Expectations and effects of a single yoga session on pain perception

Ferrari, Marie-Louise Gander; Thuraisingam, Silvia; von Känel, Roland; Egloff, Niklaus (2015). Expectations and effects of a single yoga session on pain perception. International journal of yoga, 8(2), pp. 154-157. Wolters Kluwer 10.4103/0973-6131.158486

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BACKGROUND

Several studies show yoga may benefit chronic pain management. We investigated the effect of a single yoga session on the perception of pain, measured by a standardized pain provocation test in healthy yoga participants while also comparing pain perception to participants' own expectations.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Ninety yoga participants were recruited at hatha yoga schools in Switzerland. Pain perception was measured with a standardized algometric pain provocation test; i.e., a calibrated peg was applied for 10 seconds after which the participant rated pain intensity on a 0-10 numerical rating scale. The test was applied to the middle finger, ear lobe, and second toe before and after a 60-minute yoga session.

RESULTS

Sixty out of 90 (66.7%) yoga participants expected a reduced pain perception after the yoga session. However, 36 (40%) participants actually experienced less pain after compared to before the yoga session. But overall, pain perception statistically did not significantly change from before to after the yoga session at any of the three body locations assessed. The expectations and also the previous yoga experience did not significantly influence the participants' pain perception.

CONCLUSIONS

Regardless of the high positive expectations on the influence of yoga on pain, a single yoga session does not significantly influence pain perception induced by a pain provocation test. Hypoalgesic effects of yoga should be explained otherwise.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

04 Faculty of Medicine > Department of Head Organs and Neurology (DKNS) > Clinic of Neurology > Centre of Competence for Psychosomatic Medicine
04 Faculty of Medicine > Department of General Internal Medicine (DAIM) > Clinic of General Internal Medicine > Centre of Competence for General Internal Medicine

UniBE Contributor:

Egloff, Niklaus

Subjects:

600 Technology > 610 Medicine & health

ISSN:

0973-6131

Publisher:

Wolters Kluwer

Language:

English

Submitter:

Annette Barbara Kocher

Date Deposited:

14 Mar 2016 11:10

Last Modified:

05 Dec 2022 14:52

Publisher DOI:

10.4103/0973-6131.158486

PubMed ID:

26170598

Uncontrolled Keywords:

Algometry; expectation; pain; pain perception; yoga

BORIS DOI:

10.7892/boris.76604

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/76604

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