Yoga More Dangerous Than Previously Thought - Scientists Say

Yoga is more dangerous than previously thought and it causes more injuries than ever expected as other sports, study says.

5,000 year old Indian discipline is said to boost physical and mental well-being, and celebrity fans include Beyonce, Lady Gaga and Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen as well as David and Victoria Beckham.

However, in a recent study yoga caused musculoskeletal pain which is mostly in the arms and in more than one in ten participants.

 

The scientists behind the research published in the Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies also found that the practice worsened over a fifth of existing injuries.

Professor Evangelos Pappas, of Sydney University, the study's lead researcher said: "Yoga may be a bit more dangerous than previously thought.

"Our study found the incidence of pain caused by yoga is more than 10 percent per year - which is comparable to the rate of all sports injuries combined among the physically active population.

"However people consider it to be a very safe activity. This injury rate is up to 10 times higher than has previously been reported."

His team assessed more than 350 people who attended yoga classes at two studios in New York.
Yoga is an increasingly popular complementary or alternative therapy for musculoskeletal disorders, with millions of people practising worldwide.

Prof Pappas said: "While yoga can be beneficial for musculoskeletal pain, like any form of exercise, it can also result in musculoskeletal pain."

"In terms of severity, more than one-third of cases of pain caused by yoga were serious enough to prevent yoga participation and lasted more than 3 months.

"The study found that most 'new' yoga pain was in the upper extremities - shoulder, elbow, wrist, hand - possibly due to downward dog and similar postures that put weight on the upper limbs."

The study conducted with Prof Marc Campo from Mercy College, New York, asked participants to complete an electronic questionnaire at the start of the project and again one year later.

Outcomes included incidence and impact of pain caused by yoga and prevalence of pain caused, exacerbated, unaffected, and improved by the ancient practice.

Prof Pappas said: "It's not all bad news, however, as 74 per cent of participants in the study reported that existing pain was improved by yoga, highlighting the complex relationship between musculoskeletal pain andyoga practice.

"These findings can be useful for clinicians and individuals to compare the risks of yoga to other exercise enabling them to make informed decisions about which types of activity are best.

"Pain caused by yoga might be prevented by careful performance and participants telling their yoga teachers of injuries they may have prior to participation, as well as informing their healthcare professionals about their yoga practice. CONTINUE READING

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