Evaluation of a specific yoga DVD for women following breast cancer surgery: An RCT
Lead Researchers: Dr Val Jenkins, Carolyn Langridge, Dr Helena Harder
Consultant Breast Surgeon: Mr Charles Zammit
Specialist Breast Cancer Nurses: Sarah Newbury and Anne Jackson
We developed, with the help of members of the Brighton Breast Cancer Support Group, a yoga DVD specifically aimed at women with breast cancer.
It comprises 2 discs:
Disc 1 has an introduction from Professor Lesley Fallowfield, a specialist in quality of life in breast cancer patients. She explains why women with breast cancer often have surgery to the armpit as well as the breast. There is also a short introduction to yoga from Mokshini, the yoga teacher, plus a section with her demonstrating each pose in a graduated way from basic to advanced level practice (levels 1-3).
Disc 2 is an hour-long class of yoga with women from the Brighton Breast Cancer Support Group who are of different ages and abilities.
Aims and purpose of the RCT
The primary aim of the study is to:
- Evaluate the usefulness of a specifically designed DVD of structured yoga exercises for women following breast cancer surgery.
- Examine the effects of of this DVD programme compared with standard care on arm/shoulder morbidity for women following breast cancer surgery
Secondary aim:
- Examine whether the structured yoga programme improves mood and Quality of Life (QoL) compared to standard care.
Women who agree to join the study will be randomised into one of two groups:
- Control group - in this group the women will follow the usual hospital routine of postoperative arm exercises.
- Yoga at home - in this group, as well as following the usual hospital routine of postoperative exercises, the women would be instructed in how to use a specialist yoga DVD to follow at home for 10 weeks.
Each woman will have objective physiotherapist assessments of their arm and shoulder movement. The first assessment is following the surgery and the second assessment is when they have completed 10 weeks of yoga (or for those not allocated yoga, an assessment at 12 weeks postoperatively).
Participants will also complete 3 short questionnaires at 3 time points.
- Following surgery (between 2-4 weeks post operation)
- At around 12 weeks post operation &
- 6 months following surgery.
All participants will also keep a diary of practice, jotting down when they practiced the exercises and how they felt.
Yoga positions posters:
Yoga newsletters:
First yoga newsletter (July 2011)
