I was thrilled to see a recent article on the NPR website about a study showing yoga can help with back pain. Most people who are new to yoga have heard that it's good for your back. However, the danger is that if it's not the right kind of yoga for your body, it can actually do more harm than good.
We see many students at the studio where I teach, A Gentle Way Yoga (www.agentleway.com), walk in with numerous things going on with their body. Some examples are arthritis, injuries such as herniated discs, spinal fusions, people healing from knee and hip replacements, etc. Not to mention just basic wear and tear that we all experience with age. We also see students who have taken yoga classes in the past and gotten injured.
It's very important to find the right type of yoga class when a student is experiencing challenges or recovering from an injury or surgery. A class that is too fast or strenuous will not be beneficial to someone with back pain, and may cause further damage. It's so important to learn to listen to your body, to breathe and to slow down.
I love how the NPR article talks about gentle yoga being as effective as Physical Therapy. Maybe one day yoga will be covered in our health insurance??
Namaste!
http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/06/20/533505211/study-finds-yoga-can-help-back-pain-but-keep-it-gentle-with-these-poses
