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| {{good article}} | | {{Short description|Use of yoga as a therapeutic intervention}} |
| [[File:Front split.jpg|thumb|upright=1.35|Therapeutic yoga workshop, Jakarta, 2016]]
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| '''Yoga as therapy''' is the use of [[yoga as exercise]], consisting mainly of postures called [[asana]]s, as a gentle form of [[exercise]] and relaxation applied specifically with the intention of improving health. This form of [[yoga]] is widely practised in classes, and may involve [[meditation]], imagery, [[Pranayama|breath work (pranayama)]] and [[music]].<ref>{{cite book | last=Feuerstein | first=Georg |authorlink=Georg Feuerstein | editor=Jonathan Shear | title=The Experience of Meditation | year=2006 | publisher=Paragon House | location=St. Paul, Minnesota | page=90 | chapter=Yogic Meditation | quote=While not every branch or school of yoga includes meditation in its technical repertoire, most do.}}</ref>
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| At least three types of health claim have been made for yoga: [[Siddhi|magical claims]] for medieval [[haṭha yoga]], including the power of healing; unsupported claims of benefits to [[Organ (anatomy)|organ]] systems from the practice of asanas; and more or less well supported claims of specific medical and psychological benefits from studies of differing sizes using a wide variety of methodologies.
| | '''Yoga as therapy''' refers to the adaptation and application of [[yoga]] techniques and practices to help individuals facing health challenges at any level manage their condition, reduce symptoms, restore balance, increase vitality, and improve attitude. Yoga therapy is a growing field and scientific evidence has begun to emphasize its efficacy in the treatment of various medical conditions. |
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| Systematic reviews have found beneficial effects of yoga on [[low back pain]]<ref name="CramerLaucheHaller2013"/> and [[Depression (mood)|depression]],<ref name="Pascoe2015"/> but despite much investigation little or no evidence for benefit for specific medical conditions. Study of [[trauma-sensitive yoga]] has been hampered by weak methodology.<ref name="Nguyen-FengClark2018"/>
| | ==History== |
| | The therapeutic use of yoga can be traced back to ancient [[India]], where it was practiced as a holistic approach to health and well-being. The [[Yoga Sutras of Patanjali]], a foundational text of yoga philosophy, outlines the eight limbs of yoga, which include ethical guidelines, physical postures, breath control, and meditation. These practices were traditionally used to promote physical, mental, and spiritual health. |
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| == Context ==
| | In the modern era, yoga therapy has evolved to incorporate contemporary medical and psychological knowledge. It is now recognized as a complementary therapy in many healthcare settings worldwide. |
| {{further|Yoga as exercise}}
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| [[File:Yoga dimensions.svg|thumb|upright=1.7|Different schools teach yoga with emphasis on [[aerobic exercise]] (such as [[Bikram Yoga]]), precision in the asanas (like [[Iyengar Yoga]]), or spirituality (like [[Sivananda Yoga]]).<ref name="YJ on styles"/> Unbranded "hatha yoga" (not to be confused with medieval [[haṭ<!--diacritic needed!-->ha yoga]]) may teach any combination of these.]]
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| [[Yoga as exercise|Yoga]] classes used as therapy usually consist of [[asana]]s (postures used for stretching), [[pranayama]] (breathing exercises), and relaxation in [[savasana]] (lying down).<ref>{{cite journal |title=Yoga Therapy in Practice: Using Integrative Yoga Therapeutics in the Treatment of Comorbid Anxiety and Depression |journal=International Journal of Yoga |volume=2008 |page=87 |author=Bo, Forbes}}</ref> The physical asanas of modern yoga are related to medieval [[haṭha yoga]] tradition, but they were not widely practiced in India before the early 20th century.{{sfn|Singleton|2010|p=4}}
| | ==Principles of Yoga Therapy== |
| | Yoga therapy is based on the principle that the body and mind are interconnected and that improving one can positively affect the other. The practice involves a personalized approach, taking into account the individual's specific health conditions, limitations, and goals. |
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| The number of [[List of yoga schools|schools and styles of yoga]] in the Western world has grown rapidly from the late 20th century. By 2012, there were at least 19 widespread styles from [[Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga]] to [[Viniyoga]]. These emphasise different aspects including [[aerobic exercise]], precision in the asanas, and spirituality in the [[haṭha yoga]] tradition.<ref name="YJ on styles">{{cite web |last1=YJ Editors |title=What's Your Style? Explore the Types of Yoga |url=https://www.yogajournal.com/practice/which-yoga-is-right-for-you-2 |publisher=[[Yoga Journal]] |date=13 November 2012}}</ref><ref name="Beirne 2014">{{cite news |last1=Beirne |first1=Geraldine |title=Yoga: a beginner's guide to the different styles |url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/jan/10/yoga-beginners-guide-different-styles |accessdate=1 February 2019 |publisher=[[The Guardian]] |date=10 January 2014}}</ref> These aspects can be illustrated by schools with distinctive styles. Thus, [[Bikram Yoga]] has an aerobic exercise style with rooms heated to {{convert|105|F|C}} and a fixed sequence of 2 breathing exercises and 26 asanas performed in every session. [[Iyengar Yoga]] emphasises correct alignment in the postures, working slowly, if necessary with props, and ending with relaxation. [[Sivananda Yoga]] focuses more on spiritual practice, with 12 basic poses, chanting in [[Sanskrit]], [[pranayama]] breathing exercises, [[meditation]], and relaxation in each class, and importance is placed on [[Vegetarianism|vegetarian diet]].<ref name="YJ on styles"/><ref name="Beirne 2014"/>
