Yoga: Manage Chronic Pain and Maintain Mobility

Don’t let your chronic pain slow you down! Yoga which blends movements and poses with deep breathing, meditation, and stretching has many potential health and physical benefits that can help you fight back your chronic pain. Consumer Reports explains.

Talia Castro-Pozo turned to yoga after developing back pain.

“After my pregnancy and dancing professionally for so many years I had a lot of back pain and basically yoga really helped me, you know, feel better,” said professional dancer and mom, Talia Castro-Pozo.

Whether it’s your hip, back, knee or shoulder, yoga may help manage chronic pain.

“It improves flexibility and helps build muscle and core strength, which can help alleviate discomfort,” said Catherine Roberts with Consumer Reports.

If you have chronic pain, Chaya Spencer, who is a certified yoga teacher and owner of Shree Yoga Studios, recommends finding the right type of yoga class for you.

“Find a class that has the words ‘beginner’ in the title, or ‘slow’ or ‘gentle’ or 'restorative.’ If your issue is very intense, maybe you want to find a chair class,” Spencer said.

Spencer says the cobra pose can help relieve some stress from back pain.

“This pose is very good for creating stability in the lower back and flexibility in the lower back so it firms all the muscles in the back body,” Spencer said.

Busy schedule? Try yoga classes online -- just make sure you have a good yoga mat, like the IUGA Pro Non-Slip Yoga mat, that has good CR ratings for cushioning and grip.

“Yoga may also have mental health benefits. The deep breathing involved can help alleviate stress,” Roberts said.

“After practicing yoga, I feel integrated, happy, flexible, I feel ready to take on the
day,” Pozo said.

CR suggests getting your doctor’s okay before starting a yoga program and seeking out knowledgeable teachers. Also, during class, don't be afraid to skip some postures or ask the teacher for modifications.