Study Results
The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.
Basic Information
Get a concise snapshot of the trial, including recruitment status, study phase, enrollment targets, and key timeline milestones.
RECRUITING
NA
50 participants
INTERVENTIONAL
2026-01-31
2029-06-30
Brief Summary
Review the sponsor-provided synopsis that highlights what the study is about and why it is being conducted.
Related Clinical Trials
Explore similar clinical trials based on study characteristics and research focus.
Flow-Restorative Yoga to Decrease Pain and Inflammation
NCT03790098
Comparison of Breathing Yoga and Progressive Muscle Relaxation Techniques After Transplantation
NCT07066384
The Effects of Video-based Yoga Interventions for Patients With Post-corona Virus Disease
NCT05374668
Tele-Yoga Therapy for Chronic Pain
NCT04457388
Feasibility Study of a Modified Yoga Program for Elders
NCT04343625
Detailed Description
Dive into the extended narrative that explains the scientific background, objectives, and procedures in greater depth.
Currently, the main strategy for managing PPSP is pharmacological treatment. However, long-term use of potent analgesics is associated with untoward side effects (e.g., priming to develop PPSP). A growing body of research supports the benefit of mind-body movement therapies (MBMT), such as yoga, in treating chronic pain; however, little attention has been devoted to adapting a yoga program for the specific needs that PPSP patients may face (e.g., range of motion). Moreover, while randomized controlled trials (RCTs) support that yoga alleviates pain, the mechanisms underlying its therapeutic benefits are largely unclear.
Preclinical and clinical studies suggest yoga has the potential to alter systemic levels of inflammatory mediators (i.e., cytokines and oxylipins) via body movement and stretching. Given that inflammatory processes may contribute to more severe and prolonged pain after surgery, yoga practice may mitigate the development of PPSP via the modulation of circulating levels of inflammatory and endocannabinoid mediators, resulting in endogenous analgesia. Evaluation of the links between yoga and post-surgical pain, with modulation of systemic levels of these potential mediators, is a novel area of inquiry, which may inform the practical and safe use of yoga in postoperative patients.
This pilot translational RCT proposes comparing a yoga program versus a chronic pain health education (CPHE) program in individuals with PPSP. This pilot RCT will help collect essential preliminary data to inform a future translational trial evaluating a widely available and adaptable intervention (yoga) for a highly prevalent and debilitating pain condition (PPSP) that impacts multiple dimensions of whole-person health.
Multiple indicators of feasibility and acceptability of the intervention and procedures will be evaluated. Upon enrollment, participants (N=50) will be randomly assigned 1:1 to one of the two treatment groups using a permuted block randomization, with block sizes of 2 and 4 to either the yoga group or the health education control group.
Following the study timeline, participants will be asked to complete three assessments: baseline (T1-prior to randomization), post-intervention (T2- \~ 12 weeks post-T1), and 3 months post-intervention (T3- \~24 weeks post-T1). Each assessment will include blood samples for select outcomes related to inflammation (e.g., cytokines), psychophysical assessment of pain and pain sensitivity test (i.e., Quantitative Sensory Testing), psychosocial patient-centered outcomes (i.e., PROMIS-29), clinical neuropathy (i.e., S-LANSS), and self-patient-reported pain interference and severity (i.e., BPI). Participants in the yoga groups (approximately 3 cohorts of 8-9 participants each) will be asked to provide brief feedback on acceptability of session content via a weekly survey.
This study will allow us to address our primary Aim 1: To design and conduct a pilot feasibility RCT of yoga in individuals with PPSP. This aim has three components: a) To adapt a validated yoga program to individuals with PPSP ; b) To assess multiple indicators of feasibility and acceptability, such as recruitment, retention, adherence, and acceptability and; c) To assess feasibility of collecting PPSP-related outcomes. An secondary exploratory Aim 2 will explore the longitudinal relationship between yoga or an education control group on changes in PPSP-related inflammatory markers (e.g., IL-6) and other known psychophysical (i.e., QST), and psychosocial (e.g., PROMIS-29) modulators of PPSP to further inform our conceptual framework and the design of a larger trial assessing the impact of yoga on PPSP resolution.
Conditions
See the medical conditions and disease areas that this research is targeting or investigating.
Study Design
Understand how the trial is structured, including allocation methods, masking strategies, primary purpose, and other design elements.
RANDOMIZED
PARALLEL
OTHER
DOUBLE
Study Groups
Review each arm or cohort in the study, along with the interventions and objectives associated with them.
Yoga group
Yoga Program Procedure This program was adapted and validated from a previously validated yoga program for patients with chronic lower back pain (cLBP), originally designed and clinically evaluated by Dr. Saper. While the program includes postures targeting the torso, modifications were made to address the specific needs of post-surgical patients (e.g., verbal intensity cues, duration of pose holding, and posture adjustments).
The adaptation and validation process was guided by a modified Delphi approach with an embedded focus group, involving both an expert panel and PPSP participants. Participants attended a sample yoga class and shared insights during a focus group discussion, which informed program modifications.
