A Remotely Delivered Yoga Intervention for Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Feasibility and Effectiveness for Improving Skills Related to Physical Activity.
Brian C Helsel, Rachel N S Foster, Joseph Sherman and 4 others
PMID 35939186WHAT IT FOUND
A 12-week remote yoga program improved leg strength, flexibility, and balance in adolescents with autism, but daily physical activity measured by sensors actually decreased.
The study lacked a control group, so these changes cannot be attributed to the yoga alone.
Key findings
01The intervention was feasible, with 95% of participants completing the trial and an average attendance rate of 83%.
02Post-hoc analysis showed significant increases in leg strength, flexibility, and dynamic balance, but no significant change in motor skills, grip strength, or static balance.
03Accelerometer data indicated a decrease in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity from 19 to 7 minutes per day, though compliance with sensor wear was poor.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study was a single-arm pilot with no control group, meaning improvements in strength and flexibility could be due to natural growth, maturation, or other unmeasured factors rather than the yoga intervention itself. The sample size was very small (n=20 enrolled, n=19 completed), limiting the generalizability of the findings. Accelerometer compliance was poor, with only 58% of participants providing valid data at 12 weeks, making the finding of decreased physical activity unreliable. The study did not assess ASD severity, so it is unclear if results differ for adolescents with varying levels of support needs.
Declared interests
The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board at The University of Kansas Medical Center. No specific funding sources or conflicts of interest are explicitly detailed in the provided text beyond the institutional approval and recruitment strategies.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the improvements in strength and flexibility as proof that yoga works better than other exercises or that it increases daily physical activity. The study had no control group to account for natural growth, and the only objective measure of daily activity showed a decrease, not an increase.