| Study ID |
Rheumatic disease |
Trial N |
Age (Mean ± SD) |
% female |
Study Duration (weeks) |
Comparison
(Yoga intervention (I), Control (C)) |
Outcome measures
reported |
Withdrawals
n (%) |
Study Conclusions |
Risk of Bias?† |
| Osteoarthritis (OA) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Ghasemi et al. [20] |
OA of the knee |
30 |
51 ± 9
53 ± 11 |
100 |
8 |
I: Group Hatha yoga 3 times weekly
C: Usual care |
VAS pain, daily activity, quality of life |
5 (17) |
There were no significant between-group differences in VAS pain, activity, or quality of life, though each of these measures improved significantly from baseline to follow-up in the yoga group (p<0.05). |
High |
| Ebnezar et al. [12] |
OA of the knee |
250 |
60 ± 10
59 ± 11 |
70 |
12 |
I: Independent Hatha yoga‡
C: Ind. therapeutic exercise‡ |
Walking pain,
Knee disability score,
Knee flexion |
15 (6) |
Significant between-group differences were found in favor of yoga for all outcome variables (all p<0.001). |
Moderate |
| Park et al. [21] |
OA of the hip or knee |
21 |
80 ± 8.3 |
31 |
8 |
I: Group chair yoga
C: Pain management education |
WOMAC pain, CES-D |
8 (28) |
A statistically significant decrease in WOMAC pain (p=0.048) was found in the chair yoga group only. CES-D scores decreased, but not statistically significantly, in the yoga group. |
High |
| Taibi and Vitiello [22] |
OA and insomnia symptoms |
14 |
65 ± 7 |
100 |
8 |
I: Independent Hatha yoga
No control group |
PSQI, ISI, HAQ |
1 (8) |
Participants experienced significant improvement from baseline in ISI but not PSQI or HAQ scores. |
High |
| Ulger and Yağlı [23] |
OA (n=11), back pain (n=16) |
27 |
44 ± 7 |
100 |
4 |
I: Group yoga twice weekly
No control group |
Static balance (stabiliometer),
Gait measures |
nd |
Participants' post-treatment gait speed, cycle, and ambulation index scores were significantly improved from baseline (p<0.05). Step irregularity decreased from pre- to post-treatment. Balance improved (p<0.05). |
High |
| Hansen [24] |
OA
(19 of 23 patients) |
23 |
71 |
82 |
6 |
I: Group yoga once weekly for six weeks
No control group |
Pain, tightness, and sleep disturbance (5-point scale) |
1 (4) |
Pain and stiffness were significantly reduced at 6-week follow-up (p≤0.001). The yoga intervention had no significant effect on sleeplessness. |
High |
| Kolasinski et al. [25] |
OA of the knee |
11 |
59 |
100 |
8 |
I: Group Iyengar yoga once weekly
No control group |
WOMAC, AIMS2
PGA (100-mm VAS) |
4 (36) |
Improvement in pain and function from baseline were statistically significant (p=0.04). Stiffness improvement was not statistically significant (p=0.06). |
High |
| Garfinkel et al. [26] |
OA of the hand |
25 |
nd |
56 |
10 |
I: Yoga group once weekly for 8 weeks
C: No intervention group |
Finger joint tenderness,
Handgrip strength,
Range of motion |
1 (4) |
Improvement vs. control was statistically significant for joint tenderness and range of motion (p≤0.01). Handgrip strength and finger joint circumference changes were not statistically significant. |
Moderate |
| Fibromyalgia (FM) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Carson et al. [27] |
FM |
53 |
51 ± 14
56 ± 9 |
100 |
8 |
I: Group yoga of awareness
C: Wait-list control |
FIQR, PGIC, Timed chair rise, CPAQ |
10 (19) |
FIQR, PGIC, timed chair rise, and CPAQ activity despite pain score were statistically significantly improved in the yoga group (p<0.05). |
Low |
| Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Evans et al. [28] |
RA or JIA |
70 |
30 ± 3
27 ± 7 |
100 |
6 |
I: Group Iyengar yoga twice weekly
C: Wait-list control |
SF-36; PDI; CPAQ; DAS28; ASES; HAQ disability index |
4 (13) |
Yoga group experienced statistically significant improvement vs. control in ASES pain, disability index, SF-36 general health, mood, and CPAQ scores (all p<0.05). |
Moderate |
| Singh et al. [29] |
RA |
80 |
35 ± 7
35 ± 7 |
70 |
7 |
I: Yoga, 540 min/week
C: Usual care |
Pain (SDPIS)
Function, Stiffness,
Blood Pressure (BP) |
0 (0) |
Statistically significant positive effects of yoga vs. control for pain, stiffness, inflammation, systolic and diastolic BP. |
High |
| Badsha et al. [30] |
RA |
47 |
44 ± 10
46 ± 11 |
nd |
8 |
I: Raj yoga 1 hour twice weekly
C: Wait-list control |
DAS28, HAQ, SF-36 Quality of Life |
0 (0) |
Statistically significant reduction in HAQ scores in yoga group (p=0.015). No statistically significant improvement in QOL scores. |
High |
| Bosch et al. [31] |
RA |
20 |
56 ± 8
67 ± 6 |
100 |
10 |
I: Group hatha yoga 3 times weekly
C: No intervention |
HAQ, BDI, BBT, Diurnal Cortisol, Resting Heart Rate |
3 (15) |
HAQ, BDI, and pain scores significantly decreased in the yoga group vs. control (p≤0.05). No significant between-group difference was found in diurnal cortisol or resting heart rate. |
High |
*Randomized controlled trial; †Assessed using Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool; ‡Each group also received two weeks of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation and
ultrasound