In the heart of bustling cities and quiet neighborhoods alike, a gentle revolution is unfolding within classrooms and living rooms, one that promises to reshape the landscape of children's health and education. At its core is yoga, an ancient practice now emerging as a beacon of hope for the younger generation. With its unique blend of physical postures, breathing exercises, and mindfulness techniques, yoga offers a comprehensive approach to enhancing the well-being, creativity, and focus of children across the globe. Despite its vast potential, the integration of yoga into educational settings remains a path less traveled, with its benefits often overlooked in favor of more conventional methods. Yet, as awareness grows, a growing number of schools and families are beginning to embrace yoga, weaving it into the fabric of children's daily routines to support their overall development.

While studies have illuminated the myriad benefits of yoga for children, including improved balance, coordination, mental clarity, and emotional regulation, its incorporation into the educational curriculum is sporadic at best. However, educators and parents who have ventured to integrate yoga into their environments report significant improvements in children's physical health, emotional stability, and academic performance. Through engaging activities such as storytelling, songs, games, and interactive poses, yoga captivates the imagination and attention of its young practitioners, making it an ideal tool for fostering a sense of accomplishment, compassion, and patience.

Yoga's holistic impact extends beyond the physical, touching the lives of children with special needs, including those with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Research highlights yoga's ability to enhance communication skills, self-regulation, and physical activity-related skills in children with ASD, offering a supplementary treatment that complements traditional therapies. Furthermore, yoga's emphasis on breathwork, as outlined in resources, introduces children to effective stress and anxiety management techniques, boosting their immunity and improving focus. These benefits underscore the importance of incorporating yoga into children's routines, whether in the classroom or at home.

The practice of yoga for children is distinguished by its adaptability, ensuring that each pose, breath, and moment of mindfulness is tailored to their developmental needs. As children from the age of 6 begin to explore yoga under the guidance of parents or qualified instructors, they embark on a journey of self-discovery and empowerment. With each pose, they build physical strength; with each breath, they learn to navigate their emotions; and with each moment of mindfulness, they cultivate a peaceful environment within and around them. The potential of yoga to transform the lives of children is immense, yet it remains largely untapped. As we continue to navigate a world filled with challenges and opportunities, the integration of yoga into children's health and education emerges as a beacon of hope, promising a future where wellness and mindfulness are at the forefront of our collective consciousness.

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Unlocking Potential: The Transformative Power of Yoga in Children's Health and Education - Medriva

The Indian and Japanese armies are engaging in the joint exercise Dharma Guardian in Pokhran, highlighting the collaboration and shared strategic interests between the two nations.

Integral to this exercise is the practice of yoga, underscoring its significance in enhancing physical and mental well-being.

India-Japan Exercise Dharma Guardian was underway at the Mahajan field firing ranges in Rajasthan.

Troops from both Indian and Japanese contingents actively participated in training exercises, which included navigating obstacle courses and conducting combat shooting drills.

The joint exercise signifies the deepening of military cooperation between India and Japan and underscores their commitment to enhancing interoperability and mutual understanding. The training activities aimed to strengthen the capabilities of both armies in counter-terrorism and disaster response scenarios.

Exercise Dharma Guardian serves as a platform for the exchange of best practices and the cultivation of trust and camaraderie between the Indian and Japanese armed forces. Through collaborative training initiatives, both nations aim to bolster regional stability and contribute to peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region.

As troops undergo rigorous training at the Mahajan field firing ranges, the bonds of friendship and cooperation between the two countries continue to strengthen, paving the way for enhanced strategic partnership in the years ahead.

The military exercise, aimed at fostering military cooperation and enhancing combined capabilities to execute joint operations in a semi-urban environment.

