Performing yoga has helped many people to manage their back pain; it also leads to an improvement in mood and ability to function.  Patient who practice yoga have more success in pain management than those who reply on only conventional treatment. In a recent study, a group of people were tasked with attending a yoga class for two months, of those who completed the study, 28% of those reported functional disability reduction and 42% reported a increased reduction in the amount of back pain they encountered.  

Between 68 and 86 percent of the current population currently experience some sort of back pain over the course of their lifetime, of this percentage, the majority suffer from chronic pain. The estimated health care cost of treatment is about $35 billion dollar yearly.  Yoga has played a pivotal role in reducing the need for extensive medical treatment; it has also improved the overall health of the population.

Types of Yoga That Help With Back Pain

A lot if research has gone into yoga and its effects on back pain. Hatha yoga has been shown to improve mood and as lessen the pain, Viniyoga which is the therapeutic form of yoga, has been proven to offer a significant amount of improvement over standard treatment. Viniyoga is successful by utilizing its breathing methods to help overcome pain. Another type, Iyengar yoga, utilizes proper body alignment techniques to reduce the effects of lower back pain. Iyengar yoga is highly regarded and used by students who follow yoga.

The Benefits of Yoga Exercise to Reduce Back Pain

Yoga helps with back pain by strengthening the muscles in your back that surround your spine.  The positions held during yoga are not intended to be uncomfortable, but when you first begin, there can be a small amount of discomfort while your body adjusts. The muscle groups are improved by concentrating on using only those groups through targeted movements and poses.  The positions used in yoga strengthen your abs and back, this conditioning allows you to sit with the proper upright posture which allows back pain to diminish over time. The training allows your entire body to gain suppleness and to gain health; regular practice is required to maintain the benefits gained such as an improved overall posture, added sense of body balance and proper spinal alignment.

Back Pain and Stretching

Tension and stress are among some of the main factors that cause back pain. Yoga uses relaxing moves along with stretching to help reduce the negative effects on the muscles. Most poses are held form ten second up to one minute. During the pose, you may be asked to flex some portion of your body while allowing other parts to stretch and relax. Stretching is very important for sufferers of lower back pain. Not only does the blood flow increase, but it also allows the motion in the pelvis to be expanded which relives pressure from the spine.  Yoga also helps the student become more aware of their body. By understanding your limitations as well as the effects of posture and movements on each part, you are able to change your daily habits in a way that allow you to decrease the overall amount of pain you feel in your lower back and other parts of your body.