Yoga
Duration: 12 weeks; Class length: Three ∼75-minute classes per week. Two in-person/virtual (hybrid), one virtual only (MGB Zoom); Frequency: Three classes per week; Group size: 8-9 PPSP patients.
Chronic Pain Health Education (CPHE)
Chronic Pain Health Education Procedures (CPHE) To partially control for attention and expectation effects associated with yoga therapy, participants randomized to the control group will receive a modified version of an education-based intervention that we recently developed and validated for an ongoing study evaluating migraine pain.
Participants assigned to the CPHE (Chronic Pain Health Education) arm will attend 12 interactive 15-30-minute education sessions delivered via video conference. Each session will be offered three times per week, allowing participants the option to attend multiple sessions to reinforce the material.
Most sessions will include a short educational video, which will be watched together by participants and the RA. After each video, the RA will facilitate a structured, scripted discussion on the topic. Example session topics include: Understanding Clinical Trials, Biology of Persistent Post-Surgical Pain (PPSP).
Chronic Pain Health Education
Duration: 12 weeks (short videos and PowerPoint presentations); Class length: Interactive 15-30 minute education sessions delivered via video conference (i.e., MGB Zoom); Frequency: Three classes per week; Group size: 8-9 PPSP patients.
Interventions
Learn about the drugs, procedures, or behavioral strategies being tested and how they are applied within this trial.
Yoga
Duration: 12 weeks; Class length: Three ∼75-minute classes per week. Two in-person/virtual (hybrid), one virtual only (MGB Zoom); Frequency: Three classes per week; Group size: 8-9 PPSP patients.
Chronic Pain Health Education
Duration: 12 weeks (short videos and PowerPoint presentations); Class length: Interactive 15-30 minute education sessions delivered via video conference (i.e., MGB Zoom); Frequency: Three classes per week; Group size: 8-9 PPSP patients.
Other Intervention Names
Discover alternative or legacy names that may be used to describe the listed interventions across different sources.
Eligibility Criteria
Check the participation requirements, including inclusion and exclusion rules, age limits, and whether healthy volunteers are accepted.
Inclusion Criteria
* Completion of surgery alone or surgery and complementary pharmacological treatment
* Being 18 years of age or older
* 3 months with PPSP and 4/10 in BPI severity (clinically considered a moderate range)
* Access to reliable modes of transportation for study visits and yoga classes
* Confirmed access to and proficiency with use of a smartphone, computer, and/or tablet
* Fluent in English.
Exclusion Criteria
* Participants with health conditions that lead to difficulty complying with study protocol (i.e., completion of outcome assessments and participation in yoga or CPHE programs), including: Renal dialysis, cognitive impairment, serious neurological or psychiatric disorders; Unstable cardiovascular disease, metastatic cancer, or serious chronic medical condition; Planned surgery during the intervention period; Chronic inflammatory systemic diseases (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis); Active acute or chronic infections requiring antibiotics; Unmanaged hearing or visual impairment affecting participation in virtual classes; Substance use disorder
* Pregnancy or having the intention to become pregnant within the next six months
* Recent (last 3 months) or concurrent participation in weekly MBMT (e.g., yoga, tai chi, qigong) programs, physical therapy, including massage and chiropractic care, or other non-pharmacological treatment as chronic pain management, such as Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) or meditation
* Recent interventional pain management, defined as procedures such as corticosteroid injection, trigger point injection, and radiofrequency ablation to the cervical or lumbar region within the past 4 weeks and/or scheduled for interventional pain management procedures within the study timeframe.
18 Years
ALL
No
Sponsors
Meet the organizations funding or collaborating on the study and learn about their roles.
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
NIH
Brigham and Women's Hospital
OTHER
Responsible Party
Identify the individual or organization who holds primary responsibility for the study information submitted to regulators.
Dennis Wilson Munoz Vergara
Instructor of Medicine
Locations
Explore where the study is taking place and check the recruitment status at each participating site.
Mass General Brigham
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Countries
Review the countries where the study has at least one active or historical site.
Central Contacts
Reach out to these primary contacts for questions about participation or study logistics.
References
Explore related publications, articles, or registry entries linked to this study.
Osypiuk K, Ligibel J, Giobbie-Hurder A, Vergara-Diaz G, Bonato P, Quinn R, Ng W, Wayne PM. Qigong Mind-Body Exercise as a Biopsychosocial Therapy for Persistent Post-Surgical Pain in Breast Cancer: A Pilot Study. Integr Cancer Ther. 2020 Jan-Dec;19:1534735419893766. doi: 10.1177/1534735419893766.
Munoz-Vergara D, Grabowska W, Yeh GY, Khalsa SB, Schreiber KL, Huang CA, Zavacki AM, Wayne PM. A systematic review of in vivo stretching regimens on inflammation and its relevance to translational yoga research. PLoS One. 2022 Jun 1;17(6):e0269300. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0269300. eCollection 2022.
