Yoga, stretching exercises help ease chronic low back pain

Yoga classes and stretching exercises could help patients with chronic low back pain in reducing symptoms and improving function, a new study has suggested.

The study found that yoga classes were more effective than a self-care book at improving chronic low back pain, but stretching classes gave best results.

Karen J Sherman, PhD, MPH, from Group Health Research Institute, Seattle, and colleagues designed a study to determine whether yoga is more effective than conventional stretching exercises or a self-care book for primary care patients with chronic lower back pain.

A total of 228 adults with chronic low back pain were randomised to 12 weekly yoga classes or conventional stretching exercise classes or a self-care book that provided information on causes of back pain and advice on exercising, lifestyle modifications and managing flare-ups.

Compared with the self-care group, the yoga group reported superior function at 12 and 26 weeks and the stretching group reported superior function at six, 12 and 26 weeks.

“There were no statistically or clinically significant differences between the yoga and stretching groups” at any time point, the authors noted.

“We found that physical activity involving stretching, regardless of whether it is achieved using yoga or more conventional exercises, has moderate benefits in individuals with moderately impairing low back pain.

“Finding similar effects for both approaches suggests that yoga’s benefits were largely attributable to the physical benefits of stretching and strengthening the muscles and not to its mental components,” they added.

The findings were published online by the Archives of Internal Medicine.