Exercise Dharma Guardian is an annual exercise conducted alternatively in India and Japan. The contingent on both sides consists of 40 personnel each. The Japanese contingent is being represented by troops from the 34th Infantry Regiment, while the battalion from the Rajputana Rifles will represent the Indian Army contingent

Recently, a Ministry of Defence press release read, Exercise Dharma Guardian will enable the two sides to share their best practices in tactics, Techniques and procedures for conducting tactical operations. The exercise will also facilitate the development of interoperability, bonhomie and camaraderie between troops on both sides. This will enhance the level of defence cooperation, further fostering bilateral relations between the two friendly nations.

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Indian, Japanese armies perform Yoga in joint exercise Dharma Guardian for mental well-being - India Narrative

In the latest episode of Shark Tank India 3, pitchers Shreya Bansal and Prateek Kedia who own a yoga mat brand. Prateek talks about how they make non-toxic, eco-friendly and pocket-friendly mats. Their ask is for Rs 60 Lakhs for 2% equity. Ritesh praises them for coming barefoot. Aman then asks Ritesh whether he does yoga, Ritesh said, "A bit, my wife is a Yoga trainer." Namita says, "I regularly do it and it has changed my life." Shreya and Prateek further talk about their lifestyle struggles. Anupam then talks about LuluLemon and how the brand makes a huge difference in athleisure wear. Namita then talks about facing challenges while finding the right yoga pants. Prateek and Shreya share their vision with the company which impresses the Sharks. They say, "We are going slow with our products, once we scale we will introduce apparel and other things." The sharks then saw the products and were quite impressed with their designs, prints for the products and more. After understanding the unit economics, profits, burn and further analysing their business, Aman and Namita give an offer. Namita says, "Two chartered accountants giving an offer to two chartered accountants." Prateek says, "Valuation bhi aapka fair hi hoga I am assuming." The offer is Rs 60 Lakhs for 3% and 2% Royalty till Rs 60 Lakhs are recouped. Anupam then asks what is their plan how they are looking to grow with their brand and what is their vision. Prateek says, "Humein jitni marketing mile utna kam hai. The more we market the sooner our product scales. We are self-taught, and we don't have any mentor to guide us so we would want to learn from you all and understand your secret sauce to success. We had decided that till we don't cross Rs 1cr revenue per month, we won't bring in any external party. So after doing the gross, this is the first time we are talking to any investor formally for funding." Anupam says, "Let me give you an offer, and I don't think you'll need to consider royalty. That happens when your business is extremely profitable. Right now you guys are breakeven and then if you take a little more capital then it won't hurt. It will only help you." His offer is Rs 90 Lakhs for 4%. Namita revises the offer and gives a dream deal at a Rs 30 cr valuation. Anupam again revises and comes down to 3%. Ritesh comes up with a completely new deal revealing that his hotels have yoga studios which would be extremely beneficiary for the pitchers to expand their business in no time. Ritesh is ready to deal with both offers made by Namita and Anupam. Amit further asks a few more questions to the pitchers and Aman taunts, "There is no need for technology here." Amit says, "Jisko samajh mein nahi aati technology woh aise hi bolte hai." Aman says, "I have a good tech brand bros." Amit taunts, "We wonder how, apni boat pe break lagao."

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Shark Tank India 3: Aman Gupta and Amit Jain crossfire taunts over technology while cracking a deal with - The Times of India

Yoga could be an effective treatment for chronic lower back pain, according to new research.

A study published in the Journal of Orthopaedic Research reports that individuals with low back pain saw improvements in pain levels after taking part in weekly yoga practice.

Each week participants completed a series of yoga asanas poses designed to move and stretch the body. Researchers also utilized electromyography, which measures electrical activity in muscles, to provide further evidence for their findings.

The main takeaway from this research is that there is a statistically significant difference in the improvement in pain for the females in the study with non-specific low back pain, Dr. Hanan Saleh, a spine medicine specialist with the Cleveland Clinic who wasnt affiliated with the study, told Medical News Today.

Experts say the research lends further evidence to the effectiveness of yoga as a treatment for low back pain.

Relieving back pain still remains a challenge. Asanas can become an addition to the range of possibilities in managing this disorder, Dr. Alessandro de Sire, an author of the study and a professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Universit degli Studi Magna Graecia di Catanzaro in Italy, told Medical News Today.

