Effects of Yoga on Quality of Life and Pain in Women With Chronic Pelvic Pain
Russell, Natalie DPT; Daniels, Bevin PT, DPT; Smoot, Betty PT, DPTSc; Allend, Diane D. PT, PhD
The authors found moderate evidence to support the use of yoga to improve pain and psychological and emotional QOL domains in women with chronic pelvic pain. Read the *OPEN ACCESS* Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis to understand why physical therapists may want to utilize yoga as a tool to help their patients decrease their pain and improve their QOL.
Chronic pelvic pain (CPP) is a multifactorial condition affecting 20% of women in the United States. Treatment includes pharmacological interventions, physical therapy, and lifestyle modifications. Previous studies show yoga effectively managing low back pain and pregnancy-related low back and pelvic pain, yet evidence related to CPP is limited.
The results support the use of yoga to improve pain and QOL in women with CPP. Future studies should aim to determine the minimal dosage needed for a successful yoga intervention and use a randomized controlled design with assessor blinding to increase the quality of evidence.