| | Key components of yoga therapy include: |
| | * [[Asanas]] (physical postures) |
| | * [[Pranayama]] (breathing techniques) |
| | * [[Meditation]] and [[mindfulness]] |
| | * [[Relaxation]] techniques |
| | * [[Lifestyle]] and [[dietary]] advice |
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| ==Types of claim== | | ==Applications== |
| | Yoga therapy is used to address a wide range of physical and mental health issues. Some of the common applications include: |
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| At least three different types of claim of therapeutic benefit have been made for yoga from medieval times onwards, not counting the more general claims of good health made throughout this period: magical powers, biomedical claims for marketing purposes, and specific medical claims. Neither of the first two are supported by reliable evidence. The medical claims are supported by evidence of varying quality, from case studies to controlled trials and ultimately systematic review of multiple trials.{{sfn|Mallinson|Singleton|2017|p=108}}{{sfn|Broad|2012|pp=39 and whole book}}
| | ===Chronic Pain=== |
| | Yoga therapy can help manage chronic pain conditions such as [[arthritis]], [[fibromyalgia]], and [[lower back pain]]. Through gentle movement, breath work, and relaxation, individuals can experience reduced pain and improved function. |
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| ===Magical powers=== | | ===Mental Health=== |
| | Yoga therapy is effective in managing mental health conditions such as [[anxiety]], [[depression]], and [[post-traumatic stress disorder]] (PTSD). The practice promotes relaxation, reduces stress, and enhances mood. |
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| Medieval authors asserted that [[Haṭha yoga]] brought physical (as well as spiritual) benefits, and provided magical powers including of healing. The ''[[Hatha Yoga Pradipika]]'' (HYP) states that asanas in general, described as the first auxiliary of haṭha yoga, give "steadiness, good health, and lightness of limb." (HYP 1.17){{sfn|Mallinson|Singleton|2017|p=108}} Specific asanas, it claims, bring additional benefits; for example, [[Matsyendrasana]] awakens [[Kundalini]] and helps to prevent [[semen]] from being shed involuntarily; (HYP 1.27) [[Paschimottanasana]] "stokes up the digestive fire, slims the belly and gives good health"; (HYP 1.29) [[Shavasana]] "takes away fatigue and relaxes the mind"; (HYP 1.32) while [[Lotus position|Padmasana]] "destroys all diseases" (HYP 1.47).{{sfn|Mallinson|Singleton|2017|pp=108–111}} These claims lie within a tradition across all forms of yoga that practitioners can gain [[Siddhi|supernatural powers]].{{sfn|Mallinson|Singleton|2017|pp=359–361}} [[Hemachandra]]'s ''Yogashastra'' (1.8–9) lists the magical powers, which include healing and the destruction of poisons.{{sfn|Mallinson|Singleton|2017|pp=385–387}}
| | ===Cardiovascular Health=== |
| | Regular practice of yoga can improve cardiovascular health by reducing [[blood pressure]], improving circulation, and enhancing heart function. It is often recommended as part of a comprehensive lifestyle change for individuals with [[heart disease]]. |
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| {{anchor|Marketing}}
| | ===Respiratory Conditions=== |
| | Breathing exercises in yoga therapy can benefit individuals with respiratory conditions such as [[asthma]] and [[chronic obstructive pulmonary disease]] (COPD). These techniques help improve lung capacity and efficiency. |
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| {{anchor|Biomedical claims}}
| | ===Cancer Recovery=== |
| ===Biomedical claims for marketing purposes=== | | Yoga therapy is used to support individuals undergoing [[cancer]] treatment and recovery. It can help manage treatment side effects, reduce fatigue, and improve quality of life. |
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| [[File:Uttitha Trikonasana.jpg|thumb|Styles of yoga differ in their approach to the asanas. [[Iyengar Yoga]] emphasises correctness, seen here as a practitioner uses a [[yoga brick]] to attain correct alignment in [[Utthitha Trikonasana]].<ref name="Beirne 2014"/>]]
| | ==Training and Certification== |
| | Yoga therapists are typically trained in both yoga and healthcare. Certification programs often require a background in yoga teaching, along with additional training in anatomy, physiology, and therapeutic techniques. Organizations such as the [[International Association of Yoga Therapists]] (IAYT) provide standards and certification for yoga therapists. |
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| Twentieth century advocates of some schools of yoga, such as [[B. K. S. Iyengar]], have for various reasons made claims for the effects of yoga on specific organs, without adducing any evidence.
