Yoga For Back Pain: What The Research Says, And Raj’s Story

Yoga for back pain: the short answer

Raj could not lift his child. For several years a slipped disc kept him mostly in bed. Today he runs two businesses and still practises yoga at Flametree in Darwin.

Is yoga good for back pain? For long-lasting back pain, the research says yoga can help people move and function better, and it may ease pain a little. A 2017 Cochrane review (the most trusted kind of research summary) found yoga did better than no exercise or back care education. It did about as well as other back exercise. Iyengar yoga, the style Flametree teaches, was one of the most tested styles. Below is what the research found, Raj’s story in his own words, and how to try yoga for back pain safely, in Darwin or live online.

Here is the article in short form:

• Cochrane 2017: 12 trials, 1,080 people, better back function than no exercise.
• Pain: slightly lower, but less than doctors count as a big change.
• Iyengar trials: two US trials found less pain and disability than usual care.
• Iyengar review 2015: all six Iyengar trials favoured yoga, mainly in the short term.
• Safety: about 5 in 100 had a temporary flare of back pain, none serious.
• Raj’s story: from mostly bedbound to two businesses, in his own words.
• Next step: a gentle Yoga For Backs class, in Darwin or live online.

What the research says about yoga for back pain

The best summary so far says yoga helps back function, and helps pain a little. Here are the studies that matter most, with the year and what yoga was compared with.

The Cochrane review, 2017

Cochrane reviews are independent summaries that pool many fair tests. In 2017 Cochrane looked at 12 randomised controlled trials (fair tests where chance decides who gets yoga) with 1,080 people who had chronic (lasting more than three months) low back pain. Most trials used Iyengar, Hatha or Viniyoga.

• Compared with no exercise or education only: yoga gave small to moderate improvements in back function at three to six months.
• Pain: slightly lower with yoga, but below the 15 point change on a 100 point scale that the reviewers set as clearly important.
• Compared with other back exercise: little or no difference. The evidence here was weak.
• Safety: about 5 more people in every 100 had a flare of back pain with yoga than with no exercise. There were no serious problems.

So yoga is not magic. It is one good way to get moving again, and it did at least as well as the other back exercise it was tested against. You can read the Cochrane review on yoga for chronic low back pain.

The Iyengar yoga trials: Williams 2005 and 2009

Two American trials tested Iyengar yoga for back pain directly.

In 2005, 60 people with mild, long-lasting low back pain were given 16 weeks of Iyengar yoga or an education programme. In that small study, the yoga group reported pain down 64%, disability down 77% and pain medicine use down 88%. Those are that one study’s results, not a promise, because the study was small and only 42 people finished it (Williams and colleagues, Pain, 2005).

In 2009 a larger trial of 90 people compared 24 weeks of twice-weekly Iyengar yoga with standard medical care. The yoga group had less disability, less pain and less depression. They were still ahead six months after the classes ended (Williams and colleagues, Spine, 2009).

A review of Iyengar yoga for back and neck pain, 2015

A 2015 systematic review (a study that pools many trials) looked only at Iyengar yoga. It found six randomised trials with 570 people with back or neck pain. In all six, the yoga group did better than the comparison group. The reviewers found strong evidence for short-term benefit and little evidence yet about the long term (Crow and colleagues, International Journal of Yoga, 2015).

Where the evidence is still thin

The honest limits matter. Most trials were small. People knew whether they were doing yoga, which can colour how they rate their pain. Few studies followed people for more than a year. And most research is on non-specific back pain (no single clear cause found), not on a recent injury.

Does yoga help with back pain in real life? Raj’s story

Research tells you about averages. Raj’s story shows what it looked like for one person. These are his words, from his own account.

“A lifting accident totally wrecked my back.
In my twenties, I was running my own trucking business in Canada.
In Canada, I was working in MINUS 40 degree centigrade temperatures. Apparently, that made back injuries more likely.
In my lower spine, I got a major slipped disk. (It’s also called a ruptured disk, or a herniated disk). It also led to sciatica, or pain from the sciatic nerve.

I was totally incapacitated.

