Tadasana yoga maneuver beneficial for vasovagal syncope patients: JACC study.

The tadasana yoga manoeuvre was repeated for 8 to 12 cycles twice daily while consciously breathing in a relaxed manner.

Before treatment, the conventional-group patients experienced 163 syncope or near-syncope events. At follow-up, 22 symptom recurrences occurred in 12 patients (23%). In the tadasana group, 61 had 378 syncope/near-syncope events before treatment; at follow-up, only 6 events occurred in 5 patients (8%).

Per patient, total events declined from a mean of 6 ± 9 to 0.1 ± 0.4. Syncope events diminished from 108 in 48 patients to 0, and near-syncope events declined from 269 in 33 patients to 6 in 5 patients.

The reduction in mean total events was greater in the tadasana group than in the conventional group. Tadasana resulted in greater reduction in both and near-syncope.

Tadasana increases venous return and lower limb muscle tone and coordinates breathing, which may help stabilize autonomic tone. "Although tadasana posture resembles isometric exercise, it is a movement-based contemplative practice that gradually corrects orthostatic imbalance by strengthening protective neuromuscular reflexes", note authors. To conclude, adjunctive practice of a yoga maneuver—tadasana—along with conventional therapy appears to reduce susceptibility to reflex VVS.

Source: JACC CE: https://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3807017