Berrueta L, Bergholz J, Munoz D, Muskaj I, Badger GJ, Shukla A, Kim HJ, Zhao JJ, Langevin HM. Stretching Reduces Tumor Growth in a Mouse Breast Cancer Model. Sci Rep. 2018 May 18;8(1):7864. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-26198-7.
Berrueta L, Munoz-Vergara D, Martin D, Thompson R, Sansbury BE, Spite M, Badger GJ, Langevin HM. Effect of stretching on inflammation in a subcutaneous carrageenan mouse model analyzed at single-cell resolution. J Cell Physiol. 2023 Dec;238(12):2778-2793. doi: 10.1002/jcp.31133. Epub 2023 Nov 1.
Schreiber KL, Zinboonyahgoon N, Flowers KM, Hruschak V, Fields KG, Patton ME, Schwartz E, Azizoddin D, Soens M, King T, Partridge A, Pusic A, Golshan M, Edwards RR. Prediction of Persistent Pain Severity and Impact 12 Months After Breast Surgery Using Comprehensive Preoperative Assessment of Biopsychosocial Pain Modulators. Ann Surg Oncol. 2021 Sep;28(9):5015-5038. doi: 10.1245/s10434-020-09479-2. Epub 2021 Jan 15.
Schreiber KL, Martel MO, Shnol H, Shaffer JR, Greco C, Viray N, Taylor LN, McLaughlin M, Brufsky A, Ahrendt G, Bovbjerg D, Edwards RR, Belfer I. Persistent pain in postmastectomy patients: comparison of psychophysical, medical, surgical, and psychosocial characteristics between patients with and without pain. Pain. 2013 May;154(5):660-668. doi: 10.1016/j.pain.2012.11.015. Epub 2012 Dec 5.
Saper RB, Boah AR, Keosaian J, Cerrada C, Weinberg J, Sherman KJ. Comparing Once- versus Twice-Weekly Yoga Classes for Chronic Low Back Pain in Predominantly Low Income Minorities: A Randomized Dosing Trial. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2013;2013:658030. doi: 10.1155/2013/658030. Epub 2013 Jun 26.
Munoz-Vergara D, Rist PM, Yang E, Yeh GY, Lee N, Wayne PM. Oxylipin Dynamics Following A Single Bout of Yoga Exercise: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial Secondary Analysis. J Integr Complement Med. 2024 Sep;30(9):897-901. doi: 10.1089/jicm.2024.0233. Epub 2024 Jul 15.
Munoz-Vergara D, Schreiber KL, Langevin H, Yeh GY, Zhu Y, Rist P, Wayne PM. The Effects of a Single Bout of High- or Moderate-Intensity Yoga Exercise on Circulating Inflammatory Mediators: A Pilot Feasibility Study. Glob Adv Health Med. 2022 Dec 11;11:2164957X221145876. doi: 10.1177/2164957X221145876. eCollection 2022.
Saper RB, Lemaster C, Delitto A, Sherman KJ, Herman PM, Sadikova E, Stevans J, Keosaian JE, Cerrada CJ, Femia AL, Roseen EJ, Gardiner P, Gergen Barnett K, Faulkner C, Weinberg J. Yoga, Physical Therapy, or Education for Chronic Low Back Pain: A Randomized Noninferiority Trial. Ann Intern Med. 2017 Jul 18;167(2):85-94. doi: 10.7326/M16-2579. Epub 2017 Jun 20.
Muñoz-Vergara D, Burton W, Bain P, et al. Understanding the dynamics of inflammatory mediators in response to mind-body movement therapies (MBMTs): A systematic review and meta-analysis of studies in healthy subjects. Brain Behavior and Immunity Integrative. 2023;2doi:10.1016/j.bbii.2023.100006
Austin PJ, Moalem-Taylor G. The neuro-immune balance in neuropathic pain: involvement of inflammatory immune cells, immune-like glial cells and cytokines. J Neuroimmunol. 2010 Dec 15;229(1-2):26-50. doi: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2010.08.013. Epub 2010 Sep 25.
Osypiuk K, Kilgore K, Ligibel J, Vergara-Diaz G, Bonato P, Wayne PM. "Making Peace with Our Bodies": A Qualitative Analysis of Breast Cancer Survivors' Experiences with Qigong Mind-Body Exercise. J Altern Complement Med. 2020 Sep;26(9):825-832. doi: 10.1089/acm.2019.0406.
Bower JE, Irwin MR. Mind-body therapies and control of inflammatory biology: A descriptive review. Brain Behav Immun. 2016 Jan;51:1-11. doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2015.06.012. Epub 2015 Jun 23.
Chapman CR, Vierck CJ. The Transition of Acute Postoperative Pain to Chronic Pain: An Integrative Overview of Research on Mechanisms. J Pain. 2017 Apr;18(4):359.e1-359.e38. doi: 10.1016/j.jpain.2016.11.004. Epub 2016 Nov 28.
Other Identifiers
Review additional registry numbers or institutional identifiers associated with this trial.
2025P001082
Identifier Type: -
Identifier Source: org_study_id
More Related Trials
Additional clinical trials that may be relevant based on similarity analysis.