For several years, I could do almost nothing for myself.
I could not lift my child, and sometimes could not even go to the toilet by myself.
People even thought I was just a paternalistic male because my wife had to do so much for me.
I lost my business and my home. The family then had to live in a windowless, tiny basement for several years.

Physios, doctors, and osteos could do nothing for me.
Medication for the pain seriously damaged my liver and gave me kidney stones.
The doctor said surgery had a low chance of helping, and could even make things much worse… likely paralysis!
Steroid shots helped me move a bit, but were not a long-term solution.

Depression set in.

Depression set in; not only due to what I had lost, but because I faced ongoing major disability for life.
One piece of advice that helped was to try a warmer climate than Canada.
I had done university in Queensland, so we headed for Australia.
My wife got a six-month job in Darwin… but I was still largely bedridden.

Luckily, I met a teacher from Flametree Yoga.
She insisted I had to try the sort of yoga she was doing at Flametree Yoga Studio in Woolner, Darwin.
I resisted because all my life yoga to me was a myth. Its immense healing capacity was unknown to me.

I knew little about yoga’s many benefits.
After many months of ignoring the teacher’s advice, I finally joined the Flametree Beginner Yoga classes.
I didn’t want to go. I had to take a big deep breath, and just give a try to yoga for backs, neck and shoulders.
Chris Lalor, the Principal Teacher & Yoga Therapist, while I was in each class, would give me customised modifications to the beginner postures.

The modified postures stopped me hurting myself, (says Raj)

The postures also quickly worked on building movement, strength, and flexibility.
The postures started with simple poses like Half Angle and other ones that you can see in the pictures & video with this story.
With yoga, I started on a journey has led me back to an almost normal life.
I now have two thriving businesses and a happy family life.
My wife has also started yoga. We’re interested in all the special benefits it has for women.
After starting yoga, I slowly realised “I can get better”.

My mental blues lifted.

I did the Flametree Beginner classes two to three times a week.
Then I moved steadily into Flametree’s higher levels of yoga classes. These days I do a mix of their Intermediate and Experienced classes.
And after about four years of classes, yoga has become a regular part of my life, with classes either during the day or evening.
I love the passion about yoga that comes through in Chris Lalor’s teaching, and yoga for back, neck & shoulders.

I give the whole credit to my recovery to yoga…and especially the Iyengar style of yoga I’m learning at Flametree.
Apart from my now recovered physical abilities, I am now light and full of joy at the world around me.
Yoga fixed my back and my head!”

That is Raj’s experience, and it is one person’s story. Back pain has many causes, and results differ from person to person.

Watch Raj’s short video

Raj’s 30-second story: from mostly bedbound to back at work, with yoga at Flametree in Darwin.

What other Flametree students say about their backs

These are real public reviews, quoted exactly as written.

“I have been doing yoga for almost 8 years at flametree. I am a new person now as I had an injured back due to my sitting job for years. At Flametree all the instructors listen and tailor your workout specifically to your needs, or goals.” (A public review, ThreeBestRated)

“After 3 months of regularly attending beginner classes at Flametree my back pain disappeared. Even one yoga session gives me more relief than a trip to the chiro or a massage. The use of props let’s everyone give all the poses a go and the teachers make everyone feel very welcome.” (A Google review from a Flametree beginner student)

Why Iyengar yoga suits people with back pain

Iyengar yoga is slow, precise and uses props. Chairs, blocks, belts, bolsters and wall ropes take strain off the back, so a pose can be held without pushing through pain.

• The teacher adapts each pose. Raj describes Chris giving him a changed version of each pose in every class.
• Standing poses build strength in the legs and the muscles around the spine.
• Gentle twists and supported bends help the spine move again, a little at a time.
• Relaxation and breathing help calm the tension that often comes with long-lasting pain.

Iyengar teachers train for years before they teach. At Flametree it takes at least three years of practice to start teacher training, then at least another three years before teaching.

How to start yoga for back pain safely

Start slowly, tell the teacher, and check with your doctor if anything worries you.