De Sire and his team recruited 21 women, all of them between the ages of 18 and 40, to take part in the research.

Eleven of the women were healthy individuals while the other 10 reported having a condition known as nonspecific low back pain (NSLBP), which is low back pain without an identifiable cause.

All participants took part in a four-week yoga program consisting of two sessions per week.

During the first week, the sessions were conducted in person while the remainder were conducted remotely using a tele-yoga approach.

Each session included 30 asanas in standing, seated, and supine positions. Researchers continued to follow up with participants for four additional weeks after the therapy.

The primary goal of the study was to see how the yoga practice affected pain levels. In order to track this, both groups did a pain assessment at baseline using the 10-point visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain.

If youve ever been to the doctors office and theyve asked you to point at a series of faces from smiling to crying to show how you feel, then youre familiar with the VAS system. Its a simple way for anyone to indicate their general pain level.

Women with NSLBP had an average pain level of 6.8 at baseline, indicating moderate to severe pain, but after the weekly yoga intervention that score decreased by more than half to 3.3, indicating low to moderate pain.

Researchers also used electromyography to verify their findings about pain.

By attaching electrodes to the lower back region of participants, they were able to measure electrical activity within the muscles of the lower back. Certain patterns of electrical activity in the region are known to be associated with low back pain.

Specifically, scientists looked at the flexion-relaxation phenomenon, which is a clinical tool to assess back pain. When someone bends forward, as if to touch their toes, this movement is known as trunk flexion.

During flexion, the muscles of the lower back are engaged. However, at a certain point in the flexion, the muscles actually begin to relax again.

How much the muscles are engaged or relaxed during this process can be measured through electromyography and given a numerical value. A higher score indicates better muscle relaxation while a lower one indicates more muscle tension. So, lower scores tend to be associated with the risk of low back pain.

In this study, women with back pain had a baseline flexion-relaxation score of 5.12. After the yoga sessions this number increased to 9.49, indicating improvements to muscle relaxation and electrical activity during flexion.

Although the study was small and relatively short, the authors say they are optimistic about their findings.

Using data forecasting technique known as prophet modeling, the team found that the yoga program would continue to provide benefit over a longer period of time, based on their four-week trial results.

Clearly, further studies are needed to delve into the long-term results of this asanas approach. However, the prophet model suggests that the results can be maintained, through a relatively simple, openly safe intervention, said de Sire.

Additionally, the research also raises the profile of so-called tele-yoga. Like other forms of telehealth that have become more prominent since the COVID-19 pandemic, tele-yoga also appears to provide benefits for people with NSLBP.

Yoga is an ancient practice that combines breathing, meditation, and physical poses known as asanas. Researchers have increasingly taken an interest in the practice to see how it affects the body and mind in a way that can be proven scientifically.

While there are plenty of personal, anecdotal reports of the benefits of yoga practice, here are some of the benefits of yoga backed by science:

In my clinical experience, yes, [yoga] has been helpful for patients. Of course, it doesnt help everyone, but I also havent seen it hurt anyone. Overall, it is a safe treatment option, and I always encourage my patients to pursue conservative treatment options as tolerated, said Saleh.

Generally speaking, some exercises that may be helpful can include the knee-to-chest exercise, piriformis and hamstring stretches, and my favorite core strengthening. The stronger our core, the more supported our spine is. Of course, not everyone should get the same set of exercises, which is why we focus heavily on physical therapy and personalize exercises based on the diagnosis, she said.

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Can yoga effectively treat lower back pain? - Medical News Today

This friendly and affordable studio in the heart of Soho doesn't just offer one type of hot yoga, it has seven to choose from: hot dharma, hot vinyasa flow, hot yin yoga, hot yang yin, hot rocket yoga, hot power flow and last but not least... hot power to restore.

