Yoga alleviates pain caused by chronic back disorders, study finds

Individuals who practice yoga show greater improvement in overcoming low back pain than people who are treated conventionally, according to a report.

In the three-year study, funded by the National Institutes of Health, researchers from West Virginia University found that individuals with back pain who took part in 90-minute Iyengar yoga classes twice a week for 24 weeks had a greater likelihood of elevated moods, less pain, and improved function than individuals who received standard medical therapy.

"These were statistically significant and clinically important changes that were maintained six months after the intervention," said Kimberly Williams, research assistant professor in the university's Department of Community Medicine. "Proponents of yoga have long described its benefits in reducing back pain, but not everybody was convinced. This is a much bigger, much more rigorous evaluation than had been done before."

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Iyengar yoga emphasizes postures that encourage strength, flexibility and balance.

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October 26, 2009

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