Yoga Case Study

2005-09-20T07:07:00.000-07:00

Physicians and researchers world-wide have conducted numerous studies investigating the effects of non-drug treatment, such as yoga, on patients with hypertension. In 2004, Ruth McCaffrey, Pratum Ruknui, Dr. Urai Hatthakit, and Payao Kasetsomboon completed an eight-week study in Songkhla Province, Southern Thailand to assess the effectiveness of yoga therapy for hypertension. A summary of their report (2005) is given here, and the full article can be accessed online.
The Patients
Fifty-four patients were randomly selected for this study, including 35 women and 19 men. All patients had been diagnosed with hypertension and were not taking any medication. The study required two groups from these patients: one experimental and one control. Age, gender, and medical history were recorded, and the demographics for each group lacked substantial differences. For example, the average age of people in the experimental group was 56.7 years; for the control group, 56.2 years.
The Experimental Group
The experimental group participated in yoga therapy three times a week. Patients received cassette instruction as well as training from a yoga instructor. Practice was three times a week for eight weeks, with each session lasting just over an hour. People in the experimental group also had regular outpatient hospital care.
The Control Group
The control group did not partake in any form of yoga for the eight-week experiment. However, they did receive information about hypertension, and the importance of a good diet and exercise. This group also received normal outpatient care.
The Experiment
At the initiation of the study and every two weeks following, each patient’s systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, BMI (Body Mass Index), heart rate, and body weight were measured and recorded.
The Results
McCaffrey, Ruknui, Hatthakit, and Kasetsomboon’s article on the study claims that “eight weeks of yoga practice significantly decreased the mean stress levels of persons with hypertension in Thailand” (2005). In the experimental group, blood pressure, heart rate, and BMI all decreased significantly compared to the control group. Generally, doctors are not recommending yoga as an alternative to medication, but an additional aid to patients with hypertension (Mamtani 2005). With corresponding results from other long-term studies, yoga therapy could decrease the need for prescribed medication and be a more affordable option for patients with hypertension.

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yoga case study

Yoga Case Study