Health
News
Yoga – take regularly for back pain and depression
Yoga beats medication for relief of lower back pain, say scientists
Next time your lower back starts giving you gyp, leave the painkillers in the cupboard and get out your yoga mat. A three-year study, carried out by West Virginia University and published in the September 2009 issue of the journal Spine, has encouraging news for anyone who suffers from chronic low-back problems. The study found that people who did yoga postures were better at overcoming pain and depression than people in the control group, who received normal medical treatment.
"The yoga group had less pain, less functional disability and less depression compared with the control group," said Kimberly Williams, PhD, research assistant professor in the Department of Community Medicine. "These were statistically significant and clinically important changes that were maintained six months after the intervention."
Ninety people took part in the study. Those who were in the yoga group did 90-minute yoga classes twice a week for 24 weeks, taught by certified Iyengar yoga instructors. The classes focused on postures aimed at relieving chronic low-back pain. The participants were followed up for six months after their yoga classes or medical therapy finished.
"This news is not something that surprises us at all," says Philippe Harian, chairperson of the Iyengar Yoga Association. "One of the worst things about back ache, especially for older people, is the feeling that there’s nothing you can do about it. When you see your GP, there may be no obvious physiological cause for the pain, and often they can’t make a diagnosis.
"When you do yoga, there is a sense of being in control, and that does make a difference. If I overdo it in the garden and give myself back pain, I know that there’s something I can do to help myself."
"BackCare welcomes all research that promotes any kind of physical activity as a method of managing and treating back pain," says Patricia Watber, Research and Information Officer for BackCare, the charity for healthier backs.
"Staying active is known to be the most effective thing you can do if you have back pain and for many people yoga helps them to stay active, manage their pain and promotes general wellbeing. The fact that this research reflects the benefits of yoga is wonderful and hopefully the findings will encourage more people to consider physical activities such as yoga when trying to manage their back pain."
Useful links
- Yoga: body and soul workout
- Which type of yoga is right for you?
- Yoga poses help prevent falls
- Yoga - the non-diet way to weight loss
- Simple test to find the cause of back pain
- Vitamin D deficiency linked to lower back pain in women
- NICE guidelines for low back pain
Useful websites
BackCare - www.backcare.org.uk
Iyengar Yoga Association of the United Kingdom - www.iyengaryoga.org.uk
Information on this site is for interest only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. You should consult your own doctor about any specific health concerns.