Our tester went along to a hot vinyasa flow class and found the teacher was both supportive and clear in their instructions, offering multiple adaptions for each pose too. Okay, so the facility isn't super glossy or high-end (it's inside a leisure centre) but that's why it's so affordable. Plus, there's still lockers, toilets, showers and anything else you might need.

If you work in central London and want an affordable class after office hours, or even on your lunch break, then MoreYoga certainly comes with our seal of approval.

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Looking for hot yoga in London? Here's our favourite tried and tested classes - Cosmopolitan UK

Taylor, who has been teaching yoga for over 10 years throughout Pennsylvania, said she noticed a lack of diversity in many places where she worked.

I encountered some great studios in my journey. None of them represented the inclusivity that I was looking for being a Black woman, Taylor said in an interview with Fox 43. So it was important to me to open a space that was not only for everyone, but in particular for the BIPOC population, and so I think that, you know, weve been able to do that pretty well here.

Taylor, who opened her business in May, emphasizes the benefits of yoga for Black women in particular.

We know that Black women are more likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease from hypertension from diabetes and stroke, she said. And so it was really important to create a space for all women, but particularly Black women to come and move their bodies.

With a supportive community and self-confidence, Taylor believes that anything is possible.

Just to be standing here, its beyond my wildest imagination, she said. And for young people looking to embark on their journey, I would just say surround yourself with people who are supportive of you, but also believe in yourself.

Taylor has faced numerous as she operates her business, including issues with the supply chain and hurdles brought on by the pandemic. Still, she has managed to keep going.

We wanted it to be a sanctuary space where people could come and feel comfortable and so everything just had to be just right, Taylor said. Yes, so there were several setbacks just including that, you know, the timeline of the construction of the building, our heating unit But were open now and serving the community, and thats all that matters.

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Fire Life Yoga In Pennsylvania Is Providing A Sigh Of Relief For Black Women: 'It's Beyond My Wildest Imagination' - Blavity News

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) In todays health headlines, could yoga help women at risk for Alzheimers? High-protein diets may not be as healthy as some may think. Plus, what to know about the rise in norovirus cases in the Northeast.

Dr. F. Perry Wilson, an associate professor at Yale School of Medicine, a Yale Medicine and author of How Medicine Works and When it Doesnt, joined Darren Kramer on News 8.

Watch the video above.

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Health Headlines: Can yoga help women with risk of Alzheimers disease - WTNH.com

Now that were retired from our day jobs, my husband and I have time to pursue other activities. And we do. But since he is an outgoing people-person and I am a classic introvert, I often pass on activities I know he wishes we would do together. Perhaps as an apology for that, I decided to join him when he embarked on a 30-day yoga challenge to kick off the new year.

The challenge comes into our home courtesy of an instructor Ill call Jan. Available via YouTube for free, it is paid for, like many online offerings, with advertising. Since Day 1, my husband and I have been meeting in our living room on our mats and in comfortable clothes every day at 3 p.m. Each days practice lasts 20-25 minutes, which can feel very long or very short, depending on what Jan talks us into trying to do on our mats.

By Day 3, the exercise was humbling for me, a former dancer who used to be almost as flexible as Jan. (Note: Used to be.) I felt nostalgic for the young woman I once was, who used to fold herself in half without a thought for what it would be like to lose that gift, whose muscles were toned and fluid at the same time, who moved with a grace born of a thousand hours at the barre. She is no more. Instead, my senior-citizen body labored mightily to reach a certain spot, to hold a simple pose, all the while being protective of my new titanium hip. (Translation: Its been a while.)

The weird thing is that I noticed I did not feel the frustration I would normally have felt at my self-perceived deficiencies. That was because of Jan. Her sweet acceptance of my limited state, even though she couldnt actually see me and doesnt know me, granted me a measure of self-acceptance that felt unfamiliar to me. I am always my worst critic. This level of acceptance was new.

