Yoga May Be Beneficial In Alleviating Recurrent Back Pain
Nearly eight in every 10 Americans will experience back pain in some form at some point in their lives, according to the National Institutes of Health. Those who deal with this issue on a daily basis are more aware of this statistic than they would probably prefer to be, and look for any solution they can find to make their constant struggle a little bit easier.
For those whose conditions are serious enough to cause regular pain in the cervical (upper) or lumbar (lower) back but not severe enough to warrant back surgery, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications or muscle relaxants are sometimes prescribed. Additionally, physical therapy and core stabilization exercises are often recommended by orthopedic medical professionals.
With the latter treatment type in mind, chronic back pain sufferers who enjoy yoga or have an interest in it may be able to use this to their benefit. According to CNN, a new study appearing in the Archives of Internal Medicine has confirmed that yoga may be particularly helpful in relieving back pain - more so than other forms of exercise except stretching.
The study found that specific types of yoga exercises were necessary for relief to be felt. Exercises should be in keeping with those used in therapeutic or restorative types of yoga, and be focused on the back and legs. If the wrong kinds of exercises are performed, relief might not be experienced, and in some cases the pain might even become worse.
Additionally, if you're hoping to try yoga to reduce your back pain, try a beginner's class first. If you're already a yoga practitioner and have some experience with more advanced exercises, this rule should still be observed. You may also want to seek out advice from a yoga instructor who has experience dealing with those suffering from the same sort of discomfort as you.
Have you considering using yoga for any therapeutic purpose?
