A 3-month tele-yoga intervention led to 71% of participants with long-term cardiac conditions continuing to practice yoga in some form 3 months after the program ended.
RCT (n=93)
Does a 3-month tele-yoga intervention lead to sustained yoga practice in individuals with long-term cardiac conditions?
A 3-month tele-yoga intervention supports sustained use of yoga elements, particularly breathing and relaxation techniques, in patients with long-term cardiac conditions.
Abstract Background Yoga has positive long-term effects and is a feasible and safe rehabilitation option for persons with long-term cardiac conditions. Traditional group-based rehabilitation may be challenging due to symptoms, mobility limitations, or concerns about exercising in public. Digitally delivered group-based yoga may increase accessibility and support sustained self-care. Although tele-yoga shows good feasibility and effectiveness, little is known about continued practice after the supervised program and which factors influence long-term maintenance. Purpose To examine the extent to which participants with long-term cardiac conditions continued practicing yoga after completing a 3-month tele-yoga intervention, and to identify which elements of the yoga practice were maintained or adapted over time. Methods This qualitative analysis used data from participants in the intervention group of a randomized controlled trial evaluating tele-yoga (NCT03703609). Individuals with long-term cardiac conditions, mainly heart failure, were invited. The intervention included live-streamed 60-minute group sessions twice weekly and 10-minute home-based sessions five days per week via an app over 3 months, with data collected at baseline, 3, and 6 months. A total of 93 participants were interviewed 6 months after the intervention about their experiences and whether they had continued practicing yoga. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using summative content analysis. Results Of the 93 participants, 66 (71%) continued to practice yoga in some form after completing the 3-month tele-yoga intervention. Thirteen participants continued performing full yoga sessions to the same extent as during the intervention. Some had joined online yoga classes, while others had downloaded apps offering programs similar to the tele-yoga intervention. Participants reported using breathing exercises (n=20), often to manage stress or improve sleep, and some combined these with relaxation techniques (n=4). Some integrated selected yoga elements together with breathing and relaxation (n=12), and 17 continued using certain components of the sessions without specifying which ones. Conclusion A 3-month tele-yoga intervention can support continued yoga practice among individuals with long-term cardiac conditions. Most participants still used breathing and relaxation techniques after three months, while only a few maintained longer sessions. Sustained full practice appears to require ongoing support or access to structured online resources.
Hedbom et al. (Wed,) conducted a rct in Long-term cardiac conditions (mainly heart failure) (n=93). Tele-yoga was evaluated on Continued practice of yoga after completing the 3-month tele-yoga intervention. A 3-month tele-yoga intervention led to 71% of participants with long-term cardiac conditions continuing to practice yoga in some form 3 months after the program ended.