Yoga and stretching exercises good for curing chronic back pains?

Updated Trends: Some of the researchers in the US have found that stretching exercises and yoga help in relieving chronic back pain. Some 288 adults were classified by researchers into conventional stretching exercises, 12 weekly yoga classes or a self care book.

The results were recorded after 12 to 26 weeks and the participants were asked fill a questionnaire in which they were asked to rate the pain on a particular point scale. After 12 weeks, it was found that the results for the yoga and stretching groups were 2.5 points better than the self care books.

After 26 weeks, the function score was 1.8 points better for the yoga and stretching groups. Dr. Karen Sherman, the leader of the study and the senior scientific investigator at the department of epidemiology from the University of Washington in Seattle, had opined that the yoga and stretching exercises were much better options for the disorder.

At the same time the experts had cautioned that yoga classes can vary enormously and thus the clinicians are advised to recommend the classes for the beginners or the classes that are therapeutically oriented. Karen added that the stretching classes should contain enough back as well as leg focused stretching exercises.