Yoga For Healthy Lower Backs

Back discomfort is a common problem. Now there is an innovative evidence-based way to improve back health and function. The Yoga for Healthy Lower Backs programme gently and progressively aims to help people get back to being more active again. Enjoy helping yourself with this yoga ‘toolkit’, as many others have.

The Research that used this Specific Yoga
The University of York (Department of Health Sciences, York Trials Unit) ran one of the largest yoga research studies, funded by Arthritis Research UK. Teachers from the Iyengar Yoga Association (UK) and the British Wheel of Yoga designed and ran specialised 12-week courses in five areas of the UK. The positive results showing it to be safe and effective were published in the ‘Annals of Internal Medicine’ (‘Yoga for Chronic Low Back Pain: A Randomized Trial’ H Tilbrook, et al, Nov 1st 2011). The Cost Evaluation in the Journal ‘Spine’ (LH Chuang, Aug 15th 2012) showed it to be cost-effective for the NHS, society and the workplace. A social enterprise has been set up to allow more people to benefit from the same yoga programme used in the randomised controlled trial.

Yoga for Healthy Lower Backs
Professional standards of quality-assured care, support and advice is offered by Institute registered teachers providing this specific ‘best practice’ back-care yoga course. The Yoga for Healthy Lower Backs Course trains high quality, already-trained and experienced yoga teachers from different schools and methods of yoga in how to deliver the ‘Yoga for Healthy Lower Backs’ programme. The programme is accredited nationally by the yoga governing body for Sport England and Sports & Recreation Alliance, British Wheel of Yoga, as a Recognised Centre of Excellence for Training and Standards and is also a member organisation of the British Council for Yoga Therapy. The YHLB Register of Teachers can be viewed on yogaforbacks.co.uk

Please also visit yogaforbacks.co.uk for more information about this exciting groundbreaking clinical trial and evidence-based specialised yoga programme. The Relaxations CD is also suitable as a stand-alone educational resource to reduce and ease tension and stress.

Please note, if you attend a 12-week course, the CD and the book will be provided as part of the course.

This holistic motivational 12-week course is designed to: 

• Teach how to self-manage for the long-term
• Address stress-management and relaxation skills
  
• Encourage an increase in physical activity, appropriate to the individual
  
• Teach postural awareness and mindfulness
• Aim for other, additional to lower back health, positive physical and mental health outcomes

NICE Draft Guidelines regarding its review of how NHS professionals should treat patients with low back pain stated in the first sentence of its Press Statement 24th March 2016 that:

‘The draft guidelines recommends exercise in all its forms (for example, stretching, strengthening, aerobic or yoga), as the first step in managing low back pain.’

The above recommendation was majorly influenced by our H. Tilbrook et al and LH Chuang et al research papers evaluating the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of our group Yoga for Healthy Lower Backs course. We welcome this first step to accepting yoga has a role to play in mainstream healthcare in the UK.

Why Yoga for Healthy Lower Backs?
You know exactly what you will get – the same yoga, taught in the same way, according to the same educational materials, as in the research itself. No need to wait until your next back episode recurs, before starting the course.

The course is designed to give you long-term benefits. You will be taught to bring postural improvements, mental focus and relaxation techniques into your daily life. In the research, benefits were still found a year after starting the yoga. 9 months after their 12-week course had finished, the majority of the research trial’s yoga group were still practising yoga at home approximately 30 minutes twice a week.

Expect to pay more for these therapeutic classes than for general yoga classes because they are taught in smaller groups but with its educational, single course, self-management approach, Yoga for Healthy Lower Backs is considered to be cost-effective.

Workplace Evidence-based Yoga for Reduced Absenteeism and Cost-Savings.
The research showed days off work reduced by approx 70% over a year from this single, lifelong self-management, 12-week course. Support valued employees by helping them to improve their health with cost-effective education provided regularly by an experienced teacher. Promote long-term healthy lifestyle choices effectively by giving staff tools to keep working creatively, energetically, productively, collaboratively and happily.

Reduce the impact of back pain and stress-related conditions on workforce and business – published research showed how offering a Yoga for Healthy Lower Backs course was estimated to save £817 per annum per person in productivity lost (based on an average salary).

Ask your GP whether this gentle, evidence-based, specially-modified yoga course is appropriate for you—show them the yogaforbacks.co.uk website. The 12 x 90 minute class course comprises easy foundation yoga poses. Props such as a yoga block, blanket or belt are used to aid effectiveness and to ensure absolute comfort.

Outside Surrey? Visit yogaforbacks.co.uk to find other Yoga for Healthy Lower Backs Courses at the Register of Teachers teaching this same specialised course—350+ in England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, France and more.