Yoga is said to be enhancing one's mental, physical as well as spiritual health and even make one feel more relaxed. But, a latest scientific study published in the Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies has revealed that can worsen prevailing wounds and lead to bone and muscle pains.
People across the world believe yoga to be an alternative or complementary remedy to cure musculoskeletal disorders. However, it has been found that it is not as healthy and benefiting as it was previously claimed to be.
Evangelos Pappas, a researcher from the University of Sydney in Australia told PTI: "While yoga can be beneficial for musculoskeletal pain, like any form of exercise, it can also result in musculoskeletal pain".
"Our study found that the incidence of pain caused by yoga is more than 10 per cent per year, which is comparable to the injury rate of all sports injuries combined among the physically active population. We also found that yoga can exacerbate existing pain, with 21 per cent of existing injuries made worse by doing yoga, particularly pre-existing musculoskeletal pain in the upper limbs," Pappas added.
"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 three months," Pappas said further.
The researchers found that 74 percent partakers in the study claimed that yoga helped them in improving the prevailing pain. This pointed towards the complex link between yoga and the musculoskeletal pain.
Pappas said that performing yoga with care could help in avoiding the pain. "Yoga participants are encouraged to discuss the risks of injury and any pre-existing pain, especially in the upper limbs, with yoga teachers and physiotherapists to explore posture modifications that may results in safer practice," Pappas added.