1. See your doctor first if your pain is new after a fall or injury, is severe, or comes with numbness, leg weakness, or bladder or bowel changes.
2. Tell the teacher about your back before class, including any diagnosis such as a herniated disc (a spinal disc that bulges out) or sciatica (nerve pain running down the leg).
3. Choose a beginner or back-focused class, not a fast flowing one.
4. Go regularly. In the Iyengar trials people came once or twice a week for several months.
5. Stop any pose that sharpens your pain and ask for a different version.

Some poses need more care with back pain. We will cover which poses to avoid, and yoga for lower back pain and sciatica, in separate guides. Susie’s story of yoga for lower back pain after gardening is already up.

Yoga for back pain in Darwin and live online

Flametree Yoga Studio runs a Yoga For Backs class at 7:15pm every Wednesday, taught by Christine (Chris) Lalor, Senior Iyengar Yoga Teacher and certified yoga therapist, at the Woolner studio in Darwin and LIVE online. Gentle Yoga and Restorative Yoga also suit most people with back pain. All are on the beginner pass.

• In Darwin: just come along to the studio. Props and mats are supplied.
• Online: click the class time you want and we email you the link to join.

See the class times and get your link to join here, or see the beginner timetable.

New to Flametree? Your first class is free. New, or away three months or more? If you want to go on, get back pain yoga in Darwin at half price: the half price 10 class pass with 2 classes free, $59.50, usable in the studio, online, or both. No discount code is needed, and it has a 14-day money-back guarantee.

More about the class is on the Back, Neck and Shoulder Focus page. If you are weighing up other options, see considering physio? try yoga first and yoga compared with Pilates in Darwin.

Yoga for back pain: frequently asked questions

Is yoga good for back pain?

For long-lasting back pain, yes, it can help. A 2017 Cochrane review of 12 trials found yoga improved back function more than no exercise or education, and eased pain slightly. It works best practised regularly, with a teacher who adapts the poses to you.

What does the research say about Iyengar yoga for back pain?

Iyengar yoga is one of the most tested styles. A 2009 trial of 90 people found twice-weekly Iyengar yoga reduced disability, pain and depression more than standard medical care, and a 2015 review found all six Iyengar trials for back and neck pain favoured yoga in the short term.

Is yoga better than other exercise for back pain?

The Cochrane review found little or no difference between yoga and other back exercise, and the evidence was weak. Many people find yoga easier to keep up because it is varied, gentle and adapted to them.

Can yoga make back pain worse?

Sometimes, for a short while. In the Cochrane review about 5 more people in 100 had a flare of back pain with yoga than with no exercise, and there were no serious problems. Choosing a gentle, prop-based class and telling the teacher about your back lowers the risk.

Which yoga poses help back pain?

Supported standing poses such as Triangle Pose (Trikonasana), gentle twists on a chair, and a half dog stretch with the hands on a chair are common in back classes. The right version depends on your back, so learn them with a teacher first.

How often should I do yoga for back pain?

In the Iyengar trials people went to class once or twice a week for four to six months. Regular short home practice between classes also helps.

Should I see a doctor before starting yoga for back pain?

Yes, if the pain is new after a fall or injury, is severe or getting worse, or comes with numbness, leg weakness, fever, or bladder or bowel changes. Yoga works alongside medical care, not instead of it.

Can I do yoga for back pain online?

Yes. Flametree Yoga Studio streams its weekly Yoga For Backs class LIVE online, so the teacher can see you and adjust your poses. You click the class time you want and we email you the link to join. The same class also runs in the studio at Woolner in Darwin.

This article is general information, not medical advice. Flametree Yoga Studio, Darwin and live online.

Sources: Wieland LS and colleagues, Yoga treatment for chronic non-specific low back pain, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2017, doi 10.1002/14651858.CD010671.pub2. Williams KA and colleagues, Effect of Iyengar yoga therapy for chronic low back pain, Pain, 2005, doi 10.1016/j.pain.2005.02.016. Williams K and colleagues, Evaluation of the effectiveness and efficacy of Iyengar yoga therapy on chronic low back pain, Spine, 2009, doi 10.1097/BRS.0b013e3181b315cc. Crow EM and colleagues, Effectiveness of Iyengar yoga in treating spinal (back and neck) pain: a systematic review, International Journal of Yoga, 2015, doi 10.4103/0973-6131.146046.