Ulanowski E1, Danzl M1, Schwartz V1, Reed C1
1Bellarmine University, Physical Thearpy, Louisville, United States
Background: Research and clinical reports describe the safety, feasibility, and acceptability of community-based exercise programs for people with Huntington's Disease (HD). The value and role of yoga as a community-based program for individuals with HD has not been investigated. Furthermore, literature describing yoga programs for neurological populations often lack detailed descriptions of the qualities of the intervention and yoga instructor that yielded the greatest perceived benefits of the program.
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine a community-based yoga class, led by a physical therapist, for individuals affected by HD.
Methods: Qualitative case study methodology was employed and reflected “insider research” in that the research team consisted of licensed and student physical therapists, one of whom was a co-founder of the community-based group that integrated the yoga classes, and two of the researchers regularly participated in yoga. A certified yoga instructor, who was a neurologic residency-trained physical therapist, led the Hatha style yoga classes. There were six participants in the first class of observation and five participants in the second class of observation. Data collection methods included: [1] participant observations with copious field notes of the classes by two observers, [2] semi-structured interviews with the instructor, and [3] structured participant surveys. The data was manually coded and thematically analyzed by the research team. Strategies to ensure rigor included engagement in the field, triangulation, member checks, an audit trail, and reflexivity.
Results: Five major themes emerged from this study regarding the value of the program and the role of yoga for individuals affected by HD. The five themes with brief descriptive details in parentheses are: [1] Emphasis on mindfulness (through meditation and attention to breath), [2] Yoga is modifiable and accessible (for all levels of participants), [3] Precise communication (including demonstration, purposeful tone, and specific cues to best direct the participants), [4] Yoga fosters a sense of community (an avenue for socialization was provided through the community-based program), and [5] Poses tailored to HD-specific deficits (aim to improve posture, flexibility, range of motion, balance, and awareness of breath).
Conclusion(s): These findings contribute to the growing body of evidence regarding the value and feasibility of community-based group exercise for those affected by HD. The “insider research” approach enabled the richness and depth of participant observations and subsequent analysis given the researchers' lenses of previous experiences with yoga, working with individuals with HD, and being members of the physical therapy profession.
Implications: Yoga led by a physical therapist can be tailored to enable participation by those affected by HD and to address HD-specific deficits. Yoga is a form of exercise that can be suggested to patients to promote overall wellness and a sense of community as a supplement to, or following, traditional physical therapy. Future research is needed to examine effects of specific types of yoga, the optimal intensity and duration needed, and outcomes regarding impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions.
Keywords: Huntington's disease, Yoga, Qualitative
Funding acknowledgements: none
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine a community-based yoga class, led by a physical therapist, for individuals affected by HD.
Methods: Qualitative case study methodology was employed and reflected “insider research” in that the research team consisted of licensed and student physical therapists, one of whom was a co-founder of the community-based group that integrated the yoga classes, and two of the researchers regularly participated in yoga. A certified yoga instructor, who was a neurologic residency-trained physical therapist, led the Hatha style yoga classes. There were six participants in the first class of observation and five participants in the second class of observation. Data collection methods included: [1] participant observations with copious field notes of the classes by two observers, [2] semi-structured interviews with the instructor, and [3] structured participant surveys. The data was manually coded and thematically analyzed by the research team. Strategies to ensure rigor included engagement in the field, triangulation, member checks, an audit trail, and reflexivity.
Results: Five major themes emerged from this study regarding the value of the program and the role of yoga for individuals affected by HD. The five themes with brief descriptive details in parentheses are: [1] Emphasis on mindfulness (through meditation and attention to breath), [2] Yoga is modifiable and accessible (for all levels of participants), [3] Precise communication (including demonstration, purposeful tone, and specific cues to best direct the participants), [4] Yoga fosters a sense of community (an avenue for socialization was provided through the community-based program), and [5] Poses tailored to HD-specific deficits (aim to improve posture, flexibility, range of motion, balance, and awareness of breath).
Conclusion(s): These findings contribute to the growing body of evidence regarding the value and feasibility of community-based group exercise for those affected by HD. The “insider research” approach enabled the richness and depth of participant observations and subsequent analysis given the researchers' lenses of previous experiences with yoga, working with individuals with HD, and being members of the physical therapy profession.
Implications: Yoga led by a physical therapist can be tailored to enable participation by those affected by HD and to address HD-specific deficits. Yoga is a form of exercise that can be suggested to patients to promote overall wellness and a sense of community as a supplement to, or following, traditional physical therapy. Future research is needed to examine effects of specific types of yoga, the optimal intensity and duration needed, and outcomes regarding impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions.
Keywords: Huntington's disease, Yoga, Qualitative
Funding acknowledgements: none
Topic: Neurology; Health promotion & wellbeing/healthy ageing
Ethics approval required: Yes
Institution: Bellarmine University
Ethics committee: Bellarmine University
Ethics number: 550
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