The muscle memory of all that stretching began to feel welcome. By Day 6, I looked forward to our time together on the mat. An onlooker would have seen two older folks peering at a laptop, lumbering about on their mats, pretzeling themselves into unlikely shapes, concentrating on breathing deeply and audibly, sometimes losing their balance, sometimes laughing aloud. But each day my husband and I eased ourselves into an agreed-upon no-judgment zone, asking our best of our bodies and no more, being content with whatever stretch or pose we could manage, treating ourselves with kindness. Jans calming voice and clear instruction created a balanced and forgiving atmosphere.

In the stillness at the end of our session on Day 8, a line from Mary Olivers poem Wild Geese flitted into my mind, about letting the soft animal of your body/ love what it loves. Having just finished writing a book about growing older, Id been focused on the trials of aging. My soft body has been through a lot of wear and tear, pregnancy, childbirth, menopause, surgeries, loss, grief, debility and diminishment. I had forgotten about loving it and letting it love. Now a whoosh of gratitude flooded me, that this durable old body could still move at all, could still learn, could still love, could still be lovable. (Long-forgotten parts of me ache. But also, long-forgotten parts of me sing.)

Then, on Day 12, this happened: a glimmer of peace at the edge of my brain. Pressing my palms together, I felt a presence. I could see my whole self as God sees me. Strangely and unexpectedly, I felt Gods love. I have learned about Gods love all my life, but now I feel it in my guts, in my limbs, in my follicles. A parents love. An incarnational love. (Am I being dramatic? Yes. I basked in this love.) I felt light. I felt renewed. For a fleeting moment, I felt pure peace.

Then I exhaled.

Mystical? Maybe. Im fine with it. If there is one thing we Catholics know how to be comfortable with, it is mystery.

I understand that yoga can be a controversial practice. About 10 years ago, I wrote a column about a school district in southern California where Christian parents were up in arms about their kids doing twice-a-week yoga exercises in P.E. class. The parents accused the school of Hindu indoctrination, opted their kids out of the program and threatened legal action. In reality, the teachers reported a little more focus in the classroom and a little less disruption on the playground.

To be fair, the ancient discipline of yoga does anchor its roots in Hinduism. It can be part of ones religious practice, aiming to integrate mind, body and spirit and bring one closer to ones beliefs. But for many of us older people, it is a slow and steady use of long-neglected muscles in a way that helps us pay attention to our bodies and our minds, to the way they can work together for our health and well-being. Halfway through our month of yoga, on Day 15, I dont know anything about Jans religious faith. I have not learned anything about Hinduism in these past weeks. I dont even know what school of yoga Jan follows. I am still a practicing Catholic, practice being the fruit of all faith, even though I have focused on my breathing and relaxed my grateful body into my mat. I may have said Namaste instead of Amen, but the sense of silent prayerfulness in my soul is the same.

On Day 18 or maybe 19, as I was folded (sort of) into a pose, breathing deeply into every corner of my abdomen, I felt surrounded by the idea of breath as life. I thought of God breathing life into Adams nostrils, of the resurrected Jesus passing through a closed door and breathing on his disciples, of the Holy Spirit, descending as a rush of wind on the frightened followers in the upper room. I even thought of the last breath going out of a dear friend who had died from cancer that week and of her new way of breathing with God. I wished her well.

I write this on Day 27 of our challenge. The end is in sight. Weve been disciplined about showing up every day, but my husband and I are traveling to different places next month. He will visit his mom for her birthday; I will visit family, including our granddaughter who will soon be joined by a new baby sister. Well be 1,275 miles apart. We wont be meeting downstairs at 3 p.m. for a while. We will miss Jans gentle direction and encouragement and humor. We may get in a few stretches on our own. But I will carry our moments of shared peace in my heart, so thankful to have done this small thing together. I will picture the times over the last month that Ive glanced at my husband, standing so amazingly upright on one leg and exhaling through his mouth, and I will love the soft animal of his body even more. I will hold onto this holy reconnection to Gods unconditional love. Gods grace knows no denomination.