| | ==Related Pages== |
| The yoga scholar [[Suzanne Newcombe]] argues that this was one of several visions of yoga as in some sense therapeutic, ranging from medical to a more popular offer of health and well-being.{{sfn|Newcombe|2019|pp=203-227, Chapter "Yoga as Therapy"}}
| | * [[Yoga]] |
| The yoga scholar [[Andrea Jain]] describes these claims of Iyengar's in terms of "elaborating and fortifying his yoga brand"{{sfn|Jain|2015|pp=82–83}} and "mass-marketing",{{sfn|Jain|2015|pp=82–83}} calling Iyengar's 1966 book ''[[Light on Yoga]]'' "arguably the most significant event in the process of elaborating the brand".{{sfn|Jain|2015|pp=82–83}} The yoga teacher Bernie Gourley notes that the book neither describes [[contraindication]]s systematically, nor provides evidence for the claimed benefits.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Gourley |first1=Bernie |title=Book Review: Light on Yoga by BKS Iyengar |url=https://berniegourley.com/2014/06/01/book-review-light-on-yoga-by-bks-iyengar/ |website=The !n(tro)verted yogi |accessdate=20 November 2018 |date=1 June 2014}}</ref> Jain suggests that "Its biomedical dialect was attractive to many."{{sfn|Jain|2015|pp=82–83}} For example, in the book, Iyengar claims that the asanas of the [[Eka Pada Sirsasana]] cycle{{sfn|Iyengar|1979|p=302, and whole book}}
| | * [[Meditation]] |
| | * [[Mindfulness]] |
| | * [[Complementary and alternative medicine]] |
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| {{quote|...tone up the muscular, nervous and circulatory systems of the entire body. The spine receives a rich supply of blood, which increases the nervous energy in the [[chakra]]s (the various nerve plexuses situated in the spine), the flywheels in the human body machine. These poses develop the chest and make the breathing fuller and the body firmer; they stop nervous trembling of the body and prevent the diseases which cause it; they also help to eliminate toxins by supplying pure blood to every part of the body and bringing the congested blood back to the heart and lungs for purification.{{sfn|Iyengar|1979|p=302, and whole book}}}}
| | [[Category:Yoga]] |
| | | [[Category:Therapies]] |
| The history of such claims was reviewed by [[William J. Broad]] in his 2012 book ''The Science of Yoga''. Broad argues that while the health claims for yoga began as [[Hindu nationalist]] posturing, it turns out that there is ironically{{sfn|Broad|2012|pp=39 and whole book}} "a wealth of real benefits".{{sfn|Broad|2012|pp=39 and whole book}}
| | [[Category:Complementary and alternative medicine]] |
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| {{anchor|Remedial yoga}}
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| ===Remedial yoga===
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| Newcombe notes that Iyengar was sickly as a child, and that yoga with his brother-in-law [[Krishnamacharya]] had improved his health; it had also helped his daughter [[Geeta Iyengar|Geeta]], so his response to his students' health issues "was an intense and personal one."{{sfn|Newcombe|2019|p=215}} In effect, Newcombe argues, Iyengar was treating "remedial yoga" as analogous to [[Henrik Ling]]'s medical gymnastics.{{sfn|Newcombe|2019|p=215}} As early as 1940, Iyengar was using yoga as a therapy for common conditions such as sinus problems, backache, and fatigue.{{sfn|Goldberg|2016}} Iyengar was willing to push people through pain "to [show] them new possibilities."{{sfn|Newcombe|2019|p=216}} In the 1960s, he trained a few people such as Diana Clifton and [[Silva Mehta]] to deliver this remedial yoga; particular asanas were used for different conditions, and non-remedial Iyengar Yoga teachers were taught to tell students that ordinary classes were not suitable for "serious health issues".{{sfn|Newcombe|2019|p=217}} Mehta taught a remedial yoga class in the Iyengar Yoga Institute in [[Maida Vale]] from its opening in 1984;{{sfn|Newcombe|2019|p=221}} she contributed "Remedial Programs" for conditions such as arthritis, backache, knee cartilage problems, pregnancy, sciatica, scoliosis and varicose veins in the Mehtas' 1990 book ''[[Yoga the Iyengar Way]]''.{{sfn|Mehta|Mehta|Mehta|1990|pp=185-187}} However, Iyengar was deferential to Western medicine and its assessments, so in Newcombe's view Iyengar Yoga is "positioned as complementary to standard medical treatment rather than as an alternative".{{sfn|Newcombe|2019|p=219}}
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| Newcombe argues that in Britain, yoga "largely avoided overt conflict with the medical profession by simultaneously [[Yoga teacher training|professionalising with educational qualifications]] and deferring to medical expertise."{{sfn|Newcombe|2019|p=206}} After [[Richard Hittleman]]'s ''[[Yoga for Health]]'' series on [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] from 1971 to 1974,{{sfn|Newcombe|2019|p=189}} the series producer Howard Kent founded a [[Registered charity in England|charity]], the Yoga for Health Foundation, to "Research into the therapeutic benefits to be obtained by the practice of yoga";{{sfn|Newcombe|2019|p=209}} residential courses began in 1978 at [[Ickwell Bury]] in Bedfordshire.{{sfn|Newcombe|2019|p=211}} The Foundation stated that yoga was not a therapy or cure but had "therapeutic benefits", whether physical, mental, or emotional, and it worked especially with "the physically handicapped".{{sfn|Newcombe|2019|pp=212-214}} Newcombe notes that a third organisation, the Yoga Biomedical Trust, was founded in [[Cambridge]] in 1983 by a biologist, Robin Monro, to research complementary therapies. He found it hard to obtain [[research funding]], and in the 1990s moved to London, focusing on training yoga teachers in yoga as therapy and providing yoga as individualised therapy, using pranayama, relaxation and asanas.{{sfn|Newcombe|2019|pp=222-225}}
