Effectiveness of Yoga and Combined Exercise in Rheumatoid Arthritis

NCT ID: NCT07072754

Last Updated: 2025-07-18

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 74 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2018-02-01
• Study Completion Date: 2023-05-01

Brief Summary

This study aims to elucidate the potential benefits of exercise for individuals with rheumatoid arthritis. The findings are expected to contribute to the development of novel and effective therapeutic approaches, ultimately leading to an improved quality of life for patients. For both patients and healthcare professionals, a clearer understanding of exercise's role in rheumatoid arthritis management will serve as a crucial guide in formulating individualized treatment plans. The results of our study will provide valuable insights to aid in developing strategies aimed at enhancing the physical and mental well-being of individuals afflicted with rheumatoid arthritis.

Detailed Description

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease that significantly impacts daily life by causing pain, swelling, and restricted movement in the joints. This study aimed to investigate the effects of yoga and combined exercise methods on the symptoms of RA in individuals with the condition, comparing them to a control group that did not engage in exercise. Participants were comprehensively evaluated at baseline, week 8, and week 20 for key variables such as pain level, balance, joint mobility, depression level, fatigue level, and quality of life. This research seeks to reveal the potential benefits of exercise in RA management, thereby contributing to the development of effective treatment approaches that improve patients' quality of life. The findings will help both patients and healthcare professionals better understand the role of exercise in RA treatment, serving as a crucial guide for creating individualized treatment plans. The results are expected to offer valuable insights for developing strategies to enhance the physical and mental health of individuals with RA.

Conditions

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: SINGLE

Study Groups

Yoga

The yoga program, led by a physiotherapist who is also a certified yoga instructor , with two sessions per week lasting one hour each. It was applied for a total of 8 weeks.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Mind-body therapy

Intervention Type: OTHER

The yoga program, led by a physiotherapist who is also a certified yoga instructor , with two sessions per week lasting one hour each. Foam yoga blocks, belts, and armless chairs were also available in the classes, where the participants were to support compliance with the program. The yoga program was planned as 10 minutes of centering and breathing practice, 10 minutes of warm-up practice, 30 minutes of supine, standing, sitting, prone, and supine yoga postures, and 10 minutes of relaxation. New postures were introduced every two weeks as the program progressed. After the eight-week session, the participants were encouraged to continue the program at home twice a week

Combined Exercise

Patients in the exercise group were given a program that included warm-up, low-impact aerobic, strengthening, and cooling phases, totaling 60 minutes, repeated twice a week for eight weeks.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Exercise

Intervention Type: OTHER

Patients in the exercise group were given a program that included warm-up, low-impact aerobic, strengthening, and cooling phases, totaling 60 minutes, repeated twice a week for eight weeks. Aerobic exercise was performed by standing still for 25 minutes at moderate intensity based on perceived effort. Strengthening exercises included one set of 10 repetitions for each movement. Exercises were progressed according to the modified Borg's scale. Strengthening exercises included core muscles such as the deltoid, abdominals, quadriceps femoris, and hamstrings and were performed using body weight or elastic resistance bands

Control

No exercise was applied to the subjects included in the control group.

Group Type: NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

Mind-body therapy

The yoga program, led by a physiotherapist who is also a certified yoga instructor , with two sessions per week lasting one hour each. Foam yoga blocks, belts, and armless chairs were also available in the classes, where the participants were to support compliance with the program. The yoga program was planned as 10 minutes of centering and breathing practice, 10 minutes of warm-up practice, 30 minutes of supine, standing, sitting, prone, and supine yoga postures, and 10 minutes of relaxation. New postures were introduced every two weeks as the program progressed. After the eight-week session, the participants were encouraged to continue the program at home twice a week

Intervention Type: OTHER

Exercise

Patients in the exercise group were given a program that included warm-up, low-impact aerobic, strengthening, and cooling phases, totaling 60 minutes, repeated twice a week for eight weeks. Aerobic exercise was performed by standing still for 25 minutes at moderate intensity based on perceived effort. Strengthening exercises included one set of 10 repetitions for each movement. Exercises were progressed according to the modified Borg's scale. Strengthening exercises included core muscles such as the deltoid, abdominals, quadriceps femoris, and hamstrings and were performed using body weight or elastic resistance bands

Intervention Type: OTHER

Other Intervention Names

Yoga

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• diagnosis of RA for at least six months according to the ACR criteria
• aged between 18-65 years,
• under stabil medications at least four weeks
• the disease activity score 28 (DAS 28) <2.6 (Remission period) of each patient at least three months
• ability to provide written informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria

• had pain that prevents general mobility,
• had neurologic, cardiologic (arrhythmias, myocardial infarction, uncontrolled metabolic disease,
• known electrolyte abnormalities,
• systolic BP > 200 mm Hg or diastolic BP > 115 mm Hg)
• respiratory pathology,
• pregnancy
• had malignancy

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 65 Years
• Eligible Sex: FEMALE
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Izmir Katip Celebi University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Sevtap Günay

Associate Professor Doctor

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Elif Umay Altas, Associate Professor Doctor

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Izmir Bakircay University

Locations

Katip Celebi University Atatürk Education and Research Hospital

Izmir, Karabaglar, Turkey (Türkiye)

Countries

Turkey (Türkiye)

Other Identifiers

Rheumatoid Arthritis and Yoga

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id