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How yoga helped me find God and peace with my aging body - America: The Jesuit Review

People with chronic lower back pain who start practicing yoga may see their symptoms improve, even if they mostly practice from the comfort of home.

In a small study, researchers offered 10 women with chronic lower back pain a series of eight yoga classes over four weeks. While the first session was in person, the rest were all offered online.

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Scientists also measured muscle activity in the spine which is often reduced or absent in people with chronic back pain and found this increased significantly by the end of the study.

Taken together, these findings suggest that yoga may help improve muscle function and reduce pain perception in people with low back pain. It was interesting to show the role that yoga might play in the management of chronic back pain, study coauthor Alessandro de Sire, MD, of the Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro in Italy, said in astatement.

Because all of the people with back pain in the study did the same yoga routines, its hard to say whether this type of exercise might be more or less effective for relieving symptoms than other types of interventions.

Another drawback of the study is that participants were ages 40 and younger and excluded if they had any medical issues known to cause back pain. This makes it hard to say whether or not yoga might have similar benefits for older adults or for individuals with conditions like stenosis or arthritis that can cause back pain.

However, there are many benefits of practicing yoga and focusing on breathing during poses, saysLauren Elson, MD, an instructor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School and director of dance medicine at Spaulding Rehabilitation at Mass General Brigham.

Many of the controlled breathing techniques and yoga helped to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, says Dr. Elson, who wasnt involved in the new study. Besides causing muscle relaxation, this causes a relaxation response in the body.

This can reduce pain levels, decrease anxiety, and improve overall feelings of well-being, Elson adds. Depending on the yoga pose, the core may be strengthened or the muscles may be activated or stretched, which can help improve flexibility and mobility.

People with back pain who experience discomfort with certain movements may need to avoid yoga poses that force them to move in these ways, Elson notes. For example, some people may need to avoid poses that require bending forward or sitting on the floor if this exacerbates back pain. But many people with back pain should still be able to practice yoga as long as they steer clear of poses that trigger their pain.

If you can breathe, you can do yoga, Elson says. That being said, if someone has a preexisting condition, they would likely benefit from guidance from a physical therapist who is well-versed in the different types of yoga, or a yoga teacher who understands their specific diagnosis.

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Practicing Yoga at Home Could Cut Lower Back Pain in Half - Everyday Health

While yoga is not a cure-all, there is no shortage of science-backed benefits of the practice.

Yoga is frequently studied for its potential to relieve chronic low back pain, an often difficult-to-treat condition that in 2020 affected 619 million people globally.

Now, an Italian research team specializing in rehabilitative medicine has furthered our understanding of yogas positive impact on low back pain.

The researchers evaluated the effects of a 4-week yoga program on the flexion-relaxation phenomenon, a biomarker of chronic low back pain limiting paraspinal muscle activity or range of motion.

They recruited 10 females ages 1840 with nonspecific chronic low back pain (NCLBP) and 11 females without. Both groups participated in a structured 8-session yoga program; the first session was conducted in a clinic, and the remaining sessions were offered via telehealth. The 30-minute sessions included a sequence of nearly 30 yoga postures (asanas), breathwork, and other mindfulness practices.

The findings, published February 21 in theJournal of Orthopaedic Research, show a significant reduction in pain intensity in the back pain group. Yoga also benefitted neuromuscular response during spinal flexion in both groups, thus improving participants flexion-relaxation ratio.

Due to the small number of participants and short study duration, the researchers note that further studies are needed to determine any longterm effects of yoga on low back pain.

Relieving back pain still remains a challenge, [and] asanas can become an addition to the range of possibilities in managing this disorder, Dr. Alessandro de Sire, associate professor of physical and rehabilitative medicine at the University of Catanzaro Magna Graecia and physician at University Hospital Renato Dulbecco in Italy, told Healthline.

The study builds on existing evidence supporting the benefits of yoga for low back pain relief.

Researchers observed a reduction in pain intensity after 4 weeks using a 10-point visual analog scale (6.8 average pain at the start of the study, 3.3 after the yoga sessions).