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| ===Evidence-based medical claims===
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| Researchers have studied the medical and psychological effects of yoga as exercise in a wide range of trials and observational studies, sometimes with careful controls, providing evidence of differing quality about yoga's possible benefits.{{sfn|Broad|2012|pp=39 and whole book}} The various types of claim, and the evidence for them, are discussed below.
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| ==Research==
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| ===Methodology===
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| {{see|Clinical study design}}
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| Much of the research on the therapeutic use of yoga has been in the form of preliminary studies or [[clinical trial]]s of low methodological quality, including small sample sizes, inadequate [[Scientific control|control]] and blinding, lack of [[Randomized experiment |randomization]], and high risk of [[bias]].<ref name="Krisanaprakornkit2010" /><ref name="Uebelacker 2010">{{cite journal |last=Uebelacker |first=L. A. |author2=Epstein-Lubow, G. |author3=Gaudiano, B. A. |author4=Tremont, G. |author5=Battle, C. L. |author6= Miller, I. W. |title=Hatha yoga for depression: critical review of the evidence for efficacy, plausible mechanisms of action, and directions for future research |journal=Journal of Psychiatric Practice |year=2010 |volume=16 |issue=1 |pages=22–33 |doi=10.1097/01.pra.0000367775.88388.96 |pmid=20098228}}</ref> Further research is needed to quantify the benefits and to clarify the mechanisms involved.<ref name="PenmanStevens2012">{{cite journal |last1=Penman |first1=Stephen |last2=Stevens |first2=Philip |last3=Cohen |first3=Marc |last4=Jackson |first4=Sue |title=Yoga in Australia: Results of a national survey |journal=International Journal of Yoga |volume=5 |issue=2 |year=2012 |pages=92 |issn=0973-6131 |doi=10.4103/0973-6131.98217}}</ref>
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| For example, a 2010 literature review on the use of yoga for [[Depression (mood)|depression]] stated, "although the results from these trials are encouraging, they should be viewed as very preliminary because the trials, as a group, suffered from substantial methodological limitations."<ref name="Uebelacker 2010"/> A 2015 [[systematic review]] on the effect of yoga on mood and the brain recommended that future clinical trials should apply more methodological rigour.<ref name="Pascoe2015">{{Cite journal |last=Pascoe |first=Michaela C. |last2=Bauer |first2=Isabelle E. |date=1 September 2015 |title=A systematic review of randomised control trials on the effects of yoga on stress measures and mood |journal=Journal of Psychiatric Research |volume=68 |pages=270–282 |doi=10.1016/j.jpsychires.2015.07.013 |pmid=26228429}}</ref>
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| ===Mechanisms===
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| [[File:YogaClass.jpg|thumb|A yoga class relaxing in [[Supta Baddha Konasana]]. There is evidence that yoga relieves [[Stress (biology)|stress]] by multiple mechanisms.<ref name="RileyPark2015"/>]] | |
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| The practice of asanas has been claimed to improve flexibility, strength, and balance; to alleviate stress and anxiety, and to reduce the symptoms of [[lower back pain]], without necessarily demonstrating the precise mechanisms involved.<ref name=hayes>{{cite journal |author1=Hayes, M. |author2=Chase, S. |title=Prescribing Yoga |journal=Primary Care |volume=37 |issue=1 |pages=31–47 |date=March 2010 |pmid=20188996 |doi=10.1016/j.pop.2009.09.009}}</ref> A review of five studies noted that three psychological ([[positive affect]], [[mindfulness]], [[self-compassion]]) and four biological mechanisms (posterior [[hypothalamus]], [[interleukin-6]], [[C-reactive protein]] and [[cortisol]]) that might act on stress had been examined empirically, whereas many other potential mechanisms remained to be studied; four of the mechanisms (positive affect, self-compassion, inhibition of the posterior hypothalamus and salivary cortisol) were found to mediate yoga's effect on [[Stress (biology)|stress]].<ref name="RileyPark2015">{{cite journal |last1=Riley |first1=Kristen E. |last2=Park |first2=Crystal L. |title=How does yoga reduce stress? A systematic review of mechanisms of change and guide to future inquiry |journal=Health Psychology Review |volume=9 |issue=3 |year=2015 |pages=379–396 |doi=10.1080/17437199.2014.981778}}</ref>
