Ross Alyson, Touchton-Leonard Katharine, Yang Li, Wallen Gwenyth
1. National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Department of Nursing Research and Translational Science, Bethesda, MD.
Int J Yoga Therap. 2016 Jan;26(1):83-91. doi: 10.17761/1531-2054-26.1.83.
Yoga therapy may improve a variety of symptoms and health conditions, but little is known about how yoga therapy is being delivered in the real world. The purpose of this study was to describe the delivery of yoga therapy by yoga instructors across the U.S. In this cross-sectional survey, certified instructors were recruited from the Iyengar Yoga National Association, United States (IYNAUS) (n = 966) via an email that contained a link to an anonymous online survey that collected information on demographics, their delivery of yoga therapy, and the health conditions and symptoms seen and records kept by the instructors. A total of 487 instructors (50.4%) completed the surve y. Instructors ranged from 28 to 82 years in age (m = 56.4 ± 10.1 years) and had been teaching for 17.0 ± 10.0 years. The majority (n = 384, 81.4%) reported teaching some form of therapeutic yoga either in groups (n = 261, 55%) and/or privately (n = 340, 73.4%). All instructors (100%) reported modifying poses in their regular yoga classes for students because of health conditions or symptoms. Other than attendance, the majority (n = 255, 57.3%) reported keeping no records on their sessions. Students came to instructors for help with over 54 health conditions, most commonly musculoskeletal conditions and injuries (n = 267, 62.8%), followed by pregnancy (n = 56, 13.2%) and hypertension (n = 22, 5.2%). Nearly all (n = 373, 85.6%) reported pain to be the symptom that brought students to yoga therapy most frequently. Whereas yoga in randomized controlled trials typically is delivered to individuals in large, homogenous groups, the instructors reported that most yoga therapy is being provided individually or in small, general therapeutic classes that include a variety of health conditions. Research is needed to examine the effectiveness of yoga therapy under such conditions. A clear set of guidelines for assessing and documenting the effectiveness of yoga therapy using standardized, valid, and reliable methods is needed, particularly for pain-related conditions.
瑜伽疗法可能会改善多种症状和健康状况，但对于其在现实世界中的实施方式却知之甚少。本研究的目的是描述美国各地瑜伽教练提供瑜伽疗法的情况。在这项横断面调查中，通过电子邮件从美国艾扬格瑜伽全国协会（IYNAUS）招募了认证教练（n = 966），邮件中包含一个匿名在线调查的链接，该调查收集了有关人口统计学、他们提供瑜伽疗法的情况、教练所见到的健康状况和症状以及所保存记录的信息。共有487名教练（50.4%）完成了调查。教练的年龄在28岁至82岁之间（平均年龄m = 56.4 ± 10.1岁），教龄为17.0 ± 10.0年。大多数（n = 384，81.4%）报告称以团体形式（n = 261，55%）和/或私人形式（n = 340，73.4%）教授某种形式的治疗性瑜伽。所有教练（100%）都报告因健康状况或症状在常规瑜伽课程中为学生调整体式。除了出勤情况外，大多数（n = 255，57.3%）报告没有保存课程记录。学生因超过54种健康状况向教练寻求帮助，最常见的是肌肉骨骼疾病和损伤（n = 267，62.8%），其次是怀孕（n = 56，13.2%）和高血压（n = 22，5.2%）。几乎所有（n = 373，85.6%）报告疼痛是最常促使学生接受瑜伽疗法的症状。在随机对照试验中，瑜伽通常以大型、同质群体的形式提供给个体，但教练们报告称，大多数瑜伽疗法是单独提供的，或者是在包括各种健康状况的小型综合治疗课程中提供的。需要进行研究以考察在这种情况下瑜伽疗法的有效性。需要一套明确的指导方针，使用标准化、有效且可靠的方法来评估和记录瑜伽疗法的有效性，尤其是对于与疼痛相关的病症。
