Chronic low back pain (CLBP), a common medical problem affecting a large section of the people at some point in their lives, has been on the rise.
The aim of the study was to find whether offering yoga to minorities, who may not have adequate access to medication, physical therapy and surgery, will show promising efficacy and provide adequate relief.
Lead author Robert B. Saper, MD, MPH, an assistant professor of family medicine at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) and director of integrative medicine at Boston Medical Center stated, "Few studies of complementary therapies have targeted minority populations with low back pain.
"Our pilot study showed that yoga is well-received in these communities and may be effective for reducing pain and pain medication use."
Assessment of yoga for pain management
Researchers assessed the feasibility of yoga for CLBP from two community health centers that serve a predominantly low income and minority section of Boston.
They recruited 30 people with an average age of 44 years. The participants were split into two groups. One group was assigned hatha yoga sessions while the other group was asked to carry on with standard medical treatment.
The subjects following yoga performed 75 minute classes in 12 weekly sessions under the supervision of a registered yoga professional. These included stretching and strengthening exercises of the body through different poses, coupled with breathing and mental concentration.
The participants were provided with a yoga CD and handbook, a mat, strap and block, and were told to practice the exercises for 30 minutes at home daily.
As a part of the study, the participants were questioned about pain medication and functional disability related to back pain. They were also asked to register their average pain intensity for the previous week.
Outcome of the study
At the end of the study, the researchers found that 73 percent of the yoga group reported a marked improvement in back pain, compared with 27 percent of the control group.
Yoga also improved the participant’s functions and lessened their pain by a third as opposed to 5 percent in the control group.
In addition, the yoga group exhibited an 80 percent decrease in pain medication while there was no change in the other group’s medication.
The study appears in the November issue of the journal Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine.
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