Contributed by: Kimberly Black, 200YT

Yoga For Chronic Pain & Fatigue

Have you added yoga to your training regimen yet? Yoga aids in increased flexibility, stress relief, as well as several cardiovascular and strength benefits. Yoga has also been found to be beneficial for pain management, especially for those suffering with chronic pain or fatigue. Chronic pain disorders such as fibromyalgia or rheumatoid arthritis often manifest in the muscle fibers throughout the body and can lead to pain, fatigue, headaches and sleeping disorders. Often times these disorders go un- or misdiagnosed and leaves sufferers with little to no resolutions to ease their body from aches and pains. Fortunately new research studies have been done on the benefits of yoga and it’s link to pain reduction and stress relief.

Stress can often manifest itself physically in the body as pain. The meditation and breath-work during yoga aids in stress release which can in turn allow the practitioner to relax the muscles and ease pain in their clients. Recent studies have shown that yoga practitioners have a higher pain tolerance than those in control groups that did not do yoga. The yogis and the participants in the control group used different strategies to deal with their pain. The yogis specifically used mindfulness and breathing techniques to relax their muscles. Another study has shown that a 12 week Hatha yoga practice helped reduce pain in neck-related disorders, and a sustained practice was even more beneficial. Other benefits include increased range of motion, an increase in daily energy and sleeping more soundly through the night.

If you are experiencing chronic pain, fatigue, or just want a great way to recover from your strength training and help manage stress, yoga may be a great fit for you! Contact JKFITNESS today and let us get you started on your own yoga practice. JKFITNESS offers an array of small group yoga classes as well as private one-on-one yoga instruction.

References:

http://www.yogajournal.com/article/health/pain-reliever/

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/pme.12053/abstract

https://academic.oup.com/cercor/article-lookup/doi/10.1093/cercor/bht124