Evaluating the impact of yoga on pain, mobility, and quality of life among individuals diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis: A systematic review
Abstract
Introduction: Yoga, combining physical postures, meditation, and controlled breathing, may restore balance between mind and body, potentially alleviating KOA symptoms and enhancing quality of life. This systematic review aims to evaluate the efficacy of yoga in treating KOA, focusing on pain relief, mobility, and quality of life. Materials and Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted in Medline/PubMed, Google Scholar, and the Cochrane Library databases to identify studies up to 2022. Using a combination of MeSH and free-text terms, the search targeted randomised controlled trials (RCTs) investigating yoga interventions for KOA. Data extraction was performed independently by three authors, focusing on study characteristics, intervention details, control group interventions, outcome measures, and results. Results: Nine studies involving 372 participants were included. Sample sizes varied from 11 to 125 participants, with ages ranging from 51 to 71 years. Yoga interventions varied in style, duration, and intensity, with sessions ranging from 40 to 90 min, three to six times per week. Yoga significantly reduced pain compared to control groups. Mobility improvements were noted in walking tests and chair-stand exercises. Conclusion: The evidence suggests yoga is a beneficial adjunct therapy for managing KOA, enhancing pain relief, mobility, and quality of life. However, heterogeneity in study designs, participant characteristics, and yoga protocols limits definitive conclusions.
References
1. Musumeci, G., Mobasheri, A., & Szychlinska, M. A. (2015). Age-related degeneration of articular cartilage in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis: molecular markers of senescent chondrocytes. Histology and Histopathology, 30(1), 1–12.
2. Szychlinska, M., Leonardi, R., Al-Qahtani, M., Mobasheri, A., & Musumeci, G. (2016). Altered joint tribology in osteoarthritis: reduced lubricin synthesis due to the inflammatory process. New horizons for therapeutic approaches. Annals of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, 59(3), 149–156.
3. McAlindon, T. E., Bannuru, R. R., Sullivan, M. C., et al. (2014). OARSI guidelines for the non-surgical management of knee osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, 22(3), 363–388.
4. Musumeci, G., Castrogiovanni, P., Trovato, F. M., et al. (2015). Physical activity ameliorates cartilage degeneration in a rat ageing model: a study on lubricin expression. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, 25(2), e222–e230.
5. Desveaux, L., Lee, A., Goldstein, R., & Brooks, D. (2015). Yoga in the management of chronic disease. Medical Care, 53(7), 653–661.
6. Liu, X.-C., Pan, L., Hu, Q., Dong, W.-P., Yan, J.-H., & Dong, L. (2014). Effects of yoga training in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Thoracic Disease, 6(6), 795–802.
7. Cramer, H., Lauche, R., Haller, H., Dobos, G., & Michalsen, A. (2015). A systematic review of yoga for heart disease. European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, 22(3), 284–295.
8. Bosch, P. R., Traustadóttir, T., Howard, P., & Matt, K. S. (2009). Functional and physiological effects of yoga in women with rheumatoid arthritis: a pilot study. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, 15(4), 24–31.
9. Groessl, E. J., Weingart, K. R., Aschbacher, K., Pada, L., & Baxi, S. (2008). Yoga for veterans with chronic low-back pain. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 14(9), 1123–1129.
10. Ebnezar J, Nagarathna R, Yogitha B, Nagendra HR. Effects of an integrated approach of hatha yoga therapy on functional disability, pain, and flexibility in osteoarthritis of the knee joint: a randomized controlled study. J Altern Complement Med. 2012 May;18(5):463-72. doi: 10.1089/acm.2010.0320.
11. Ebnezar J, Nagarathna R, Bali Y, Nagendra HR. Effect of an integrated approach of yoga therapy on quality of life in osteoarthritis of the knee joint: A randomized control study. Int J Yoga. 2011 Jul;4(2):55-63. doi: 10.4103/0973-6131.85486.
12. Ebnezar J, Yogitha B. (2012). Effectiveness of Yoga Therapy with the Therapeutic Exercises on Walking Pain, Tenderness, Early Morning Stiffness and Disability in Osteoarthritis of the Knee Joint - A Comparative Study. J Yoga Phys Ther 2:114. doi:10.4172/2157-7595.1000114
13. Cheung, C., Wyman, J.F., Resnick, B. et al. Yoga for managing knee osteoarthritis in older women: a pilot randomized controlled trial. BMC Complement Altern Med 14, 160 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6882-14-160
14. Kolasinski SL, Garfinkel M, Tsai AG, Matz W, Van Dyke A, Schumacher HR. Iyengar yoga for treating symptoms of osteoarthritis of the knees: a pilot study. J Altern Complement Med. 2005 Aug;11(4):689-93. doi: 10.1089/acm.2005.11.689.
15. Brenneman EC, Kuntz AB, Wiebenga EG, Maly MR. A Yoga Strengthening Program Designed to Minimize the Knee Adduction Moment for Women with Knee Osteoarthritis: A Proof-Of-Principle Cohort Study. PLoS One. 2015 Sep 14;10(9): e0136854. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0136854.
16. Ebnezar J, Nagarathna R, Yogitha B, Nagendra HR. Effect of integrated yoga therapy on pain, morning stiffness and anxiety in osteoarthritis of the knee joint: A randomized control study. Int J Yoga. 2012 Jan;5(1):28-36. doi: 10.4103/0973-6131.91708.
17. Nambi GS, Shah AA. Additional effect of iyengar yoga and EMG biofeedback on pain and functional disability in chronic unilateral knee osteoarthritis. Int J Yoga. 2013 Jul;6(2):123-7. doi: 10.4103/0973-6131.113413.
18. Ghasemi GA, Golkar A, Marandi SM. Effects of hata yoga on knee osteoarthritis. Int J Prev Med. 2013 Apr;4(Suppl 1): S133-8.
Copyright (c) 2025 Author(s)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Copyright on all articles published in this journal is retained by the author(s), while the author(s) grant the publisher as the original publisher to publish the article.
Articles published in this journal are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International, which means they can be shared, adapted and distributed provided that the original published version is cited.
Submit a Paper