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| ===Low back pain===
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| Back pain is one reason people take up yoga, and since at least the 1960s some practitioners have claimed that it relieved their symptoms.{{sfn|Newcombe|2019|p=203}}
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| A 2013 systematic review on the use of yoga for [[low back pain]] found strong evidence for short- and long-term effects on pain, and moderate evidence for long-term benefit in back-specific disability, with no serious adverse events. Ten randomised controlled trials were analysed, of which eight had a low risk of bias. The outcomes measured included improvements in "pain, back-specific disability, generic disability, health-related quality of life, and global improvement".<ref name="CramerLaucheHaller2013">{{cite journal |last1=Cramer |first1=Holger |last2=Lauche |first2=Romy |last3=Haller |first3=Heidemarie |last4=Dobos |first4=Gustav |title=A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Yoga for Low Back Pain |journal=The Clinical Journal of Pain |volume=29 |issue=5 |year=2013 |pages=450–460 |doi=10.1097/AJP.0b013e31825e1492}}</ref> The review stated that yoga can be recommended as an additional therapy to chronic low back pain patients.<ref name="CramerLaucheHaller2013"/>
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| ===Mental disorders===
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| {{further|Trauma-sensitive yoga}}
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| [[File:Ptsd figure.png|thumb|upright|[[Trauma-sensitive yoga]] has been developed in the USA in the hope of benefiting individuals suffering from [[psychological trauma]].]]
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| A 2013 systematic review on the use of yoga for [[Depression (mood)|depression]] found moderate evidence of short-term benefit over "usual care" and limited evidence compared to relaxation and aerobic exercise. Only 3 of 12 randomised controlled trials had a low risk of bias. The diversity of the studies precluded analysis of long-term effects.<ref name="CramerLaucheLanghorst2013">{{cite journal|last1=Cramer |first1=Holger |last2=Lauche |first2=Romy |last3=Langhorst |first3=Jost |last4=Dobos |first4=Gustav |title=Yoga for Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis |journal=Depression and Anxiety |volume=30 |issue=11 |year=2013 |pages=1068–1083 |doi=10.1002/da.22166}}</ref> A 2015 systematic review on the effect of yoga on mood and the brain concluded that "yoga is associated with better regulation of the sympathetic nervous system and [[Hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis |hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal system]], as well as a decrease in depressive and anxious symptoms in a range of populations."<ref name="Pascoe2015">{{Cite journal |last=Pascoe |first=Michaela C. |last2=Bauer |first2=Isabelle E. |date=1 September 2015 |title=A systematic review of randomised control trials on the effects of yoga on stress measures and mood |journal=Journal of Psychiatric Research |volume=68 |pages=270–282 |doi=10.1016/j.jpsychires.2015.07.013 |pmid=26228429}}</ref> A systematic review in 2017 found some evidence of benefit in major depressive disorder, examining outcomes primarily of improvements in remission rates and severity of depression (and secondarily of anxiety and adverse events), but considered that better [[randomised controlled trial]]s were required.<ref name="CramerAnheyer2017">{{cite journal |last1=Cramer |first1=Holger|last2=Anheyer |first2=Dennis |last3=Lauche |first3=Romy |last4=Dobos |first4=Gustav |title=A systematic review of yoga for major depressive disorder |journal=Journal of Affective Disorders |volume=213 |year=2017 |pages=70–77 |issn=01650327 |doi=10.1016/j.jad.2017.02.006}}</ref>
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| [[Trauma-sensitive yoga]] has been developed by David Emerson and others of the Trauma Center at the Justice Resource Institute in [[Brookline, Massachusetts]]. The center uses yoga alongside other treatments to support recovery from traumatic episodes and to enable healing from [[PTSD]]. Workers including [[Bessel van der Kolk]] and Richard Miller have studied how clients can "regain comfort in their bodies, counteract rumination, and improve self-regulation through yoga."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Jackson |first1=Kate |title=Trauma-Sensitive Yoga |url=https://www.socialworktoday.com/archive/111714p8.shtml |publisher=Social Work Today}}</ref><ref name="Nolan2016">{{cite journal |last1=Nolan |first1=Caitlin R. |title=Bending without breaking: A narrative review of trauma-sensitive yoga for women with PTSD |journal=Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice |volume=24 |year=2016 |pages=32–40 |doi=10.1016/j.ctcp.2016.05.006}}</ref> A 2018 systematic review of 12 studies, that had individually found positive effects compared to their control groups, was unable to find strong evidence of benefit from yoga for [[post-traumatic stress disorder]], depression, or anxiety following traumatic experiences, and called for more rigorous study design.<ref name="Nguyen-FengClark2018">{{cite journal |last1=Nguyen-Feng |first1=Viann N. |last2=Clark |first2=Cari J. |last3=Butler |first3=Mary E. |title=Yoga as an intervention for psychological symptoms following trauma: A systematic review and quantitative synthesis |journal=Psychological Services |year=August 2019|pages=513–523|volume=16|issue=3 |doi=10.1037/ser0000191}}</ref>
