Program to Overcome Pelvic Pain Study

A Feasibility Trial of a Group Based Yoga Intervention for Chronic Pelvic Pain in Women

To refine and evaluate the feasibility of procedures for a future full-scale efficacy trial of a group-based therapeutic yoga intervention versus physical conditioning (stretching and strengthening) intervention for women with chronic pelvic pain.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Women aged 18 years or older who report chronic or recurrent pelvic pain for at least 6 months
• Report an average daily pain intensity score of at least 4 (on a 0 to 10 scale) on a screening 7-day pain log
• Report prior clinical evaluation of pain by a healthcare professional including at least a superficial pelvic exam
• Willing to refrain from initiating new clinical treatments that may affect their pain during the study period

Exclusion Criteria:

• Report pelvic pain occurring exclusively with menses or exclusively during sexual intercourse (note that women with at least some pain between menses or intercourse are still eligible)
• Participation in organized yoga classes or muscle strengthening programs (e.g., Pilates) in the past month, or prior yoga therapy specifically directed a pelvic pain
• Currently pregnant (by self-report or screening test), pregnant within the past 6 months, or planning pregnancy
• Diagnosed with an alternate, reversible cause of pain that is unlikely to respond to yoga and requires another treatment modality (e.g., current pelvic infection or a gynecologic dermatosis)
• Initiation, dose escalation, or weaning of pharmacologic agents that may affect pelvic pain severity in the past 1 month (e.g., pain medications, antidepressants, anticonvulsants)-note that women on stable doses will be eligible
• Surgery to the genital or pelvic structures within 3 months, or prior cancer or irradiation to these structures
• Use of formal psychological therapies specifically for pelvic pain (e.g., systematic desensitization, sex therapy, cognitive therapy, relaxation therapy) within 1 month of screening
• Use of formal behavioral therapies for pelvic or genital pain (e.g., pelvic floor rehabilitation or biofeedback performed by a certified healthcare practitioner) within 1 month of screening
• Unable to walk up a flight of stairs or at least 2 blocks on level ground (i.e., functional capacity < 4 METs), or unable to get up from a supine to a standing position without assistance
• Participation in another interventional study that might interfere with or confound study procedures
• Known conflict with multiple available intervention class dates
• Inability to sign an informed consent or fill out questionnaires or complete study interviews in English, or lacking technical requirements to complete intervention classes or study visits by video