| With its traditional emphasis on the integration of spine, | | | | may get a chance to see the instructor in action, and |
| mind and spirit, yoga provides an excellent form of | | | | determine whether you feel you'll get the kind of |
| back pain relief. In fact, a recent US survey revealed | | | | intelligent, individual attention and back pain treatment |
| yoga instruction and practice to be among the most | | | | that you were hoping to find. |
| successful of all back pain treatments for people who | | | | Before I extol yoga any further, however, I must |
| were not incapacitated by their back pain. And those | | | | interject a note of caution: Many formal yoga positions |
| participants who were troubled by osteoarthritis, neck | | | | are dangerous to attempt during any episode of pain. |
| pain and scoliosis found it particularly effective. | | | | This is especially true for just-recovering back |
| The word yoga means 'unity' or 'harmony'. Yoga is a | | | | sufferers. |
| way of healing the body through exercises that | | | | At least two regular yoga positions could actually |
| combine postures, movements and breathing | | | | cause considerable injury to your back if you tried to |
| techniques. | | | | perform them while you were in pain, or before you |
| To the extent that stretching and strengthening your | | | | had developed the necessary flexibility. One is the |
| body is helpful - and I believe this beyond a doubt - | | | | Cobra, which calls for you to lie on your stomach and |
| yoga instruction can be an excellent treatment for | | | | arch your back by raising your head and chest. The |
| back pains. To the extent that stress contributes to | | | | other is the Plough, in which you lie on your back, then |
| back pain yoga instruction can bring significant relief. | | | | raise your straightened legs (ouch!) up and over your |
| The yoga philosophy of never forcing or straining, and | | | | head, until you can touch your toes behind your head. |
| of moving in a fluid, meditative manner, makes | | | | Here's one yoga exercise that you can perform |
| excellent sense for people with back problems. But | | | | anywhere, as it involves nothing more than deep |
| yoga philosophy also encompasses the harmony of | | | | breathing to help you relax and tone your abdominal |
| mind, body and spirit - a concept that is difficult for | | | | muscles: |
| some back pain sufferers to grasp, or to take | | | | |
| seriously. Although yoga traces its history back to the | | | | 1. Start by taking a deep breath from your abdomen. |
| Hindu culture of India, it is not a religion. | | | | (Put your fingers on your belly to convince yourself |
| A few of the US survey participants learned yoga | | | | that it - and not just your chest - is expanding.) |
| entirely on their own, from books and articles. But | | | | 2. Keep inhaling through your nose for 6 seconds. |
| those who were helped the most got started with | | | | 3. Hold the air inside your lungs for 3 seconds. |
| professional and personalized instruction. Not all yoga | | | | 4. Exhale through your mouth for 7 seconds. As you |
| teachers have the experience or the desire to work | | | | do so, let yourself go limp. |
| effectively with people who report a history of back | | | | 5. Repeat this series of steps a few times, alternating |
| problems. Some of them, however, possess advanced | | | | the deep breaths with normal breaths (in order to |
| degrees in exercise physiology and may be especially | | | | avoid the risk of hyperventilating). |
| qualified to prescribe exercise. An important | | | | Five minutes spent in this kind of deep, relaxed |
| determinant of success is the instructor's willingness to | | | | breathing can make you feel both invigorated and |
| modify the therapy to suit your needs. | | | | relaxed. Try it during your peak work hours, and judge |
| If yoga instruction is available where you live, drop by | | | | the effect for yourself. |
| the school or studio and speak to an instructor. You | | | | |