Spinal Cord DisordersNCT07655531
Yogic Breathing Exercise and Meditation for People With Spinal Cord Disorders
A study testing yogic breathing and meditation in people with Spinal Cord Disorders, run by University of Alabama at Birmingham at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The goal of the study is to understand how well yogic breathing exercise and meditation improves breathing, fatigue, emotional well-being and quality of life in people with spinal cord disorders. Aim 1. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 89 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Spinal Cord Disorders
- What is being tested?
- yogic breathing and meditation
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 30 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 22 Jul 2026to Jun 2029
- 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 to 89 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- spinal cord disorders
- community-dwelling adults aged ≥ 18 years
- able to follow simple, three-step verbal instructions (e.g., close your eyes, open your mouth, close your mouth)
- access to the internet and an electronic device with videoconferencing capability
- able to set up virtual sessions with/without caregiver assistance
- sufficient English language proficiency to provide consent for study participation and complete self-report questionnaires
Who cannot join
- suicidal intent requiring emergency care
- bedridden with continuous use of noninvasive ventilation
- participating in weekly pulmonary PT, psychological therapy, or a clinical trial that could affect proposed study outcomes.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
United States1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama, 35294
Hon Yuen, PhD, 2059346301, yuen@uab.edu
Adrian Smith, BS, 2059348931, adrian02@uab.edu
About this study
The goal of the study is to understand how well yogic breathing exercise and meditation improves breathing, fatigue, emotional well-being and quality of life in people with spinal cord disorders.
Aim 1. Evaluate the efficacy of an 8-week, virtual, coach-guided yogic breathing and meditation (YBM) program on QoL and mental health in people with spinal cord disorders.
This study will include completing several questionnaires 3 times, 8 weeks of participating in 2 sessions per week of yogic breathing exercise and meditation via Zoom and being interviewed once at the completion of the 8-week program.
Read the detailed description
General Information You are being asked to take part in a research study. This research study is voluntary, meaning you do not have to take part in it. The procedures, risks, and benefits are fully described further in the consent form.
Purpose The purpose of the study is to understand how well yogic breathing exercise and meditation improves breathing, fatigue, and emotional well-being in people with spinal cord injury (SCI).
Duration \& Visits You will complete several questionnaires (3 different times) that will take 30 minutes to complete each time, participate in 12-30-minute yogic breathing exercise and meditation sessions (over 8 weeks), complete a 25-minute interview and that you will be in the study for 2 months.
Overview of Procedures This study will include completing several questionnaires multiple times, 8 weeks of participating in 2 sessions per week of yogic breathing exercise and meditation via Zoom and being interviewed once.
Risks The most common risks include some tiredness and frustration while learning the yogic breathing exercise and meditation techniques. Loss of confidentiality is also a risk.
- Conditions
- Spinal Cord Disorders
- Being tested
- yogic breathing and meditation
- Medical subject headings
- Spinal Cord Diseases
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
yogic breathing and meditationBehavioural
yogic breathing exercise and meditation exercise
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| yogic breathing and meditation | Experimental | yogic breathing exercise and meditation exercise Receives: Behavioral: yogic breathing and meditation |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Depressive symptoms as assessed by the PHQ-9
The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) consists of nine questions inquiring about symptoms experienced over the past two weeks, ranging from low energy and sleep issues to feelings of hopelessness and self-harm. Each question is scored from 0 to 3, with a maximum total score of 27. Higher scores indicate more severe depressive symptomology.
Measured: change from baseline in depressive symptoms at 8 and 16 weeks
Patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9)
The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) consists of nine questions inquiring about symptoms experienced over the past two weeks, ranging from low energy and sleep issues to feelings of hopelessness and self-harm. Each question is scored from 0 to 3, with a maximum total score of 27. Higher scores indicate more severe depressive symptomology.
