Recovering from a traumatic limb amputation can be physically and emotionally challenging. Alongside adjusting to physical changes, many patients experience anxiety, depression, stress and a loss of self confidence. A new study suggests that yoga could help support both mental and physical recovery during rehabilitation.
The study, published in the International Journal of Yoga, was conducted by a team of researchers including Prof Dr Rajesh Sagar, Department of Psychiatry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, along with Nida Mir, Mahadev Singh Sen, Kalaivani Mani, S. Arulselvi, Subodh Kumar, Amit Gupta and Sushma Sagar.
Better Mental Health and Quality of Life
The randomised controlled trial involved 50 patients recovering from lower limb amputations caused by traumatic injuries. Participants either received standard treatment or standard treatment alongside supervised yoga sessions.
The findings showed that patients who practiced yoga reported lower levels of depression, anxiety and stress compared with those receiving routine care alone. They also experienced greater improvements in overall quality of life, particularly in physical, psychological and environmental wellbeing.
Improved Self Esteem and Prosthesis Use
Researchers observed that yoga participants showed earlier improvements in self esteem and confidence. Interestingly, patients in the yoga group also wore their prosthetic limbs for longer periods each day, suggesting greater comfort and adaptation during recovery.
According to the study, regular yoga practice may help individuals cope better with the emotional and psychological effects of amputation while supporting rehabilitation efforts.
A Low Cost Addition to Rehabilitation
The researchers noted that yoga is a simple, accessible and low cost intervention that can easily be incorporated into existing rehabilitation programmes. The benefits appeared to increase over time, highlighting the importance of consistent practice.
The study concluded that combining yoga with standard physiotherapy may help improve quality of life, reduce depression and anxiety, boost self esteem and support better prosthesis use among people recovering from lower limb amputations. While larger studies are needed, the findings point to yoga as a promising complementary therapy for long term recovery and wellbeing.
