Efficacy of yoga for posttraumatic stress disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Yoga is an increasingly popular complementary intervention to reduce posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and related comorbidities, but its safety and treatment efficacy are not firmly established. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of existing randomized control trials (RCTs) of yoga interventions for PTSD and related secondary outcomes (e.g., depression). Initial search results found over 668 potential papers. Twenty met inclusion criteria (e.g., RCTs on adult participants with PTSD that evaluated safety or efficacy outcomes). Meta-analysis indicated that, compared to control interventions, participation in yoga interventions significantly improved self-report PTSD (standardized mean difference [SMD]: -0.51; 95 % confidence interval [CI]: -0.68, -0.35) and immediate (SMD: -0.39; 95 % CI: -0.56, -0.22) and long-term (SMD: -0.44; 95 % CI: -0.74, -0.13) depression symptoms. However, using clinician-reported assessments, yoga interventions were not associated with improved PTSD symptoms. Type of yoga differentially predicted outcomes. Sensitivity analysis showed consistent effect sizes when omitting each study from main analyses. Six studies reported whether any serious adverse events occurred. None were indicated. No publication bias was found, although individual intervention studies tended to be high in bias. Results suggest yoga is likely a safe and effective complementary intervention for reducing PTSD and depressive symptoms in individuals with PTSD. More rigorous RCTs are warranted.