Yoga, The Risks You Did Not Know.
Chiropractic medicine has evolved dramatically since the 1800s. Where it was initially all about the spine, chiropractic medicine now embraces holistic medicine, alternative forms for treatment and takes a total wellness approach. Despite the unique and innovative approach that chiropractic takes, it is an evidence based methodology. What that means is that if there is not some research supporting a particular assessment or treatment, that it is not generally accepted within the chiropractic community. While yoga seems to be a new trend in fitness, like chiropractic, it has a long history. Yoga began more than 3,000 years ago in India. Yoga is considered a total lifestyle practice, not only an exercise routine. Like chiropractic medicine, yoga takes a total wellness approach by training your mind and body and developing spirituality.
Chiropractors have seen a dramatic increase in the number of yoga injuries. It was initially assumed that the increase in reported injuries reflected the increase in the number of people trying yoga. Upon further investigation, it turns out that the low impact, gentle and passive exercise called yoga is not as innocuous as everyone believed it was.
Chiropractic and yoga both focus on balance. In yoga, balance is achieved by a steady pose, that is aligned correctly, and can be maintained for a period of time to develop stamina. Chiropractic medicine achieves balance by focusing on flexible/strong muscles, unrestricted/stable joints, and restricted/lax ligaments. At first glance, yoga appears to be just stretching. Stretching is only one part of it. Yoga is focused on creating balance by developing flexibility and strength. This is accomplished through specific stretches called poses or postures. Each pose is designed to target a specific part of the body. The poses are sometimes done slowly to increase stamina and perfect the posture and some types of yoga are done at a quick pace. Despite the passive nature of yoga, there is a real risk for injury. Before you begin a yoga program, there are some things to consider to reduce your risk for injury.
Experience of the instructor
In the past, yoga teachers spent years studying with a yoga guru. The demand for yoga classes has made this model unrealistic for the average yoga instructor. The Yoga Alliance offers two levels of certifications, 200 hours and 500 hours. There is no state mandated certification required however. Many yoga instructors are well versed in physiology, anatomy, and the neuromusculoskeletal system. Those who are not, increase their student’s risk of injury. As many new yoga students make the incorrect assumption that yoga is harmless, they follow along with the workout, led by an ill-informed leader. This leads to increased injury. Skilled instructors tend to have fewer injuries in their classes. Be wary of instructors who recommend that you attempt poses which you may not be ready for. In yoga, the goal is not to push yourself or stretch your limits. Rather, you slowly progress and take it to the next level if you are ready. With that being said, your instructor should teach you how to know when you are ready for new stretches. Yoga infuses with you with the wisdom to know when to stop. It is not uncommon to see teachers tell the class to not go any further on a pose unless they have achieved a certain stance, while the students have already progressed on the next level without mastering the first. This is how injuries happen.
Your expectations
Eagerness is necessary for any program to be successful. The key is to be eager, but realistic. Unless you are a lifelong dancer or Olympic gymnast, it is probably not wise to attempt to put your leg behind your head during the fist week. The reality is that you may never be able to put your leg higher than your waist! Yoga trains you to learn about your own body, slowly. Many injuries occur when the person attempts a pose that they are not ready for. It may take months of stretching, just to get your body to the point where it can do a very simple pose. Some poses require many years of continuous stretching and practice. Be sure that your expectations are realistic. With yoga, it is not the number of stretches that make you successful, but rather a total understanding of body, mind, and spirit.
Chose the correct yoga style
There are several styles of yoga. They are defined by their emphasis. For example, some styles focus on coordination of breath and movement. Others focus on the holding the poses and the flow from one pose to another. No one style is better than another, but to avoid injury, choose a style that is focused on strict alignment. Iyengar is a style of yoga, which stresses the importance of the accuracy of the alignment during each pose.
Understand the poses
Yoga is a great activity when you are properly educated on the science behind each movement. For example, flexion of the lower back puts you at high risk for injury. However, this pose is used in virtually every yoga class. Chiropractors believe that until all yoga instructors have an in depth understanding of the neuromusculoskeletal system, they are potentially putting their students at risk for injury. This risk can be reduced by increased communication between yoga instructors, yoga students, and chiropractors.
As it stands today, chiropractors view yoga is an activity with a higher than normal risk for injury. Chiropractors seek to validate the poses that are beneficial and identify those poses that inherently pose a risk. As yoga increases in popularity, chiropractors and yoga instructors are seeing additional opportunities for communication and information sharing. This meeting of the minds will increase the patient’s chances of doing yoga safely. If you are thinking about taking up yoga, a visit to your chiropractor can educate you on how to do it safely.
