Background: Our previous study demonstrated that 42% of yoga class participants in Japan had chronic diseases that required medication. This raises the question as to whether those with chronic diseases could benefit from practicing yoga or if they are at higher risk for specific adverse events compared to healthy individuals receiving the same instruction.
Methods: To address these questions, 328 adults who started practicing yoga for the first time were asked to complete the Profile of Mood States (POMS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 8, standard version (SF-8TM) and to record any adverse events on the first day of the yoga class and again three months later. The participants consisted of three groups: a healthy (H) group (n=70), a poor health (PH) group (n=117), and a chronic disease (CD) group (n=141). The severity of subjective symptoms was also compared between the pre- and post-intervention period in the PH and CD groups.
Results: Typically, yoga classes were held once a week for 60-90 min. The programs included asanas, pranayamas, meditation, isometric yoga and sukshma vyayama. In the PH and CD groups, the POMS tension-anxiety and fatigue scores decreased and the vigor score increased significantly after the first class. Furthermore, PSS scores decreased and the SF-8TM scores increased significantly three months later. The severity of subjective symptoms such as easy fatigability, shoulder stiffness, and insomnia also decreased over three months. Individuals in these groups experienced more frequent adverse events than those in the H group. The PH and CD groups also experienced a greater variety of symptoms, including psychological ones, not reported by the H group. Adverse events were not so serious that subjects stopped practicing yoga during the class. About 60% of all participants were highly satisfied with participating in yoga classes.
Conclusions: If yoga classes are conducted with attention to possible adverse events, yoga practice in a studio may have beneficial effects for people with functional somatic symptoms and chronic diseases, as well as healthy subjects. These benefits include reductions in perceived stress and uncomfortable symptoms as well as improved mood and quality of life.

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Posted 31 Dec, 2020
Received 27 Mar, 2021
On 27 Mar, 2021
Received 18 Jan, 2021
On 10 Jan, 2021
On 28 Dec, 2020
Invitations sent on 25 Dec, 2020
On 16 Dec, 2020
On 16 Dec, 2020
On 16 Dec, 2020
On 16 Dec, 2020
Posted 31 Dec, 2020
Received 27 Mar, 2021
On 27 Mar, 2021
Received 18 Jan, 2021
On 10 Jan, 2021
On 28 Dec, 2020
Invitations sent on 25 Dec, 2020
On 16 Dec, 2020
On 16 Dec, 2020
On 16 Dec, 2020
On 16 Dec, 2020
Background: Our previous study demonstrated that 42% of yoga class participants in Japan had chronic diseases that required medication. This raises the question as to whether those with chronic diseases could benefit from practicing yoga or if they are at higher risk for specific adverse events compared to healthy individuals receiving the same instruction.
Methods: To address these questions, 328 adults who started practicing yoga for the first time were asked to complete the Profile of Mood States (POMS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 8, standard version (SF-8TM) and to record any adverse events on the first day of the yoga class and again three months later. The participants consisted of three groups: a healthy (H) group (n=70), a poor health (PH) group (n=117), and a chronic disease (CD) group (n=141). The severity of subjective symptoms was also compared between the pre- and post-intervention period in the PH and CD groups.
Results: Typically, yoga classes were held once a week for 60-90 min. The programs included asanas, pranayamas, meditation, isometric yoga and sukshma vyayama. In the PH and CD groups, the POMS tension-anxiety and fatigue scores decreased and the vigor score increased significantly after the first class. Furthermore, PSS scores decreased and the SF-8TM scores increased significantly three months later. The severity of subjective symptoms such as easy fatigability, shoulder stiffness, and insomnia also decreased over three months. Individuals in these groups experienced more frequent adverse events than those in the H group. The PH and CD groups also experienced a greater variety of symptoms, including psychological ones, not reported by the H group. Adverse events were not so serious that subjects stopped practicing yoga during the class. About 60% of all participants were highly satisfied with participating in yoga classes.
Conclusions: If yoga classes are conducted with attention to possible adverse events, yoga practice in a studio may have beneficial effects for people with functional somatic symptoms and chronic diseases, as well as healthy subjects. These benefits include reductions in perceived stress and uncomfortable symptoms as well as improved mood and quality of life.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3
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