The Group Health Cooperative Center for Health Studies of Seattle has revealed that chronic lower back pain can be cured through yoga. As many as 101 adults who suffer from back pain were assessed by the study. The people who practiced yoga for 75 minutes every week displayed greater progress when compared to those who participated in stretching and strengthening classes.
Yoga has also been found to be more useful than self-care books. After a 14-week yoga session, it was found that the use of pain relieving drugs came down drastically. The research was conducted by Dr Karen Sherman. Western medicine recommends pain relievers like muscle relaxants and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), in addition to exercise.The most common yoga poses appear to be the 17 poses of viniyoga. This is also a very easy style which can be easily mastered by beginners. Sherman suggested that an experienced instructor should guide those who wish to practice yoga, as the practice has also resulted in injuries due to the wrong methods adopted.
The focus of viniyoga, is on coordinating the focus of the mind with the breath. It is also possible that those who practice yoga become aware of the problems which result from their habitual movements. Yoga has no effect on spinal disc injuries, while it may work with regard to soft tissue and nerves, in addition to back pain which involves the muscles.The art of yoga cannot be simply be looked upon as a 'magic treatment'.
The muscles of the body can also be strengthened by a good posture and physical activity. Yoga also gives rise to fewer debilitating symptoms when compared to other forms of treatments. The UK alone has 2.5 million people suffering from chronic back pain, resulting in over 1 million GP referrals. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine funded the research.