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| ===Cardiovascular health===
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| A 2012 survey of yoga in Australia notes that there is "good evidence"<ref>For example, the survey by Penman and Stevens cites: {{cite journal |last1=Jayasinghe |first1=S. R. |title=Yoga in cardiac health (A Review) |journal=European Journal of Cardiovascular Prevention & Rehabilitation |volume=11 |issue=5 |year=2004 |pages=369–375 |issn=1741-8267 |doi=10.1097/01.hjr.0000206329.26038.cc}}</ref> that yoga and its associated [[healthy lifestyle]]—often [[vegetarian]], usually [[Health effects of tobacco|non-smoking]], preferring [[organic food]], [[alcohol consumption and health|drinking less or no alcohol]]–are beneficial for [[cardiovascular health]], but that there was "little apparent uptake of yoga to address [existing] cardiovascular conditions and risk factors".<ref name="PenmanStevens2012"/> Yoga was cited by respondents as a cause of these lifestyle changes; the survey notes that the relative importance of the various factors had not been assessed.<ref name="PenmanStevens2012"/>
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| ===Other conditions===
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| There is little reliable evidence that yoga is beneficial for specific medical conditions, and an increasing amount of evidence that it is not, as follows.
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| A systematic review in 2013 found weak evidence for the use of yoga for [[Rheumatism|rheumatic diseases]], examining outcomes of pain and disability, with no evidence of its safety.<ref name="rd">{{cite journal |date=November 2013 |title=Yoga for rheumatic diseases: a systematic review |journal=Rheumatology (Oxford) |volume=52 |issue=11 |pages=2025–30 |doi=10.1093/rheumatology/ket264 |pmid=23934220 |authors=Cramer, H.; Lauche, R.; Langhorst, J.; Dobos, G.}}</ref>
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| A 2015 systematic review found no evidence of benefit in treatment of [[epilepsy]] or [[menopause]]-related symptoms.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Panebianco |first=Mariangela |last2=Sridharan |first2=Kalpana |last3=Ramaratnam |first3=Sridharan |date=2 May 2015 |title=Yoga for epilepsy |journal=The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews |issue=5 |pages=CD001524 |doi=10.1002/14651858.CD001524.pub2 |pmid=25934967}}</ref><ref name="Lee2009">{{cite journal |year=2009 |title=Yoga for menopausal symptoms: a systematic review|journal=[[Menopause (New York, N.Y.) |Menopause]] |volume=16 |issue=3 |pages=602–608 |doi=10.1097/gme.0b013e31818ffe39 |pmid=19169169 |author1=Lee, M. S. |author2=Kim, J. I. |author3=Ha, J. Y. |author4=Boddy, K. |author5=Ernst, E.}}</ref>
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| According to the [[American Cancer Society]], practice of yoga can improve strength and balance in [[cancer]] patients, is "unlikely to cause harm",<ref name="ACS alternatives"/> and does not "interfere with cancer treatment".<ref name="ACS alternatives">{{cite web |url=https://www.cancer.org/latest-news/the-truth-about-alternative-medical-treatments.html |title=The Truth About Alternative Medical Treatments |publisher=[[American Cancer Society]] |accessdate=4 September 2019 |date=30 January 2019}}</ref> The society notes that yoga "cannot cure cancer"<ref name="ACS Yes to Yoga"/> but that yoga may help to improve the [[quality of life]] in cancer survivors, as shown in a [[randomised controlled trial]] of women who had had [[breast cancer]]. Measured outcomes included fatigue, depression, and sleep quality.<ref name="ACS Yes to Yoga">{{cite web |url=https://www.cancer.org/latest-news/say-yes-to-yoga.html |title=Say Yes to Yoga |publisher=[[American Cancer Society]] |accessdate=4 September 2019 |date=23 August 2018}}</ref><ref name="ChandwaniPerkins2014">{{cite journal |last1=Chandwani |first1=Kavita D. |last2=Perkins |first2=George |last3=Nagendra |title=Randomized, Controlled Trial of Yoga in Women With Breast Cancer Undergoing Radiotherapy |journal=Journal of Clinical Oncology |volume=32 |issue=10 |year=2014 |pages=1058–1065 |issn=0732-183X |doi=10.1200/JCO.2012.48.2752}}</ref>
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| A systematic review in 2015 found "promising" evidence that exercise helps people with [[dementia]] perform [[activities of daily living]] (ADLs), but no evidence that cognition, neuropsychiatric symptoms, or depression were benefited; yoga was not distinguished from other forms of exercise.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Forbes |first=Dorothy |last2=Forbes |first2=Scott C. |last3=Blake |first3=Catherine M. |last4=Thiessen |first4=Emily J. |last5=Forbes |first5=Sean |date=15 April 2015 |title=Exercise programs for people with dementia |journal=The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews |issue=4 |pages=CD006489 |doi=10.1002/14651858.CD006489.pub4 |pmid=25874613}}</ref>
