StrokeYOGA-FITNCT07143162
YOGA-FIT: Protocol for a Crossover Trial Investigating the Feasibility and Impact of Yoga for People With Stroke
A study testing LoveYourBrain Yoga in people with Stroke, run by Nova Scotia Health Authority at 1 site in Canada.
Trial summary
The primary objective of this mixed-methods pilot crossover study is to determine the feasibility (participant satisfaction, recruitment rate, retention, participant and assessor burden, adherence, equipment and technology issues, and safety) of virtual and in-person LYB yoga for adult people with lived experience of… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Stroke
- What is being tested?
- LoveYourBrain Yoga
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 40 participants
- Where
- 1 siteCanada
- Study dates
- 1 Aug 2026to 10 Dec 2027
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Participants will be eligible if they are an adult (aged 18 or older), living with late subacute or chronic stroke (minimum of three months post stroke), residing in Nova Scotia, capable of walking at least 10-metres independently, with supervision, or with the use of an aid or orthotic, and medically stable for eight weeks prior to the baseline visit. Participants must also be able to follow a three-step command for the purpose of yoga class instruction as recommended by our lead yoga instructor.
Who cannot join
- Participants with severe neglect or other issues affecting their safety and participation will be excluded. Participants with cardiovascular, orthopedic, or neurological diseases other than stroke, impacting walking, balance, and mobility will be excluded. Participants who do not have a stable and reliable internet connection will be excluded.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Canada1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
NeuroCommons
Halifax
Katerina Miller, PT, 902-473-1229, Katerina.Miller@nshealth.ca
About this study
The primary objective of this mixed-methods pilot crossover study is to determine the feasibility (participant satisfaction, recruitment rate, retention, participant and assessor burden, adherence, equipment and technology issues, and safety) of virtual and in-person LYB yoga for adult people with lived experience of stroke in Nova Scotia who are at least three months post stroke.
The secondary objective is to estimate the efficacy of virtual and in-person yoga for improving balance, walking, mobility, mental health (anxiety and depression), and other health outcomes (pain, sleep, health perception, and falls).
Read more
The tertiary objective is to estimate the extent to which cognition, fatigue, and health-related quality of life change following the LYB program.
Participants will engage in LYB Yoga virtual and in-person classes for 90 minutes each, twice per week, as well as one 60-minute recorded class completed on their own time.
Read the detailed description
LoveYourBrain (LYB) is a six-week manualized Yoga program that was originally developed for traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients. The sessions involve meditation, breathing, a variety of Yoga postures, and psychoeducation and discussion components. The program contains key aspects of neuroplasticity and motor learning, which are essential for promoting stroke recovery.
This program can be adapted to suit the needs of the subacute and chronic stroke survivor population: adjusting postures to allow for people with stroke to participate, as well as a variety of seated and standing options will be made available in the LYB Yoga program. This program will also involve group discussion, educational activities, and coping strategies to help with stroke recovery, while creating a sense of community and mutual understanding.
The program has not yet been offered in the stroke context, nor is it available across Nova Scotia. Therefore, the main aim of this study is to test the feasibility of adapting LYB for the stroke context and making it widely available across Nova Scotia in a virtual and in-person format.
- Conditions
- Stroke
- Being tested
- LoveYourBrain Yoga
- Keywords
- Stroke, Yoga, LoveYourBrain, Virtual rehabilitation
- Medical subject headings
- Stroke
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
LoveYourBrain YogaBehavioural
The LoveYourBrain Yoga program consists of various techniques, including: breathing, Yoga postures, meditation, and psychoeducation as well as a group discussion.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| In-person LoveYourBrain Yoga | Experimental | Participants will engage in a 90-minute in-person class that will consist of 10 minutes of breathing, 45 minutes of Yoga postures, 15 minutes of meditation, and 20 minutes of psychoeducation and discussion. Additionally, participants will complete a 45- to 60-minute recorded class on their own time. Receives: Behavioral: LoveYourBrain Yoga |
| Virtual LoveYourBrain Yoga | Experimental | Participants will engage in a 90-minute virtual class that will consist of 10 minutes of breathing, 45 minutes of Yoga postures, 15 minutes of meditation, and 20 minutes of psychoeducation and discussion. Additionally, participants will complete a 45- to 60-minute recorded class on their own time. Receives: Behavioral: LoveYourBrain Yoga |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Recruitment rate
Percentage of eligible stroke survivors approached and agree to participate.
