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Table 2 Delphi recommendations for the design and reporting of yoga interventions for musculoskeletal conditions

From: Establishing key components of yoga interventions for musculoskeletal conditions: a Delphi survey

Theme: subtheme

Item Description

Defining the yoga intervention:

Types of intervention parameters

 

1 Dosage of yoga (hours/intervention)

 

2 Duration of the yoga intervention (total number of weeks)

 

3 Duration of the yoga session (minutes/session)

 

4 Frequency of the yoga session (number of sessions/week)

Minimum parameter values

 

5 Recommended minimum duration of a yoga intervention for musculoskeletal conditions: 8 weeks

 

6 Recommended minimum duration of a yoga session for musculoskeletal conditions: 60 minutes

 

7 Recommended minimum frequency of a yoga session for musculoskeletal conditions: Once per week

 

8 Recommended minimum frequency of home practice for musculoskeletal conditions: Three times per week

 

9 Recommended minimum session duration of home practice for musculoskeletal conditions: 30 minutes

Appropriateness of the intervention to a musculoskeletal population

 

10 Expectations of study participants (i.e. attendance, abstinence from co-interventions) should be clearly specified prior to recruitment

 

11 Yoga practices included in the protocol should be appropriate for the health and fitness limitations of the musculoskeletal conditions being studied

 

12 The intervention protocol should allow for modification of yoga practices to accommodate participants individual musculoskeletal limitations

 

13 The musculoskeletal condition being researched must be clearly defined

Types of yoga practices to include

 

14 Yoga postures/Asana

 

15 Yoga breathing/Pranayama

 

16 Yoga relaxation techniques

 

17 Mindfulness

Delivery of the yoga protocol:

Yoga instructors

 

18 Yoga instructors should have a recognised yoga teaching qualification

 

19 Yoga instructors should have experience in teaching yoga to people with musculoskeletal conditions

 

20 Yoga instructors should be monitored for fidelity of delivery of the yoga intervention

Best practice instruction

 

21 Best practice instruction of a yoga protocol for musculoskeletal conditions should emphasise integration of the yoga practices of body, breath and mind

 

22 Best practice instruction of a yoga protocol for musculoskeletal conditions should emphasise principles of safety in carrying out yoga practices

 

23 Best practice instruction of a yoga protocol for musculoskeletal conditions should emphasise principles of postural alignment

 

24 Best practice instruction of a yoga protocol for musculoskeletal conditions should emphasise principles of integrating yoga practice into study participants’ daily activities

Study participant resources

 

25 Written instructions for home practice

Domains of outcome measures to include

 

26 Outcome measures of physical function

 

27 Outcome measures of activities of daily living

 

28 Outcome measures of pain

 

29 Outcome measures of psychological well-being

 

30 Outcome measures of quality of life

 

31 Both biomedical and psychosocial outcome measures should be included within an intervention

Reporting of yoga interventions for musculoskeletal conditions

 

32 Accepted reporting guidelines such as the “CONSORT Statement to Trials of Nonpharmacologic Treatment” should be followed when reporting a yoga intervention for musculoskeletal conditions

 

33 Names of all yoga practices should be clearly detailed in the study write-up