A recent study has been released stating that back pain can be effectively treated using traditional meditative practices such as yoga. This kind of pain is typically experienced by middle-aged individuals and older and is a great alternative to harmful painkillers.
Despite the medicine that your doctor has prescribed you, this research could revolutionise the lives of many. The research was led by researchers based at the Boston Medical Center and included yoga teachers, physiotherapists and doctors. The research even suggests that a yoga class can be equally as effective as physical therapy.
During the class examined, the trained instructors led the class through a series of gentle poses. These poses included child’s pose, cat-cow and the triangle pose. These are all simple relaxation techniques and poses. The more difficult poses were left out. This is important as strenuous poses could do more harm than good. The idea is to slowly build up the difficult to compliment the strength of your back.
There has even been a release of a complimentary guidebook, teaching and educating you about the poses that were performed in the class. It’s written in the form of a training manual and can be found here.
The results of this study were released Monday here. The researchers made sure that all the results were set out in accordance with the American College of Physicians and their guidelines on treating back pain. It’s suggested that individuals who experience back pain should avoid painkillers as much as possible. Instead, you can replace these with practices such as Tai Chi, massages and yoga.
It’s worth noting that these practices should only be practised replacing painkillers if you are experiencing back pain from day to day activities. If you’re experiencing back pain due to an accident or physical injury, always consult your doctor.
The Study
The research took place among a group of 320 very diverse people from all walks of life. For the most part, these individuals were from Boston’s lower-income areas. Each one complained to be experiencing back pain of some degree. The study was conducted over the course of a year.
These 320 participants were then split into three groups. The first group was directed to attend a weekly yoga class for the following 12 weeks. The second group was told to attend around 15 physical therapy sessions. The final group was given books and newsletters to educate them. The final 40 weeks of the year, the group practising yoga was told to do at a class every week or practise at home. The PT group was told to do the same but in the form of PT.
The Results
Using a 23-point questionnaire, the researchers monitored and accessed the participants, recording the back pain that they felt throughout the course of the treatment. Surprisingly, the PT and yoga group reported the same levels of improvement over the same period.
As the study commenced, around 70% of the individuals involved were administering back pain medication. After the first three months had passed, around 50% of the individuals in the yoga and PT classes had dropped taking back pain medication. However, the educational group remained the same.
In conclusion, it’s obvious to see that yoga and physical training are equally effective in treating back pain. You don’t even have to attend a class, you can simply practice in the comfort of your own home. As with anything, always consult your doctor before coming off medication completely, especially if you are unsure of the condition of your back. However, if you begin to feel better and experience improvements, by all means, talk to your doctor about how good you’re feeling.
Have you practised yoga to help with back pain or any kind of pain or condition around the body? Let us know your experiences in the comment section below!
