Purveyor of Aqua Yoga Resources 

Unfortunately, there is no research on the benefits of aqua yoga and its efficacy for arthritis patients compared to aquatic exercise in general or compared to land-based yoga.  I do think it’s important to keep up on related research to keep one’s practice and teachings evidence-based.

As I come across papers relevant to aqua exercise and arthritis, I will post them, and hopefully one day, we’ll see some research on aqua yoga. I’ve kept this list current by excluding research more than 10 years old.

“Aqua Yoga for Arthritis” Research

Extrapolate as desired…

Aqua Yoga for Arthritis Research- Links to Full Papers:

A pragmatic randomised controlled trial of hydrotherapy and land exercises on overall well being and quality of life in rheumatoid arthritis

A randomized controlled trial of aquatic and land-based exercise in patients with knee osteoarthritis

Aquatic exercise for the treatment of knee and hip osteoarthritis

Aquatic Exercise Program for Individuals With Osteoarthritis: Pain, Stiffness, Physical Function, Self-Efficacy

Conceptualized Framework of Spinal and Pelvic Stabilization using Alternative Methodology of Pilates and Yoga

Effect of aquatic physical therapy on pain perception, functional capacity and quality of life in older people with knee osteoarthritis: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Effect of Therapeutic Aquatic Exercise on Symptoms and Function Associated With Lower Limb Osteoarthritis:  Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis

Effects of aquatic exercise on muscle strength and functional performance of individuals with osteoarthritis: a systematic review

Effectiveness of Aquatic Exercises in Women With Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Randomized, Controlled, 16-Week Intervention—The HydRA Trial

Hydrotherapy Versus Conventional Land-Based Exercise for the Management of Patients With Osteoarthritis of the Knee:  A Randomized Clinical Trial

Is aquatic exercise more effective than land-based exercise for knee osteoarthritis?

Perception and responses to different forms of aqua-based exercise among older adults with osteoarthritis

Physiotherapist-designed aquatic exercise programme for community-dwelling elders with osteoarthritis of the knee: a Hong Kong pilot study

Systematic review and meta-analysis comparing land and aquatic exercise for people with hip or knee arthritis on function, mobility and other health outcomes

The PICO project: aquatic exercise for knee osteoarthritis in overweight and obese individuals

Aqua Yoga for Arthritis Research- Links to Abstracts only:

A randomized and controlled trial of hydrotherapy in rheumatoid arthritis

Aquatic exercise & balneotherapy in musculoskeletal conditions

Community-based aquatic exercise and quality of life in persons with osteoarthritis

Comparing the efficacy of aquatic exercises and land-based exercises for patients with knee osteoarthritis

Comparative effects of 2 aqua exercise programs on physical function, balance, and perceived quality of life in older adults with osteoarthritis

Effect of aquatic exercise on ankylosing spondylitis: a randomized controlled trial

Effects of progressive aquatic resistance training on symptoms and quality of life in women with knee osteoarthritis: A secondary analysis

Effectiveness of aquatic exercise for obese patients with knee osteoarthritis: a randomized controlled trial

The effectiveness of aquatic physical therapy intervention on disease activity and function of ankylosing spondylitis patients: a meta-analysis

Effects of an exercise and relaxation aquatic program in patients with spondyloarthritis: A randomized trial

Force during functional exercises on land and in water in older adults with and without knee osteoarthritis: Implications for rehabilitation

The effect of aquatic exercise and education on lowering fall risk in older adults with hip osteoarthritis

The effects of balance and postural stability exercises on spa based rehabilitation programme in patients with ankylosing spondylitis

This post was last updated 5.6.20

If you want help applying aqua yoga research to your arthritis, join my Aqua Yoga for Arthritis course.

I’ve taught 100’s of people and helped them achieve results that improved their daily lives like:

🧘 getting on and off the floor again

🤻 being able to use the stairs

🚶 ditching the assistive devices

👟 throwing out the sensible shoes

🧎 rehabbing after joint replacements,

🛌 and getting a decent night’s sleep.

And finally, I get to do that for you long-distance too. The Aqua Yoga for Arthritis course is the culmination of hundreds of hours of training geared towards exercise and pain management for arthritis. As well as my lived experience of managing multiple kinds of arthritis through yoga.

Yoga improves arthritis through more than movement and the course gives you a suite of resources to apply the full 8 limbs of yoga. From a professionally produced practice class for the days you feel good and want to build strength and flexibility, to a downloadable workbook for the days when a physical practice isn’t possible. Plus a private session with me so you can customize all these techniques to your type of arthritis.