Measured: Baseline
Participant satisfaction
Satisfaction questionnaire
Measured: Weekly satisfaction questionnaire (weeks 1-24) via smartphone app
Participant retention
Percentage of of participants who complete the LYB program
Measured: Weeks 1-24
Participant and assessor burden
Assessment time
Measured: During the 4 assessments (Baseline, 6 weeks, 18 weeks, 24 weeks)
Adherence
Class attendance- Weekly surveys via smartphone app and yoga instructor tracking
Measured: Weeks 1-24
Equipment
Technical issues during virtual classes- Yoga instructor tracking during each class and interviews at the end of the study
Measured: Weeks 1-24 and interviews at the end of 24 weeks
Smartphone application
Issues with smartphone application-Weekly smartphone surveys and interviews at the end of the study
Measured: Weeks 1-24 and interviews at the end of 24 weeks
Safety -Serious Adverse Events
Serious adverse events related to the study
Measured: Monitoring during each class (weeks 1-24) and at all 4 assessments (Baseline, 6 weeks, 18 weeks, 24 weeks)
Secondary outcomes (6)
Balance
Dynamic balance will be assessed using the MiniBESTest
Measured: During the 4 assessments (Baseline, 6 weeks, 18 weeks, 24 weeks)
Walking
Walking speed will be assessed using the 10-metre walking test
Measured: During the 4 assessments (Baseline, 6 weeks, 18 weeks, 24 weeks)
Mobility
Functional mobility will be measured using the 5-times sit-to-stand test
Measured: During the 4 assessments (Baseline, 6 weeks, 18 weeks, 24 weeks)
Mental health
Mental health related outcomes will be measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Scores of 0-4 indicate none to minimal depressive symptoms, 5-9 mild depression, 10-14 moderate depression, 15-19 moderately severe depression, and 20-27 severe depression.
Measured: During the 4 assessments (Baseline, 6 weeks, 18 weeks, 24 weeks)
Mental health
Mental health related outcomes will be measured using the General Anxiety Disorder-7 scale. Scores of 5, 10, and 15 are the established cut points for mild, moderate, and severe anxiety symptoms, respectively (with 0-4 indicating minimal anxiety).
Measured: During the 4 assessments (Baseline, 6 weeks, 18 weeks, 24 weeks)
Health outcomes
The levels of sleep, pain and health perception will be assessed using the Visual Analog Scale, as well as a question about the number of times the person fell within the past week.
Measured: Weekly surveys via smartphone app
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted27 Aug 2025
- Study start1 Aug 2026
- Primary completion10 Oct 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion10 Dec 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for StrokeStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 40 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Nova Scotia Health Authority
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Adria Quigley, Dalhousie University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07143162
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- YOGA-FIT
- Acronym
- YOGA-FIT
- Status last verified
- Sep 2026
- First submitted
- 7 Aug 2025
- Last updated
- 3 Sep 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided: De-identified data will be shared upon request.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 3 Sep 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- YOGA-FIT: Protocol for a Crossover Trial Investigating the Feasibility and Impact of Yoga for People With Stroke
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07143162
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- YOGA-FIT / YOGA-FIT
- Conditions
- Stroke
- Keywords
- Stroke, Yoga, LoveYourBrain, Virtual rehabilitation
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 40 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Nova Scotia Health AuthorityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 Aug 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 10 Oct 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 10 Dec 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 27 Aug 2025 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The primary objective of this mixed-methods pilot crossover study is to determine the feasibility (participant satisfaction, recruitment rate, retention, participant and assessor burden, adherence, equipment and technology issues, and safety) of virtual and in-person LYB yoga for adult people with lived experience of stroke in Nova Scotia who are at least three months post stroke.
The secondary objective is to estimate the efficacy of virtual and in-person yoga for improving balance, walking, mobility, mental health (anxiety and depression), and other health outcomes (pain, sleep, health perception, and falls).
The tertiary objective is to estimate the extent to which cognition, fatigue, and health-related quality of life change following the LYB program.
Participants will engage in LYB Yoga virtual and in-person classes for 90 minutes each, twice per week, as well as one 60-minute recorded class completed on their own time.
Detailed description
LoveYourBrain (LYB) is a six-week manualized Yoga program that was originally developed for traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients. The sessions involve meditation, breathing, a variety of Yoga postures, and psychoeducation and discussion components. The program contains key aspects of neuroplasticity and motor learning, which are essential for promoting stroke recovery.
This program can be adapted to suit the needs of the subacute and chronic stroke survivor population: adjusting postures to allow for people with stroke to participate, as well as a variety of seated and standing options will be made available in the LYB Yoga program. This program will also involve group discussion, educational activities, and coping strategies to help with stroke recovery, while creating a sense of community and mutual understanding.
The program has not yet been offered in the stroke context, nor is it available across Nova Scotia. Therefore, the main aim of this study is to test the feasibility of adapting LYB for the stroke context and making it widely available across Nova Scotia in a virtual and in-person format.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| In-person LoveYourBrain Yoga | Experimental | Behavioral: LoveYourBrain YogaParticipants will engage in a 90-minute in-person class that will consist of 10 minutes of breathing, 45 minutes of Yoga postures, 15 minutes of meditation, and 20 minutes of psychoeducation and discussion. Additionally, participants will complete a 45- to 60-minute recorded class on their own time. |
| Virtual LoveYourBrain Yoga | Experimental | Behavioral: LoveYourBrain YogaParticipants will engage in a 90-minute virtual class that will consist of 10 minutes of breathing, 45 minutes of Yoga postures, 15 minutes of meditation, and 20 minutes of psychoeducation and discussion. Additionally, participants will complete a 45- to 60-minute recorded class on their own time. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Participants will be eligible if they are an adult (aged 18 or older), living with late subacute or chronic stroke (minimum of three months post stroke), residing in Nova Scotia, capable of walking at least 10-metres independently, with supervision, or with the use of an aid or orthotic, and medically stable for eight weeks prior to the baseline visit. Participants must also be able to follow a three-step command for the purpose of yoga class instruction as recommended by our lead yoga instructor.
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Participants with severe neglect or other issues affecting their safety and participation will be excluded. Participants with cardiovascular, orthopedic, or neurological diseases other than stroke, impacting walking, balance, and mobility will be excluded. Participants who do not have a stable and reliable internet connection will be excluded.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| LoveYourBrain YogaThe LoveYourBrain Yoga program consists of various techniques, including: breathing, Yoga postures, meditation, and psychoeducation as well as a group discussion. | Behavioural | In-person LoveYourBrain Yoga, Virtual LoveYourBrain Yoga |
Primary outcome
Recruitment rate
Time frame: Baseline
Percentage of eligible stroke survivors approached and agree to participate.
Participant satisfaction
Time frame: Weekly satisfaction questionnaire (weeks 1-24) via smartphone app
Satisfaction questionnaire
Participant retention
Time frame: Weeks 1-24
Percentage of of participants who complete the LYB program
Participant and assessor burden
Time frame: During the 4 assessments (Baseline, 6 weeks, 18 weeks, 24 weeks)
Assessment time
Adherence
Time frame: Weeks 1-24
Class attendance- Weekly surveys via smartphone app and yoga instructor tracking
Equipment
Time frame: Weeks 1-24 and interviews at the end of 24 weeks
Technical issues during virtual classes- Yoga instructor tracking during each class and interviews at the end of the study
Smartphone application
Time frame: Weeks 1-24 and interviews at the end of 24 weeks
Issues with smartphone application-Weekly smartphone surveys and interviews at the end of the study
Safety -Serious Adverse Events
Time frame: Monitoring during each class (weeks 1-24) and at all 4 assessments (Baseline, 6 weeks, 18 weeks, 24 weeks)
Serious adverse events related to the study
6 secondary outcomes
Balance
Time frame: During the 4 assessments (Baseline, 6 weeks, 18 weeks, 24 weeks)
Walking
Time frame: During the 4 assessments (Baseline, 6 weeks, 18 weeks, 24 weeks)
Mobility
Time frame: During the 4 assessments (Baseline, 6 weeks, 18 weeks, 24 weeks)
Mental health
Time frame: During the 4 assessments (Baseline, 6 weeks, 18 weeks, 24 weeks)
Mental health
Time frame: During the 4 assessments (Baseline, 6 weeks, 18 weeks, 24 weeks)
Health outcomes
Time frame: Weekly surveys via smartphone app
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 3 Sep 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided. De-identified data will be shared upon request.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing LoveYourBrain Yoga in people with Stroke, run by Nova Scotia Health Authority at 1 site in Canada.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 3 Sep 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Canada. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Adria Quigley, PhD (902-494-2734, adriaquigley@dal.ca), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Recruitment rate (time frame: Baseline). The study lists 8 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 3 Sep 2026.