Measured: baseline, post-program (8th week), and 16th week
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted18 Jun 2026
- Study start22 Jul 2026
- Primary completionJun 2028 (estimated)
- Study completionJun 2029 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Spinal Cord DisordersStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by University of Alabama at BirminghamThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- 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
- Other
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 30 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Alabama at Birmingham
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Hon K. Yuen, PhD, University of Alabama at Birmingham
- Investigators
- Hon Yuen, PhD, Principal investigator, University of Alabama at Birmingham
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07655531
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- IRB-300011535 A
- Other IDs
- UAB
- Status last verified
- Jul 2026
- First submitted
- 11 Jun 2026
- Last updated
- 23 Jul 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: Adhering to laws like HIPAA or GDPR, which strictly prohibit the unauthorized distribution of personally identifiable information.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 23 Jul 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Yogic Breathing Exercise and Meditation for People With Spinal Cord Disorders
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07655531
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- IRB-300011535 A
- Conditions
- Spinal Cord Disorders
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 30 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- University of Alabama at BirminghamUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 22 Jul 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- Jun 2028 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Jun 2029 (estimated)
- First posted
- 18 Jun 2026 (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 goal of the study is to understand how well yogic breathing exercise and meditation improves breathing, fatigue, emotional well-being and quality of life in people with spinal cord disorders.
Aim 1. Evaluate the efficacy of an 8-week, virtual, coach-guided yogic breathing and meditation (YBM) program on QoL and mental health in people with spinal cord disorders.
This study will include completing several questionnaires 3 times, 8 weeks of participating in 2 sessions per week of yogic breathing exercise and meditation via Zoom and being interviewed once at the completion of the 8-week program.
Detailed description
General Information You are being asked to take part in a research study. This research study is voluntary, meaning you do not have to take part in it. The procedures, risks, and benefits are fully described further in the consent form.
Purpose The purpose of the study is to understand how well yogic breathing exercise and meditation improves breathing, fatigue, and emotional well-being in people with spinal cord injury (SCI).
Duration \& Visits You will complete several questionnaires (3 different times) that will take 30 minutes to complete each time, participate in 12-30-minute yogic breathing exercise and meditation sessions (over 8 weeks), complete a 25-minute interview and that you will be in the study for 2 months.
Overview of Procedures This study will include completing several questionnaires multiple times, 8 weeks of participating in 2 sessions per week of yogic breathing exercise and meditation via Zoom and being interviewed once.
Risks The most common risks include some tiredness and frustration while learning the yogic breathing exercise and meditation techniques. Loss of confidentiality is also a risk.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| yogic breathing and meditation | Experimental | Behavioral: yogic breathing and meditationyogic breathing exercise and meditation exercise |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 89 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (6 listed)
- spinal cord disorders
- community-dwelling adults aged ≥ 18 years
- able to follow simple, three-step verbal instructions (e.g., close your eyes, open your mouth, close your mouth)
- access to the internet and an electronic device with videoconferencing capability
- able to set up virtual sessions with/without caregiver assistance
Key exclusion criteria (3 listed)
- suicidal intent requiring emergency care
- bedridden with continuous use of noninvasive ventilation
- participating in weekly pulmonary PT, psychological therapy, or a clinical trial that could affect proposed study outcomes.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| yogic breathing and meditationyogic breathing exercise and meditation exercise | Behavioural | yogic breathing and meditation |
Primary outcome
Depressive symptoms as assessed by the PHQ-9
Time frame: change from baseline in depressive symptoms at 8 and 16 weeks
The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) consists of nine questions inquiring about symptoms experienced over the past two weeks, ranging from low energy and sleep issues to feelings of hopelessness and self-harm. Each question is scored from 0 to 3, with a maximum total score of 27. Higher scores indicate more severe depressive symptomology.
Patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9)
Time frame: baseline, post-program (8th week), and 16th week
The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) consists of nine questions inquiring about symptoms experienced over the past two weeks, ranging from low energy and sleep issues to feelings of hopelessness and self-harm. Each question is scored from 0 to 3, with a maximum total score of 27. Higher scores indicate more severe depressive symptomology.
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 23 Jul 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. Adhering to laws like HIPAA or GDPR, which strictly prohibit the unauthorized distribution of personally identifiable information.
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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.
Hon Yuen, PhD principal investigator
University of Alabama at Birmingham
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing yogic breathing and meditation in people with Spinal Cord Disorders, run by University of Alabama at Birmingham at 1 site in United States.
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 6 inclusion and 3 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 23 Jul 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 United States. 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 Hon Yuen, PhD (12059346301, yuen@uab.edu), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Depressive symptoms as assessed by the PHQ-9 (time frame: change from baseline in depressive symptoms at 8 and 16 weeks). The study lists 2 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 23 Jul 2026.