The Effect of Yoga Therapy on Post-operative Side-effects Among Women With Breast Cancer

Women being allocated to the intervention group will attend a 12-week, bi-weekly, specially designed yoga therapy course. In each yoga class, participants will be taught to perform a standardized yoga sequence including postures and breathing exercise. Each class lasts 60 minutes. A DVD demonstrating the yoga sequence will be given to each participant to prompt daily home practice.

Women being allocated to the active control group will attend a 12-week, weekly, relaxation course. In each relaxation class, participants will be taught to learn mediation and guided relaxation, called Shavasana. Participants will be asked to lie on their back, with legs apart and their eyes closed. During the practice, participants learn how to relax the body and breath normally. Each session lasts 60 minutes.

The passtive control intervention will be the standard post-operative exercises which are currently introduced to women following surgery, for all women allocated to the control group. A DVD demonstrating the post-operative exercise will be given to participants to practice at home daily.