malcolm MP, Grimm LA, Klinedinst TC, Marchant DR, Marchant TP, Portz JD. Yoga improves quality of life and fall risk-factors in a sample of people with chronic pain and Type 2 Diabetes. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2018 May;31:369-373. doi: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2018.01.003. Epub 2018 Feb 15.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: August 1, 2015
• Primary Completion (Actual): May 1, 2016
• Study Completion (Actual): December 1, 2016

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: December 29, 2016
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 3, 2017
• First Posted (Estimated): January 5, 2017

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): June 6, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 5, 2025
• Last Verified: June 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: chronic pain; self-management; yoga; occupational therapy
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pain; Neurologic Manifestations; Chronic Pain
• Other Study ID Numbers: 15.6017H

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO