The impact of yoga on physical and psychological outcomes in axial spondyloarthritis patients compared to physiotherapy: A controlled prospective study including healthy comparators

26rhk220 10.3205/26rhk220 urn:nbn:de:0183-26rhk2200 Meeting Abstract The impact of yoga on physical and psychological outcomes in axial spondyloarthritis patients compared to physiotherapy: A controlled prospective study including healthy comparators Bundle Bundle Vanessa V

Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Uniklinikum Erlangen, Department of Medicine 3 – Rheumatology and Immunology, Erlangen, Deutschland

author Bouzas Bouzas Claudia C

Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Uniklinikum Erlangen, Department of Medicine 3 – Rheumatology and Immunology, Erlangen, Deutschland

author Temiz Temiz Alp A

Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Uniklinikum Erlangen, Deutsches Zentrum für Immuntherapie (DZI), Erlangen, Deutschland Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Uniklinikum Erlangen, Department of Medicine 3 – Rheumatology and Immunology, Erlangen, Deutschland

author Coppers Coppers Birte B

Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Uniklinikum Erlangen, Department of Medicine 3 – Rheumatology and Immunology, Erlangen, Deutschland Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Uniklinikum Erlangen, Deutsches Zentrum für Immuntherapie (DZI), Erlangen, Deutschland

author Ebner Ebner Ines I

author Blaskowitz Blaskowitz Paloma Palm von Alten PPvA

Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Uniklinikum Erlangen, Department of Medicine 3 – Rheumatology and Immunology, Erlangen, Deutschland

author Rudolf Rudolf Sebastian S

Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Uniklinikum Erlangen, Department of Medicine 3 – Rheumatology and Immunology, Erlangen, Deutschland

author Liphardt Liphardt Anna-Maria AM

author Knitza Knitza Johannes J

Institute for Digital Medicine, University Hospital of Giessen and Marburg, Philipps-University Marburg, Digital Medicine, Marburg, Deutschland

author Raimondo Raimondo Maria Gabriella MG

author Wirsching Wirsching Andreas A

author Araujo Araujo Elizabeth E

author Fagni Fagni Filippo F

author Ramming Ramming Andreas A

author Schett Schett Georg G

author Morf Morf Harriet H

author German Medical Science GMS Publishing House

Düsseldorf

610 20260909 engl This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. Dieser Artikel ist ein Open-Access-Artikel und steht unter den Lizenzbedingungen der Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License (Namensnennung). M0656 220 Deutsche Gesellschaft für Rheumatologie Deutsche Gesellschaft für Orthopädische Rheumatologie Gesellschaft für Kinder- und Jugendrheumatologie 54. Kongress der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Rheumatologie und Klinische Immunologie (DGRh), 36. Jahrestagung der Gesellschaft für Kinder- und Jugendrheumatologie (GKJR), 40. Jahrestagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Orthopädische Rheumatologie (DGORh) Deutscher Rheumatologiekongress 2026 Spondyloarthritiden Leipzig 20260909 20260912 SpA.16 German Research Foundation Horizon Health 2022 TextIntroduction: Exercise is a key non-pharmacological component in axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) . Evidence for yoga as a mind-body intervention, and direct comparison with physiotherapy and healthy individuals, remains limited. Our objective was to assess the effects of an 8-week yoga program on mobility, function, disease activity, activity-related competences, and psychological outcomes in axSpA compared with standard physiotherapy and healthy individuals performing the same yoga protocol.Methods: Prospective controlled, non-randomized study (Erlangen, 05/2021–01/2024). axSpA patients participated either in weekly yoga sessions for 8 weeks (≈60 min; live via Zoom or video; optional repetition) or received standard individual physiotherapy (≥30 min/week). A healthy comparison group completed the same yoga program. Outcomes at baseline and follow-up (0-8 weeks) included BASMI, BASFI, BASDAI, physical activity (BSA), physical-activity-related-health competency (PAHCO,) SF-36, and kinesiophobia (TSK-II). Changes were analyzed using linear mixed-effects models (random intercept), estimated marginal means, and within-group change scores (Δ=FU–BL).Results: Seventy-six participants were included (axSpA yoga n=24; axSpA physiotherapy n=24; healthy yoga n=28). Baseline age, sex, and BMI did not differ between axSpA groups; BASMI and BASFI were comparable, while work-related BSA was higher in physiotherapy. In axSpA, yoga improved spinal mobility (BASMI Δ −0.31; p=0.004), whereas physiotherapy showed worsening (Δ +0.29; p=0.006). BASFI remained stable in both groups. In the yoga group, PAHCO improved (control competence Δ +1.10; p=0.001; self-regulation Δ +0.72; p=0.021); no relevant PAHCO changes were observed with physiotherapy. BSA subdomains showed no significant changes. Psychological outcomes favored yoga: SF-36 mental component improved (Δ +6.62; p<0.001) and kinesiophobia decreased (TSK-II Δ −3.25; p=0.011); physiotherapy showed no meaningful changes. BASDAI decreased in both groups and approached significance in the yoga group (Δ −0.44; p=0.055). Healthy individuals showed similar directional changes with smaller, mostly non-significant effects, consistent with lower baseline burden; BASMI interpretation in healthy participants was limited by missing data (available n=14).Conclusion: An 8-week yoga intervention was associated with superior mobility and psychological outcomes compared with physiotherapy for axSpA and additionally improved activity-related competences. Findings support yoga as a complementary therapy addressing both physical and psychological dimensions of axSpA. Larger randomized trials with complete mobility data and longer follow-up are warranted.Disclosures: The authors thank all participating patients and the whole team of Medizinische Klinik 3 for their support of this project. The present work was performed in fulfillment of the requirements for obtaining the degree Dr. med for the first author, this work was partially supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) – SFB 1483 – Project-ID 442419336 and the Horizon Health 2022 project SPIDeRR (project code 101080711). Ortolan A Webers C Sepriano A Falzon L Baraliakos X Landewé RB Ramiro S van der Heijde D Nikiphorou E Efficacy and safety of non-pharmacological and non-biological interventions: a systematic literature review informing the 2022 update of the ASAS/EULAR recommendations for the management of axial spondyloarthritis 2023 Ann Rheum Dis 142-152 Ortolan A, Webers C, Sepriano A, Falzon L, Baraliakos X, Landewé RB, Ramiro S, van der Heijde D, Nikiphorou E. Efficacy and safety of non-pharmacological and non-biological interventions: a systematic literature review informing the 2022 update of the ASAS/EULAR recommendations for the management of axial spondyloarthritis. Ann Rheum Dis. 2023 Jan;82(1):142-152. DOI: 10.1136/ard-2022-223297 http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/ard-2022-223297 0 0 0 0