YOGA for Healthy Lower Backs

Low Back Pain Yoga Research

Yogaforbacks.co.uk  = an educational social enterprise website, promoting the ‘Yoga for Healthy Lower Backs’ programme proven effective for chronic low back pain by The University of York research.

Results of this RCT research funded by Arthritis Research UK have been published in top journals.  This is the world’s largest ever scientific yoga research study.

You can find the Book and Relaxations CD used in the research here:

Click here for details about the CD	Click here for details about the Book
Low Back Pain? “The CD is like magic – feels as if I’m stuffed full of painkillers. I’m looking forward to beginning my 12-week course.” “Before I felt I was on a depressing, downward spiral of degeneration, but … [Read More...]	Healthcare Professional? “This evidence-based yoga programme could (or should!) be the way forward for back pain treatment. It is affordable, empowers patients and offers long-term benefits to society.” On this website … [Read More...]
Yoga Teacher? “This book contains so much – I now know how much more there is to learn.” “I will recommend other teachers attend your training course, as this is so good for yoga and allows people with back… [Read More...]	Yoga Student? “Having this toolkit of extra yoga skills and knowledge up my sleeve has revolutionised my yoga practice and my life.” “OF COURSE, after 12 months of practising the sequences, I no longer have back … [Read More...]

Research-Proven Yoga

1.  EFFECTIVE AND SAFE EVIDENCE-BASED YOGA PROGRAMME – ‘Yoga for Healthy Lower Backs’

‘Yoga for chronic low back pain: A randomized trial’, Helen E Tilbrook, Helen Cox, Catherine E Hewitt, Ling-Hsiang Chuang, Shalmini Jayakody, Arthur Ricky Kang’ombe, John D Aplin, Anna Semlyen, Alison Trewhela, Ian Watt, David J Torgerson Published by a leading international US journal ‘Annals of Internal Medicine’  (Nov. 2011; Vol 15 No 9; 569-578).

This UK RCT research with 313 participants found that specialist group yoga classes led by multiple trained yoga teachers in various UK locations gave significant benefits to those with non-specific chronic and recurring low back pain. Benefits were maintained 12 months after beginning the 12-class ‘Yoga for Healthy Lower Backs’ course and participants practised yoga at home.  The fully-resourced course is designed for beginners to yoga.  Physicians and clinicians should feel comfortable referring to this evidence-based safe and effective treatment option.  This is the largest research trial on yoga to date, worldwide.

2.  COST-EFFECTIVE ‘WITHIN NHS AND NON-NHS SETTING’

‘A Pragmatic Multi-centred Randomized Controlled Trial of Yoga for Chronic Low Back Pain:                   Economic Evaluation’  Chuang LH, Soares MO, Tilbrook H, Cox H, Hewitt CE, Aplin J, Semlyen A, Trewhela A, Watt I, Torgerson DJ. ‘Spine’ Journal 15th August 2012 (Abstract published 16th March 2012)

‘Yoga for Healthy Lower Backs’ programme would be likely to be a cost-effective treatment option for the UK NHS.  Furthermore, this evaluation shows that it would be of great value to the economy and society - it was shown to be a dominant treatment.  Over the 12 months studied, those in the yoga group had on average only 3.83 days off work compared to 12.29 in the non-yoga group.   ’Conclusion. Based on this trial 12 weekly group classes of specialised yoga is likely to be a cost-effective intervention for treating patients with chronic or recurrent low back pain.’ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22433499. 

Link to University of York and Arthritis Research UK’s Press Statement (Aug 16th 2012) here http://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/news/press-releases/2012/august/yoga-a-cost-effective-treatment-for-back-pain-sufferers.aspx

NEW Link below to Backcare UK charity’s Talkback magazine featuring ‘Yoga for Healthy Lower Backs’ (Page 14) http://issuu.com/backcare/docs/talkback_winter_2012-13?mode=window&pageNumber=1