Yoga also improved participants flexionrelaxation phenomenon (5.12 at the start of the study, 9.49 after the sessions), which was measured with electromyography during maximum voluntary flexion (rounding) of the spine.

Given the short-term nature of the study, researchers used a Prophet evaluation to predict positive flexion-relaxation trends for an additional month after the intervention. The evaluation forecasts that tele-yoga asana could continue to positively affect pain intensity and spinal mobility.

The yoga postures included in the study varied, but many involved some type of hip flexion (forward bend) with a neutral spine.

I appreciate that this study explored the ways that asana can relax muscles, and it echoes what yoga traditionally tells us, which is that forward bending poses are generally calming and relaxing, Jivana Heyman, a yoga therapist in Santa Barbara, CA, founder of Accessible Yoga and author of Yoga Revolution, told Healthline.

Hip flexion can be very beneficial for people with low back pain because it can increase range of motion without overly engaging the lower back. My sense is that people with chronic low back pain hold additional tension in that area as a protective mechanism, and asana can help to release some of that tension, Heyman said.

There are countless studies about yoga, but they dont always disclose which poses were used to achieve the desired outcome.

Rather than study a particular style of yoga (i.e., Hatha or Vinyasa), the researchers included a regimen of nearly 30 postures to demonstrate how yoga works to relieve low back pain more clearly.

De Sire said each pose in the sequence was held for five breaths (around 1 minute each) for a total of 30 minutes per session.

Asanas can commonly be difficult and misleading to assimilate; providing the reader with specific postures might guarantee scientific reproducibility, but above all greater dissemination of the practice with scientific evidence, de Sire explained.

Heyman said he appreciated the inclusion of the poses in the study.

Often doctors refer patients with low back pain to yoga, and the patients are left to figure out what practices or classes are appropriate for them, he said. They could easily end up in a yoga class that is too physically intense, which could cause more injury or simply leave them feeling that yoga is not for them.

The following yoga poses for low back pain were included in the study:

The studys model predicts the positive results of yoga for back pain could be maintained long-term, de Sire explained, but larger, more rigorous studies are needed to determine this effect.

Still, Heyman said that yoga can be a helpful intervention for finding relief from low back pain.

This study adds to the growing literature that supports yoga as a viable treatment for low back pain, which is a major cause of disability and lost work in the U.S. and around the world, he said.

I have found that my students with low back pain gain even more benefit from the yoga practices that help regulate their nervous systems and reduce tension and stress. So building a well-rounded yoga practice that focuses not just on asana but on stress reduction and nervous system regulation could offer even greater benefit to people with low back pain, he added.

If you live with low back pain and are interested in trying yoga, its a good idea to do some research to find appropriate classes and qualified instructors.

If youre looking to start yoga and you have low back pain, Id recommend that you look for yoga therapists (C-IAYT) or classes with titles such as Accessible Yoga, Adaptive Yoga, and Gentle Yoga, Heyman shared, adding that chair yoga can also be a great place for beginners.

Be careful about jumping into classes with titles like All Levels or flow classes where there are quick movements, he noted.

Heyman said the most important component of any yoga class is clarity of instruction and the teachers ability to individualize the practice to meet the practitioners needs.

Talk to the teacher before class starts to let them know about your condition so they can adapt the practices for you, he said, emphasizing yoga props as a helpful tool for finding comfortable variations within poses.

People with low back pain tend to be very aware of what movements feel safe, and its important to support them in exploring these poses in a safe and accessible way, Heyman said.

A new study helps further our understanding of the benefits of yoga for low back pain relief.

The 4-week, 8-session telehealth yoga program significantly reduced low back pain among subjects with the condition. Yoga postures involving hip flexion appear to improve the flexion-relaxation phenomenon, a biomarker of low back pain.

Larger studies are needed to determine the long-term effects of yoga on low back pain relief.

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Low Back Pain? These Yoga Poses May Offer Some Relief - Healthline