There are many different types of yoga that provide pain relief, musculoskeletal alignment and repair, and improvement in nervous system function. While each type of yoga has its own long list of benefits, some provide more benefits than others for recovering from injury.
Bikram Yoga
Bikram is a form of yoga that has helped many people resolve back pain, stiff necks, headaches, scoliosis, herniated discs, and many other back problems. The Bikram yoga series is designed to work the spine in every direction, creating a healthy spine and thus a healthy nervous system. It is important to know that depending upon your back condition modifications may be necessary.
Research has shown back pain located in the lower back and legs due to a herniated disc can benefit from stretching regularly. Spinal extensions which include leg lifts, arm lifts, and backbends allow spinal disc fluid to resettle in between the vertebrae. This technique can help ease a bulging disc back into position thereby reducing a great deal of the pain originating from the injury.
The Locust, Full Locust, Cobra, and Bow poses are a part of the “spine strengthening series.” Each of these four postures includes a spinal extension. Lifting the extremities or bending the spine, these positions can help the most when suffering from a lower back injury such as a slipped disk. With the combined temperatures of a hot Bikram studio, the muscles are warm and limber before you start the stretches.
Go to www.bikramyogaposesguide.com for a full description, illustration, and video of each exercise in the 26-part series.
Restorative Yoga
Restorative yoga is often used to help recover from surgery or a new injury. It offers a series of supported stretches and twists that are held for up to five minutes each. Props such as blankets and bolsters are used, so the body is fully relaxed which enables blood flow to be redirected to help rehabilitate injuries, rebalance the body, and provide the benefits of a prolonged deep state of relaxation.
Yin Yoga
Yin yoga is another type of yoga that helps release large muscles like hamstrings
that pull the body out of alignment. This includes a series of stretches that last from
three to five minutes each, which enables the fascia (the thin sheath of fibrous tissue enclosing muscles and organs) to release which is often the cause of pain. Holding long stretches also creates a release of hormones.
Not only do these types of yoga help repair injury, but when done regularly they prevent injury and are a great way to get employees back to work and keep them working pain-free. ← Pamela Johnson is a Certified Functional Medicine practitioner and Yoga Instructor. She specializes in Corporate Wellness and integrative functional medicine into corporations, clinics, and hospital systems.
