Yoga eases lower back pain, study shows
New research suggests yoga is better for improving chronic back pain than treatments currently offered by GPs
Yoga can help improve lower back pain according to a new study carried out by scientists at the University of York.
The findings, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, showed that back pain sufferers recorded greater improvements in everyday physical tasks, such as walking, bending down and getting dressed if they did weekly yoga sessions.
Participants in the study were offered specially designed classes taught by experienced British Wheel of Yoga and Iyengar teachers in addition to care from their GPs. A control group just received standard NHS treatment.
The results showed that the yoga students continued to benefit from improved back function up to nine months after the end of the experiment.
It's estimated that up to 80% of the population will suffer from back pain at some point in their lives, resulting in around 4.9 million working days lost every year.
For more information visit: http://www.annals.org/content/155/9/569.abstract?aimhp
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