Physical Activity Interventions To Heal Chronic Low Back Pain

This study will advance understanding on the mechanisms that mediate improved outcomes for chronic low back pain and provide specific directions for optimizing physical activity interventions for this population.

Inclusion Criteria: \- Age \> 18; Report of low back pain \>3 of last 6 months; Willing to attend 12-weeks of yoga or stretching (twice per week); Willing to complete 4 assessments; English Literacy; No changes in pain treatments in the past month; Willing to not change pain treatments during study unless medically necessary; Have not practiced yoga \> 2x in the last 12 months; Exclusion Criteria: \- back surgery within the last 1 year; back pain due to specific systemic problem (e.g., lupus); lower extremity weakness (motor strength 4/5 of the quads, gluts, hamstrings, EHL); sciatica or (+) straight leg raise (SLR); coexisting chronic pain problem (migraine headaches, fibromyalgia); Serious or unstable psychiatric illness (e.g. psychosis, mania, history of suicide attempt); major coexisting medical illness (e.g., cancer, COPD, morbid obesity); Positive Romberg test (with or without sensory neuropathy).