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Wednesday, September 16, 2009
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Yoga Really Can Heal Your Back |
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When you know something is right, you don’t require mountains of proof, but validation sure is nice every once in a while. So, when the news blasted through the popular media that yoga has a positive effect on chronic lower back pain, the validation train arrived.
Sometimes it seems monotonous to continue to respond to the multitude of reports that tout all the ways that yoga is of benefit to our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health. It can feel if you are responding to the same things over and over again. But, when it’s right, it’s right. Yoga, in particular Hatha Yoga, when practiced correctly does help heal our physical bodies in a profound way. It also eases our minds lifting us out of the secondary effects of our physical ailments. The more studies that are done the more we find that yoga truly is a panacea for so many physical, mental and emotional ailments. Hundreds if not thousands of dedicated yoga practitioners stepped on this path through an effort to address physical pain, often low back pain. Chronic low back pain currently plagues our Western society. In this country, we are spending $50 billion each year on low back pain related treatments. Low back pain is the most common cause of job-related disability, and is the one of the most common neurological ailment in the United States, second only to headaches. The experience of chronic low back pain can be so uncomfortable and debilitating that it often has mental and emotional side effects, leading to depression and sometimes drug abuse. Low back injury and pain is one of the most common causes for missed work, which can snowball into a lot of other difficult life situations. The study that followed 90 people for six months concluded that the participants who were practicing yoga twice a week experienced both a significant reduction in discomfort and increased functionality at both the three and six month marks. The participants who were practicing yoga also reported decreased symptoms of depression. It is sigmificant to note that the style of yoga that was practiced by participants in the study was Iyengar yoga. Iyengar yoga is a style of hatha yoga that concentrates heavily on principles of alignment and safety. It incorporates the use of props and modifications to create safety and comfort in a wide variety of asanas that may have seemed inaccessible to people with low back pain otherwise. For the asanas to have a sustainable effect on the source and effect of pain, it is important that they be practiced correctly. Iyengar yoga teaches correct alignment and safety within asana which can be of great benefit therapeutically. Conversely, when done incorrectly or without awareness, the effect of asana practice can either help or exacerbate existing low back pain. Depending on the individual and the source of the pain, some yoga asanas might be counterindicated. So, it is important to find a knowledgeable and well-trained yoga teacher to guide you if you are embarking on a yoga practice specifically to address low back issues. All styles of yoga can be beneficial, if the instructor is has a strong understanding of the principles of safety and alignment. Has the practice of yoga had an effect on your low back pain? We would love to hear your story. 5 Comments
I am a firm believer that yoga therapy works. I have experienced it first hand with many avenues of pain, from back pain to strengthening my heart. I pulled my quadratus lumborum, periformus, si joint and gluteus maximum all at one time. I was literally breathless and knocked flat on my back and couldn't move. I was alone at time...so you could imagine. Needlessto say, I committed myself to a yoga practice specifically designed for healing my back issues. I did not use medication. It is a blessing to have such tools before us. Namaste.
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October 01, 2009
After spending 24 years in the Marine Corps, physically abusing my body, having lifted weights incorrectly for years, training for marathons and triathlons, I believed I would not make it past 60 years. Yoga not only realigned me structurally, but I feel I am in the best condition of my life. After years of chronic back and neck issues, I am nearly pain-free. Because it has been transformative (in two short years), I have begun an instructor course in order to help others achieve the same liberation.
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October 04, 2009
yoga therapy absolutely works. I suffer from scoliosis, and due to my predominately Ashtanga based yoga practice, I blew out my sacroilliac joint. I worked with a yoga terapist for about a year, and I could return to my practice with minimal pain. i would recommend it to anyone who suffers from chronic pain.
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October 04, 2009
As a yoga instructor, I teach Hatha using the Iyengar principles of mindful alignment and postural awareness. Working safely allows students to hold poses longer with a sense of ease... healing on multiple layers. So many of my students have shared that this level of focus and mindfulness in their practice has not only helped relieve chronic pain but has enhanced their overall well-being and their abilities to manage life off the mat.
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October 05, 2009
I feel I have to add to this article. While article speaks much about the direct cause and effect (good or bad) between yoga and back pain, I missed any mention of general benefits of yoga in combating back pain (indirectly).
I want to highlight how back pain in general is often cause by stressors in our lives. When we are stressed, or stretched beyond our capacity to handle "life" - the way our bodies sometimes react with pain, soreness or illness. Where does that pain and soreness come from more often than not? Our lower backs. Yoga, thankfully, is a great way to balance life stressors with relaxing. 5
October 14, 2009
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All contents copyright 2001-2007 Timothy Burgin and Yogabasics.com. All rights reserved. Om shanti peace.
Please consult your health care practitioner before starting a yoga, pranayama or other exercise program.
All contents copyright 2001-2007 Timothy Burgin and Yogabasics.com. All rights reserved. Om shanti peace.
