Editorial Type:
Article Category: Research Article
 | 
Online Publication Date: 20 Oct 2010

Yoga and Chronic Low Back Pain

Page Range: 53 – 54
DOI: 10.17761/ijyt.20.1.9035r0571171j701
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Recently, on a number of occasions, I have come across the statement, "Research supports that Yoga decreases low back pain." This led me to consider the level of clarity and truth of this statement. Many of my students would agree with this statement, and there is a growing body of research suggesting that Yoga should be considered as an effective and cost-effective intervention for people with chronic low back pain. However, the research evidence does not support making such a broad statement as the one above.

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Sherman K, Cherkin D, Erro J, et al. Comparing yoga, exercise, and a self-care book for chronic low back pain. Annals of Internal Medicine 2005;143(12):849-856.

Saper RB, Sherman KJ, Cullum-Dugan D, Davis RB, Phillips RS, Culpepper L. Yoga for chronic low back pain in a predominantly minority population: A pilot randomized controlled trial. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine. 2009;15(6):18-27.

Williams KA, Petronis J, Smith D, et al. Effect of Iyengar yoga therapy for chronic low back pain. Pain. 2005;115(1-2):107-117.

Svensson I, Sjöström B, Haljamäe H. Influence of expectations and actual pain experience on satisfaction with postoperative pain management. European Journal of Pain. 2001;5(2):125-133.

Brown CA, Seymour B, Boyle Y, Jones AK. Modulation of pain ratings by expectation and uncertainty: Behavioral characteristics and neural correlates. Pain. 2008;135(3):240-250.

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