A new study has found that yoga isn't just good for the mind — for chronic back pain sufferers, yoga and stretching can alleviate pain and reduce dependency on pain medication.
The study, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, split
228 back pain sufferers into three treatment groups: yoga class,
stretching class, or at-home self-care with a back pain book. The yoga
group's therapy consisted of weekly 75-minute beginner viniyoga
(a style of yoga that focuses on therapeutic and individualized
practice) class as well as videos to follow daily. The stretching group
was also given videos for daily practice as well as weekly 75-minute
stretching classes that focused on stretching major muscle groups and
strength training. The self-care group used the book The Back Pain Helpbook.
