For 12 weeks, adults with persistent lower-back pain either took gentle yoga classes, performed conventional aerobic and strengthening exercises or followed advice from a back pain self-help book as part of a recent study.
Result: After 72 weeks, the participants who performed the gentle yoga poses showed the most improvement in back-related dysfunction, such as difficulty walking up stairs.
Caution: Vigorous styles of yoga could worsen chronic back pain. To find a yoga instructor experienced in helping people with back pain, consult the International Association of Yoga Therapists, 928-541-0004, www.iayt.org.
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