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| A 2010 systematic review showed no effect of yoga on [[attention deficit hyperactivity disorder]], measured by teacher rating on the ADHD overall scale.<ref name="Krisanaprakornkit2010">{{cite journal |author1=Krisanaprakornkit, T. |author2=Ngamjarus, C. |author3=Witoonchart, C. |author4=Piyavhatkul, N. | title=Meditation therapies for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) | journal=[[Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews]] | issue=6 | pages=CD006507 | year=2010 | pmid=20556767 | doi=10.1002/14651858.CD006507.pub2}}</ref>
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| A systematic review in 2019 concluded that there was not enough evidence to be able to assess the effectiveness of yoga for treating women with urinary incontinence.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Wieland |first=L. Susan |last2=Shrestha |first2=Nipun |last3=Lassi |first3=Zohra S.|last4=Panda |first4=Sougata |last5=Chiaramonte |first5=Delia |last6=Skoetz |first6=Nicole |date=2019 |title=Yoga for treating urinary incontinence in women |journal=The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews |volume=2 |pages=CD012668 |doi=10.1002/14651858.CD012668.pub2 |pmc=6394377 |pmid=30816997}}</ref>
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| ==Safety==
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| {{See|Science of yoga}}
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| Although relatively safe, yoga is not a risk-free form of exercise. Sensible precautions can usefully be taken – for example the avoidance of advanced moves by beginners, not combining practice with psychoactive drug use, and avoiding competitiveness.<ref name=safety>{{cite journal |authors=Cramer, H.; Krucoff, C.; Dobos, G. |title=Adverse events associated with yoga: a systematic review of published case reports and case series |journal=PLoS ONE |volume=8 |issue=10 |pages=e75515 |year=2013 |pmid=24146758 |pmc=3797727 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0075515}}</ref>
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| A small percentage of yoga practitioners each year suffer physical injuries analogous to [[sports injuries]].<ref name="IJOY2012No2">{{cite journal |date=July 2012 |title=Yoga in Australia: Results of a national survey |journal=International Journal of Yoga |volume=5 |issue=2 |pages=92–101 |doi=10.4103/0973-6131.98217 |pmc=3410203 |pmid=22869991 |authors=Penman, S.; Cohen, M.; Stevens, P.; Jackson, S.}}</ref> The practice of yoga has been cited as a cause of hyperextension or rotation of the neck, which may be a precipitating factor in [[Vertebral artery dissection |cervical artery dissection]].<ref name="Caso2005">{{cite journal |authors=Caso, V.; Paciaroni, M.; Bogousslavsky, J. |title=Environmental factors and cervical artery dissection |journal=Frontiers of Neurology and Neuroscience |volume=20 |pages=44–53 |year=2005 |pmid=17290110 |doi=10.1159/000088134}}</ref>
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| == See also ==
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| * [[Exercise is Medicine]]
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| * ''[[International Journal of Yoga]]''
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| * [[International Association of Yoga Therapists]]
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| * [[Neurobiological effects of physical exercise]]
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| * [[Yoga foot drop]]
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| ==References==
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| {{Reflist|26em}}
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| ==Sources==
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| {{refbegin|30em}}
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| : {{cite book |last=Broad |first=William J. |authorlink=William J. Broad |title=The Science of Yoga: The Risks and the Rewards |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BGrx76leGtgC |year=2012 |publisher=Simon and Schuster |isbn=978-1-4516-4142-4 |ref=harv}}
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| : {{cite book | last=Goldberg | first=Elliott | title=[[The Path of Modern Yoga|The Path of Modern Yoga : the history of an embodied spiritual practice]] | publisher=Inner Traditions | year=2016 | isbn=978-1-62055-567-5 | oclc=926062252 | ref=harv}}
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| : {{cite book |last=Iyengar |first=B. K. S. |authorlink=B. K. S. Iyengar |year=1979 |origyear=1966 |title=[[Light on Yoga |Light on Yoga: Yoga Dipika]] |publisher=Unwin Paperbacks |isbn=978-1855381667 |ref=harv}}
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| : {{cite book | last=Jain | first=Andrea |authorlink=Andrea Jain | title=[[Selling Yoga]] : from Counterculture to Pop culture | publisher=Oxford University Press | year=2015 | isbn=978-0-19-939024-3 | oclc=878953765 | ref=harv}}
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| : {{cite book | last1=Mallinson | first1=James |author1link=James Mallinson (author) |last2=Singleton |first2=Mark |author2link=Mark Singleton (yoga teacher) | title=[[Roots of Yoga]] | publisher=Penguin Books | year=2017 | isbn=978-0-241-25304-5 | oclc=928480104 |ref=harv}}
