For my first literary contribution,
I decided to spread the word about something that has been a new revelation to
me. As a certified strength and
conditioning coach and physical therapy student, I have been repeatedly encouraged
to try yoga. I had my first real
introduction this past year, thanks to a professor of mine at Campbell
University who is also a yoga instructor. As a warm-up for lab each day, she would
take our class through 45 minutes of basic yoga poses, and I’ve been intrigued
ever since. As a result, I’ve conducted an investigation to discover how yoga
can serve as rehabilitation and as preventative medicine. So far, this is what
I have learned….
First and foremost, I think it is important
to know that the word “yoga” means “union.”
The concept behind the entire practice is synchronization of the body.
There are over 840,000 poses, so to learn yoga in its entirety would take years.
In a 2002 literature review, Raub narrowed it down to 84 essential poses, making
yoga more bite-sized for anyone who wants to consider themselves well rounded
in this practice.
As far as I can tell, there are numerous ways to reap yoga’s
rehabilitative benefits. The muscle synchronization yoga affords is essential
for ensuring proper alignment of joints while performing simple tasks. This, in
turn, helps ameliorate degenerative diseases such as arthritis. Garfinkel et al. published literature in 1994
and in 1998 which found that yoga can significantly reduce pain and improve
function for those diagnosed with osteoarthritis of the hand and carpal tunnel.
Pain in the hand is just one example of
an ailment that can be reduced by yoga; its benefits can be applied throughout
the body.
Yoga has also been shown to be
effective in rehabilitation for patients with lung and heart dysfunction. Individuals with chronic bronchitis and
asthma who practiced daily saw vast improvements in lung function and exercise
tolerance. Greater improvements were seen in people who practiced yoga more
frequently. In another study, up to 70% of patients were able to reduce the
frequency of their prescribed asthma medications. Raub’s aforementioned review found
that yoga and its associated lifestyle changes can greatly slow the progression
of heart disease and help control blood pressure. Each condition I just named is extremely
common in the United States, making yoga a relevant treatment approach for the
majority of our patient population.
In addition to
alleviating cardiothoracic issues, yoga has been indicated in bettering
cardiovascular function. In healthy
adults, the heart and lung response significantly increases with short burst
high intensity and long duration low intensity activity, as seen in yoga. In
other words, whether you are training for a specific sport or just want to be
able to walk in the park for longer with your family, yoga can help improve
performance in a variety of tasks.
I’d also like to touch on a
literature finding that may fall outside my scope of practice. Yoga presents
significant psychological benefits in addition to its physical ones. It has been shown to help drastically reduce
signs of depression, anxiety, stress, and other mood-related disorders. When compared with weight lifting and
endurance exercise, yoga is favored in the research for mental health treatment.
If you’re looking for an exercise that comes with peace of mind, yoga may be the
way to go for you.
In terms of preventative medicine,
I think yoga is a beautiful thing. So many injuries occur when we ask our
muscles to activate a position in which they have not been trained. For
example, when we try and throw from a different angle, or when we catch a
falling object awkwardly. Yoga has been shown to significantly improve
flexibility and the ability to activate musculature throughout a full range of
motion, thus preventing overstretch injuries.
Finally, the muscle synchronization
I mentioned earlier can help with core activation. My upcoming post, “What
Health Professionals Mean By the Core,” will give a full explanation of what
the core is. But for now, understand
that our ability to activate trunk musculature while performing any movement
significantly reduces the chance of injury because of the body’s ability to
stabilize itself.
So, it helps. That’s why I’m going
to do it. My takeaway from all the
clinical trials is that the more you do yoga, the more it helps. For starters, it might be a good idea to get
a coach to ensure you are performing poses with the proper form. In her review, Claire Collins provides a useful
guide for finding a coach. I’ve included this guide in the chart below. Hope I
have conveyed my knowledge on this topic clearly, and thanks for reading!
Guidelines for Choosing a Yoga Instructor
|
1.
Has completed intensive training in yoga
philosophy and practice
|
|
2.
Engages in an intensive and ongoing yoga
practice
|
|
3.
Has several years of teaching experience, with
students at varying levels of experience
|
|
4.
Participates in continuing education beyond
initial yoga teacher training
|
|
5.
Is knowledgeable of the medical
contraindications of postures and adaptions of postures for students with
physical limitations
|
|
6.
Uses teaching methods that incorporate
instruction on safe performance of postures with breathing awareness and
focus on internal experience
|
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7.
Conducts classes in a professional manner
|
|
8.
Maintains ethical standards and avoids
exploitation of students
|
Greg Gebler, SPT, CSCS
1.
Collins, C. (1998), Yoga: Intuition, Preventive
Medicine, and Treatment. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, & Neonatal
Nursing, 27: 563–568. doi:10.1111/j.1552-6909.1998.tb02623.x
2.
Raub JA. Psychophysiologic effects of Hatha Yoga
on musculoskeletal and cardiopulmonary function: a literature review. Journal
of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.). 2002;8:797-812.
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