Effects of Tele-yoga in Long-term Conditions

Summary

Long-term illness is common in the Swedish population, especially among older people. These conditions are often associated with impaired quality of life due to high physical and psychological symptom-burden. Medical Yoga is a therapeutic form of Kundalini Yoga with simple movements, breathing exercises and meditation. For people with serious long-term illness, it can be difficult to attend regular yoga-classes. In this study, the investigators therefore set out to develop a tele-yoga intervention and evaluate the impact of medical yoga remotely at home with regard to physical function, quality of life, symptoms of anxiety and depression, biomarkers, sleep and cognition in people with long-term conditions. Health care utilisation as well as satisfaction and experiences with the exercise form and technology used will also be assessed. The evaluation will be conducted in 150 people with long-term illness recruited from three hospitals (one university hospital and two county hospital) randomised to receive either an intervention with medical yoga remotely at home (tele-yoga) for 12 weeks or a control group receiving individualised training to the same extent. The tele-yoga intervention will be provided remotely in the home via a video-transferred yoga instructor twice a week using a tablet and an app for individual daily exercise. Data will be collected at baseline, after 3 and 6 months.

Despite evidence that physical activity improves quality of life and functional capacity and probably survival, it is difficult to motivate and enable elderly people with long-term conditions to engage in physical and mental rehabilitation. In this study, we will test whether a new method conveyed through a technical solution remotely can increase patients' activity and well-being through allowing tele-yoga at home. Can health care resources be reduced, financial gains can also be made.

The study aims to evaluate the impact of medical yoga remotely at home with regard to physical function, quality of life, symptoms of anxiety and depression, biomarkers, sleep and cognition in people with long-term conditions. The investigators will also measure health care utilisation as well as satisfaction and experiences with the exercise form and technology used. The evaluation will be conducted in 300 people with long-term illness randomised to either tele-yoga or a control group.

Conditions

• Chronic Disease

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Tele-yoga

Participants will get a 60 min tele-yoga session biweekly led by a certified medical yoga instructor via live videoconference link on the participants tablet. Each participant will perform a total of 20-24 yoga instructor-led sessions over a 12-week period. A session will contain 10 min breathing exercises, 40 min of yoga and 10 min relaxation/meditation. Before and at the end of each session, participants can discuss their experiences or ask questions to the instructor online. The tablet also includes an app with instructions (text, pictures, and sound files) for yoga positions, breathing and meditation. Participants are encouraged to practice yoga at home individually with one goal of one session a day for a minimum of 10 minutes.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Linkoeping University

  lead OTHER_GOV

Principal Investigators

• Anna Stromberg, PhD · Linkoeping University

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

TRIPLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2018-10-15

Primary Completion

2023-05-31

Completion

2023-05-31

Countries

• Sweden

Study Locations