A lot of patients ask me about Yoga. The patients that ask me are the ones that have tried everything. They’ve done the Personal Trainer, the Pilates, the cortisone injection and even had back surgery.
They’re desperate to try something to help them and they’re in pain.
So when they ask, can Yoga help me, the first thing I say is …”When can you start?”
Yoga is fantastic for lower back pain. It’s great for improving flexibility, strength and fitness. That’s right, fitness. You wouldn’t normally think Yoga and then fitness. But you’d be wrong. You can get very fit doing Yoga.
There are many types of Yoga out there and many practitioners claiming to turn you inside out and upside down with their brand of Yoga moves.
A word of warning, just like any therapy or exercise you need to choose the right teacher.
The right teacher is vital for beginners. The right class is also very important. You need to make sure that your teacher is one recommended by a friend, family member or therapist. Don’t do classes that have 30 people in them. You risk walking out in pain or not actually walking out at all.
You need to find a small class where the teacher can give you plenty of help and watch your every move.
Better still, if you can find a teacher that can do 1 on 1, you are in the safest and most effective environment.
We recommend Patricia Algeri. Patricia is just fantastic. Apart from being a lovely person, she knows her stuff and she has helped many of our patients.
I’ll never forget one of our patients who after a few sessions with Patricia said to me, “Patricia, she’s changed my life”
It doesn’t get better than that.
Dr Wayne
