Active — Not RecruitingNot Applicable

Examining the Effectiveness of Asynchronous Versus Synchronous Yoga for Veterans With Chronic Pain

United States98 participantsStarted 2025-06-20

Plain-language summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to see if pre-recorded yoga videos are as helpful for chronic pain as online yoga sessions taught in real time. The main questions it aims to answer are: Are pre-recorded yoga videos an acceptable and practical tool and could they be used more broadly? Are pre-recorded yoga videos no worse than online yoga sessions taught in real time for managing chronic pain? Researchers will compare changes in chronic pain, mental health, and quality of life outcomes for participants who attend pre-recorded yoga videos versus online yoga sessions taught in real time. Over the course of 4 months, participants will: Attend a 5-session virtual yoga course. Continue virtual yoga practice for 12-weeks on their own or in a VA online class. Complete 3 online assessments and a brief exit interview.

Who can participate

Age range

18 Years

Sex

ALL

See this in plain English?

AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.

Inclusion Criteria: * U.S. Veteran enrolled at VAPORHCS and has established care with a VA medical or mental health provider. * Diagnosed with musculoskeletal pain, confirmed by electronic health record review and phone screening. * Has an average pain severity of at least 4 in the past 3 months, assessed by items 1-5 of the Brief Pain Inventory, Short Form. * Aged 18 or over. * Capable of using video teleconferencing to complete enrollment, assessment, and video interventions. * Meets physical readiness, assessed by questions during screening and approved for yoga participation by their primary care, physical therapy, or provider team. * Able to sit and stand from the floor without assistance * Able to ambulate community distances without an assistive device * Intact sensation in lower extremities below the knees Exclusion Criteria: * Unable to read and write in English. * Unable to freely give informed consent. * Recent (past 3 months) psychotic symptoms consistent with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, delusional disorder, or other psychotic disorder and unrelated to PTSD. Assessed by medical record review and provider team. * Practicing yoga regularly defined as weekly or biweekly practice of 60 or more minutes for 6 months or more. * Recent (past 3 months) history of suicidal gesture related to physical pain or active suicidal ideation (plan, intent, means). * Concurrently enrolled in another research protocol involving a pain focused interventio…

Questions worth asking your doctor

Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.

1This trial is comparing two different ways of doing yoga — one on your own schedule (asynchronous) versus live group sessions (synchronous) — and I have chronic pain, so could you help me understand which format might actually fit my lifestyle and physical limitations better before I consider something like this?
2The trial is already active but no longer recruiting, so is there any way I could still get access to a yoga program like this through the VA or another source, given that it was designed specifically for veterans with chronic pain?
3The main thing this study is measuring is a tool called the Brief Pain Inventory Short Form — can you explain what that tells us about pain outcomes, and whether there's already any early data or similar studies suggesting yoga genuinely helps people with my type of chronic pain?
4Since this is a Phase N/A behavioral study rather than a drug trial, how does that change what we know about safety and any risks for someone with my specific pain condition doing yoga?
5Would it make more sense for me to try a standard pain management approach first — like physical therapy or medication — or is a yoga-based program like this something worth pursuing at the same time?

Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.

Questions for the trial coordinator

The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.

1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?

A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.

What they're measuring

Brief Pain Inventory Short Form (BPI-SF)

Timeframe: Baseline, Post 5-session Yoga Primer (Week 5/6), Week 18

Trial details

NCT IDNCT06973876

SponsorPortland VA Medical Center

Sponsor typeFED

Study typeINTERVENTIONAL

Primary completion2026-09-30

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