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| : {{cite book |last1=Mehta |first1=Silva |last2=Mehta |first2=Mira |last3=Mehta |first3=Shyam |title=[[Yoga the Iyengar Way]]: The new definitive guide to the most practised form of yoga |date=1990 |publisher=[[Dorling Kindersley]] |isbn=978-0863184208 |ref=harv}}
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| : {{cite book |last=Newcombe |first=Suzanne |authorlink=Suzanne Newcombe |year=2019 |title=Yoga in Britain: Stretching Spirituality and Educating Yogis |location=Bristol, England |publisher=Equinox Publishing |isbn=978-1-78179-661-0 |ref=harv}}
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| : {{cite book |last=Singleton |first=Mark |authorlink=Mark Singleton (yoga scholar) |title=[[Yoga Body|Yoga Body : the origins of modern posture practice]] | publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2010 |isbn=978-0-19-539534-1 |oclc=318191988 |ref=harv}}
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| {{refend}}
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| ==External links==
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| * [https://www.iayt.org/ International Association of Yoga Therapists]
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| {{Asanas}}
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| {{Modern yoga}}
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| {{Yoga}}
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| {{Use dmy dates |date=August 2017}}
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| {{DEFAULTSORT:Yoga As Exercise Or Alternative Medicine}}
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| [[Category:Alternative medicine]]
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| [[Category:Mind–body interventions]]
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| [[Category:Yoga styles]]
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| {{stb}}
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Use of yoga as a therapeutic intervention
Yoga as therapy refers to the adaptation and application of yoga techniques and practices to help individuals facing health challenges at any level manage their condition, reduce symptoms, restore balance, increase vitality, and improve attitude. Yoga therapy is a growing field and scientific evidence has begun to emphasize its efficacy in the treatment of various medical conditions.
History[edit]
The therapeutic use of yoga can be traced back to ancient India, where it was practiced as a holistic approach to health and well-being. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, a foundational text of yoga philosophy, outlines the eight limbs of yoga, which include ethical guidelines, physical postures, breath control, and meditation. These practices were traditionally used to promote physical, mental, and spiritual health.
In the modern era, yoga therapy has evolved to incorporate contemporary medical and psychological knowledge. It is now recognized as a complementary therapy in many healthcare settings worldwide.
Principles of Yoga Therapy[edit]
Yoga therapy is based on the principle that the body and mind are interconnected and that improving one can positively affect the other. The practice involves a personalized approach, taking into account the individual's specific health conditions, limitations, and goals.
Key components of yoga therapy include:
Applications[edit]
Yoga therapy is used to address a wide range of physical and mental health issues. Some of the common applications include:
Chronic Pain[edit]
Yoga therapy can help manage chronic pain conditions such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, and lower back pain. Through gentle movement, breath work, and relaxation, individuals can experience reduced pain and improved function.
Mental Health[edit]
Yoga therapy is effective in managing mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The practice promotes relaxation, reduces stress, and enhances mood.
Cardiovascular Health[edit]
Regular practice of yoga can improve cardiovascular health by reducing blood pressure, improving circulation, and enhancing heart function. It is often recommended as part of a comprehensive lifestyle change for individuals with heart disease.
Respiratory Conditions[edit]
Breathing exercises in yoga therapy can benefit individuals with respiratory conditions such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). These techniques help improve lung capacity and efficiency.
Cancer Recovery[edit]
Yoga therapy is used to support individuals undergoing cancer treatment and recovery. It can help manage treatment side effects, reduce fatigue, and improve quality of life.
Training and Certification[edit]
Yoga therapists are typically trained in both yoga and healthcare. Certification programs often require a background in yoga teaching, along with additional training in anatomy, physiology, and therapeutic techniques. Organizations such as the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT) provide standards and certification for yoga therapists.
Related Pages[edit]
