ABSTRACT
Background: Evidence suggests yoga is a safe and effective intervention for the management of physical and psychosocial symptoms associated with neurological conditions. However, heterogeneity in the components and reporting of clinical yoga trials impedes both the generalization of study results and the replication of study protocols. The aim of this Delphi survey was to address these issues of heterogeneity, by developing a list of recommendations of key components for the design and reporting of yoga interventions for neurological conditions. Methods: Recognized experts involved in the design, conduct, and teaching of yoga for neurological conditions were identified, and invited to contribute to the Delphi survey. 12 of the 38 experts contacted agreed to participate. Round 1 presented an open-ended question, allowing panelists to individually identify components they considered key to the design and reporting of yoga interventions for neurological conditions. Results: Twelve panelists completed the one round of the Delphi survey. Panelists provided 35 comments to the Round 1 question. These comments were then reduced to 13 items such as breathing exercises, posture, cognition, meditation, balance, etc. Conclusions: Expert have provided a non-prescriptive reference list for the design and reporting of yoga interventions for neurological conditions. It is anticipated that future research incorporating the Delphi guidelines will facilitate high quality international research in this field, increase homogeneity of intervention components and parameters, and enhance the comparison and reproducibility of research into the use of yoga for the management of neurological conditions.