Tag: isometric yoga

Effects of recumbent isometric yoga on the daily functioning level of patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: a randomized, controlled trial

Abstract:

Background: Although seated isometric yoga has been shown to reduce the fatigue and pain of patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), some patients who are for the most part bedridden have difficulty practicing it. Many patients with this disease also suffer from fibromyalgia (FM). We developed a recumbent isometric yoga program for patients who were for the most part bedridden, including patients with comorbid FM. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of this recumbent isometric yoga intervention with such patients.

Methods: This was a randomized, controlled trial of 48 adult patients (7 male, 41 female, age 20-70 years) with ME/CFS without satisfactory improvement after ≥ 3 months of conventional therapy. They were divided randomly into a yoga group (n = 24) and a control group (n = 24). The yoga group received conventional therapy with recumbent isometric yoga practice for ~ 12 weeks (25-min sessions with a yoga instructor at hospital visits and daily in-home sessions). The control group received conventional therapy alone. The effect of recumbent isometric yoga on the level of functioning was assessed by measuring Performance Status (PS). Fatigue was assessed with self-rated questionnaires, including the Chalder Fatigue Scale (FS) and Profile of Mood States (POMS). Adverse events and benefits were recorded for the yoga group.

Results: After the intervention period, the PS score of the yoga group was significantly lower than that of the control group (P < 0.001), suggesting an improvement in functioning level. The Chalder FS score decreased in both groups, but the decrease was greater in the yoga group than in the control group (P < 0.01). Subgroup analysis showed that the Chalder FS score was reduced significantly only in the yoga group in patients with severe disease (P < 0.001) and those with comorbid FM (P < 0.01), although the PS scores did not differ significantly. In the yoga group, a single practice session with a yoga instructor significantly reduced fatigue and increased vigor in patients with severe disease and patients with comorbid FM. Patients reported no serious adverse effects and many benefits of recumbent isometric yoga, including improvements in physical symptoms and brain fog, enhanced awareness of their limits to activities that cause post-exertional malaise, and promotion of behavioral changes to live better within their limits.

Conclusions: Recumbent isometric yoga is an effective adjunctive therapy for patients with ME/CFS, including those for the most part bedridden and those who have FM.

Trial registration: University Hospital Medical Information Network (UMIN CTR) UMIN000023472 (Registered Aug. 4, 2016) and UMIN000030051 (Registered Nov. 20, 2017).

Source: Oka T, Lkhagvasuren B, Yamada Y. Effects of recumbent isometric yoga on the daily functioning level of patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: a randomized, controlled trial. Biopsychosoc Med. 2025 Oct 10;19(1):19. doi: 10.1186/s13030-025-00339-7. PMID: 41074089; PMCID: PMC12512564. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12512564/ (Full text)

Effects of recumbent isometric yoga on the orthostatic cardiovascular response of patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome

Abstract:

Background: Our previous studies demonstrated that the regular practice of recumbent isometric yoga reduced the fatigue of patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). Some patients with ME/CFS have postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS); however, the effects of recumbent isometric yoga on orthostatic cardiovascular responses and whether recumbent isometric yoga improves POTS remain unknown. This pilot study was done to investigate the effect of recumbent isometric yoga on the orthostatic cardiovascular response of patients with ME/CFS.

Main body: Ten adult female patients with ME/CFS performed recumbent isometric yoga for 12 weeks. Changes in their systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and the pulse rate (PR) during an active standing test were compared before and after the 12-week regimen. Among the 10 patients, 8 manifested a normal orthostatic response and 2 manifested POTS before the yoga intervention. Patients who manifested a normal orthostatic response before yoga also manifested the normal orthostatic pattern after the yoga intervention. In contrast, the two patients who manifested POTS before the regimen showed a normal orthostatic response after completing the yoga intervention.

Conclusions: This study found that the patients who manifested POTS and performed recumbent isometric yoga for 12 weeks had a reduced increase in PR after standing up. This pilot study suggests that recumbent isometric yoga would be useful as an adjunctive nonpharmacological intervention for improving POTS in patients with ME/CFS. This finding should be confirmed in a larger number of cases.

Source: Oka T, Lkhagvasuren B. Effects of recumbent isometric yoga on the orthostatic cardiovascular response of patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome. Biopsychosoc Med. 2025 Sep 1;19(1):16. doi: 10.1186/s13030-025-00336-w. PMID: 40890788. https://bpsmedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13030-025-00336-w (Full text)