Yoga, a mind-body exercise practice that people have done for literally thousands of years. But did you know that this now popular exercise could be used to help treat pain?
"Annals of Internal Medicine" published a study that followed 313 individuals with lower back pain. They found that a weekly yoga class improved mobility more effectively than standard medical care and medication for the condition.
It is important to remeber that the human body is one big Kinetic Chain. When your muscles are "tight" they will cause imbalances in posture and mobility in their specific area of the body. When this occurs, other muscles will then have to aid in providing stability and mobility. This then of course places stress these muscles, who now have extra work to do. Like dominos falling one after the other, your whole musculoskelatal system is now out of balance in trying its best to keep you functional.
This is where the benefits of Yoga come into play. After a few weeks of consistent yoga practice, the body will begin to loosen and the once tight muscles can now relax and not have to put in the "extra hours" to help keep you stable. Especially after the body has recovered from a surgery or injury, the body needs to be tuned back into place.
It is imperative for us to look at the body as one big beautiful chain when trying to alleviate pain. Yes, sometimes medication is the best form of treatment, but it is important to remember that there are many tools out there. And when used in unison, these tools can be a very safe, healthy, and powerful modality of treating chronic pain.
