Yoga as Therapy: Reasonable Movements That Rejuvenate the Mind and Body After Spinal Cord Injury

People with spinal cord injury (SCI) experience long-term physical, emotional, and social challenges. Although adaptive yoga may support physical function and psychosocial well-being, its integration into rehabilitation and community care remains limited.

To explore the experiences and perceptions of yoga for people with SCI, drawing perspectives from people with SCI, healthcare providers (HCPs), and certified yoga therapists.

Using a qualitative descriptive approach, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 20 participants: people with SCI (n = 10), HCPs (n = 4), and certified yoga therapists (n = 6). Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and thematically analyzed.

Four interconnected themes were identified. Breaking Barriers to Participation highlighted financial, transportation, and access-related challenges that limited engagement in adapted yoga. Meeting People Where They Are: Yoga Therapists' Adaptability in Action emphasized the importance of instructor adaptability and inclusive teaching practices, while also describing situations where limited instructor knowledge of SCI shifted the burden of adaptation onto participants. Perceiving Benefits of Doing Yoga captured participants' experiences of physical engagement, mind-body reconnection, emotional regulation, and social inclusion. Finally, Yoga as a Pathway to Long-Term Wellness and Community Integration reflected healthcare professionals' views of yoga as a potential bridge between rehabilitation and community living, alongside perceived barriers to confident recommendation and integration.

Adaptive yoga was perceived as a promising person-centered and holistic approach for individuals with SCI. Addressing barriers related to training, access, and clinical pathways could support safer, more inclusive delivery. Cross-sector collaboration is key to embedding yoga into long-term wellness and rehabilitation systems.