Introduction: Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is a common condition that affects both the physical and mental health of individuals. Many patients with CLBP also experience anxiety and depression, often in more severe forms. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine, through a literature review, the effects of yoga practice on depression, anxiety, and quality of life in patients with chronic low back pain. The study also aims to compare the effects of yoga with those of conventional exercise. Methods: We conducted a systematic review of scientific literature in the PubMed, Cobiss, and Cinahl databases. We used the following keywords: chronic low back pain AND yoga AND anxiety OR depression OR quality of life. We did not limit our search to the year of publication. The quality of the studies was evaluated by the PEDro scale. We analyzed the studies based on their research design, characteristics of the participants and interventions, measurement tools, and main findings. Results: In the literature review, we included seven randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and one that includes a systematic review of multiple RCTs, rated between seven and eight on the PEDro scale. The findings from six of the studies showed that yoga significantly reduced anxiety and depression and improved quality of life for patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP). It was found that yoga practice is more effective than education and conventional exercise in improving the mental health of people with CLBP, and comparably effective to physiotherapy treatment. In one of the two other studies, an improvement in quality of life was observed, while the other showed a greater reduction in anxiety and depression, but there were no statistically significant differences between groups, which points to the need for further research to confirm these effects. Discussion and Conclusion: The results across the studies were not significantly different, despite the various approaches used in the programs. This further confirms the versatile effectiveness of yoga and its potential as an additional therapy in rehabilitation. The evidence supports yoga as a beneficial, non-invasive intervention for chronic CLBP, offering both physical and mental health benefits. Including yoga in public healthcare could provide individuals with a cost-effective and holistic treatment option. However, further research is needed to determine which specific elements of yoga are most effective and how different types of yoga can be tailored to individual needs for managing chronic CLBP. Future studies should include larger sample sizes, longer follow-ups, and more standardized interventions.
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