Yoga studies on pain management

[Harrison]

Yoga and Stretching Can Help Relieve Bad Backs

Chanting "om" might help ease your aching back, but only if it comes at the end of yoga practice. A new study finds that the physical act of doing yoga — but not its meditative aspect — may help reduce symptoms of chronic back pain.

Based on smaller previous studies, researchers thought it was some combination of yoga's stretching and its mental elements — deep breathing and relaxation — that improved back sufferers' function. But the current study found that yoga worked no better than intensive stretching alone, suggesting that it's the physical exercise, not the mindfulness component of yoga, that matters.

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Read more: Yoga and Stretching Can Help Relieve Bad Backs – TIME Healthland

PS: Yoga not recommended for patients without proper instruction from doctors AND trainers

[banhorn]

I know yoga helped me a great deal with my back, until my L4-5 got really bad.

I found this study as well that shed some light on the subject. I only wish I had started with yoga 15 years ago instead of 5.

Yoga and disc degenerative disease in cervical a... [Eur Spine J. 2011] - PubMed - NCBI

Again, always check with your doc first.

[laid up doc]

i plan to do a lot of yoga and pilates once cleared to do so... as well as everything i can do ergonomically to protect my spine at work, etc. i don't EVER want to go through this nonsense again!