title: Designing, validation, and feasibility of integrated yoga therapy module for chronic low back pain.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is a significant public health problem that has reached epidemic proportions. Yoga therapy has emerged as one of the complementary and alternative therapies for CLBP.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The present study reports the development, validation, and feasibility of an integrated yoga therapy module (IYTM) for CLBP.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was carried out at the SVYASA Yoga University, Bengaluru, South India. The IYTM for CLBP was designed, validated, and later tested for feasibility in patients with CLBP.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the first phase, IYTM for CLBP was designed based on the literature review of classical texts and recently published research studies. In the second phase, designed IYTM (26 yoga practices) was validated by thirty subject matter (yoga) experts. Content validity ratio (CVR) was analyzed using Lawshe's formula. In the third phase, the validated IYTM (20 yoga practices) was tested on 12 patients for pain, disability and perceived stress at baseline and after 1-month of this intervention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 20 yoga practices with CVR ≥0.33 were included, 6 yoga practices with CVR ≥0.33 were excluded from the designed IYTM. The feasibility study with validated IYTM showed significant reduction in numerical pain rating scale (P = 0.02), Oswestry disability scale (P = 0.02), and Perceived Stress Scale (P = 0.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The designed IYTM was validated by thirty yoga experts and later evaluated on a small sample. This study has shown that the validated IYTM is feasible, had no adverse effects and was useful in alleviating pain, disability, and perceived stress in patients with CLBP. However, randomized control trials with larger sample are needed to strengthen the study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrative Medicine, Sri Devaraj Urs University, Tamka, Kolar, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Nitin J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Patil
authors.affiliation: Division of Yoga and Life Sciences, S-VYASA Yoga University, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Raghuaram
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nagarathna
authors.affiliation: Division of Yoga and Life Sciences, S-VYASA Yoga University, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Padmini
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tekur
authors.affiliation: Division of Yoga and Life Sciences, S-VYASA Yoga University, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Dhanashree N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Patil
authors.affiliation: Division of Yoga and Life Sciences, S-VYASA Yoga University, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Hongasandra Ramarao
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Nagendra
authors.affiliation: Division of Yoga and Life Sciences, S-VYASA Yoga University, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Pailoor
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Subramanya
keywords: Chronic low back pain; content validity ratio; integrated yoga therapy module