Effectiveness and safety of yoga as adjunctive therapy for chronic low back pain in primary care: a systematic review and bayesian network meta-analysis
1
Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
2
The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
3
Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, Shenzhen, China
4
Shenzhen Nanshan People's Hospital, Shenzhen, China
5
The Third People's Hospital of Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
6
Shenzhen Health Capacity Building and Continuing Education Center, Shenzhen, China
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):A1967
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION:
Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is a frequent reason for primary care consultations and often leads to opioid overuse. While yoga is increasingly popular as a non-pharmacological intervention, its relative efficacy compared to other active therapies or standard care requires clarification to guide evidence-based practice.
METHODS:
We systematically searched Scopus, PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published from January 2015 to December 2025. A Bayesian network meta-analysis was conducted to compare yoga, physical therapy, usual care, and health education regarding pain intensity and functional disability. The Surface Under the Cumulative Ranking Curve (SUCRA) was calculated to rank the interventions.
RESULTS:
Twenty-two RCTs involving 1,850 patients were included. Compared to usual care, yoga demonstrated significant improvements in pain relief (Standardized Mean Difference [SMD] = -0.55) and back-specific function. According to SUCRA rankings, yoga was the second most effective intervention for improving functional disability (SUCRA = 78%), ranking only behind high-intensity physical therapy, and was superior to health education alone. No serious adverse events related to yoga were reported.
CONCLUSIONS:
Yoga is a safe and effective adjunctive therapy for CLBP and represents a viable strategy to reduce analgesic dependence in primary care settings. Integrating yoga into community health services facilitates a holistic, patient-centered approach to chronic pain management.
Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is a frequent reason for primary care consultations and often leads to opioid overuse. While yoga is increasingly popular as a non-pharmacological intervention, its relative efficacy compared to other active therapies or standard care requires clarification to guide evidence-based practice.
METHODS:
We systematically searched Scopus, PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published from January 2015 to December 2025. A Bayesian network meta-analysis was conducted to compare yoga, physical therapy, usual care, and health education regarding pain intensity and functional disability. The Surface Under the Cumulative Ranking Curve (SUCRA) was calculated to rank the interventions.
RESULTS:
Twenty-two RCTs involving 1,850 patients were included. Compared to usual care, yoga demonstrated significant improvements in pain relief (Standardized Mean Difference [SMD] = -0.55) and back-specific function. According to SUCRA rankings, yoga was the second most effective intervention for improving functional disability (SUCRA = 78%), ranking only behind high-intensity physical therapy, and was superior to health education alone. No serious adverse events related to yoga were reported.
CONCLUSIONS:
Yoga is a safe and effective adjunctive therapy for CLBP and represents a viable strategy to reduce analgesic dependence in primary care settings. Integrating yoga into community health services facilitates a holistic, patient-centered approach to chronic pain management.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
We process personal data collected when visiting the website. The function of obtaining information about users and their behavior is carried out by voluntarily entered information in forms and saving cookies in end devices. Data, including cookies, are used to provide services, improve the user experience and to analyze the traffic in accordance with the Privacy policy. Data are also collected and processed by Google Analytics tool (more).
You can change cookies settings in your browser. Restricted use of cookies in the browser configuration may affect some functionalities of the website.
You can change cookies settings in your browser. Restricted use of cookies in the browser configuration may affect some functionalities of the website.
