Summary: “I’m More in Balance”: A Qualitative Study of Yoga for Patients with Chronic Neck Pain
by H. Murray March 14, 2020.
Summary of, “I’m More in Balance”: A Qualitative Study of Yoga for Patients with Chronic Neck Pain
Holger Cramer, PhD, Romy Lauche, PhD, Heidemarie Haller, Mac, Jost Langhorst, MD, Gustav Topos, MD, and Bettina Berger, PhD.
Published in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine Volume 19, Number 6, 2013, pp. 536-542
The following is a summary of a qualitative study of the benefits of using Iyengar Yoga to address chronic neck pain. While not written specifically for musicians, or our neck pain, the neck is an area of the body where many musicians experience pain and are in need of options to use when addressing their discomfort. This study, published in 2003 in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, was conducted with eighteen participants from a range of backgrounds and investigates the perceived influence of yoga on body perception and psychosocial aspects of life for patients with chronic neck pain. The authors note that chronic neck pain, along with causing personal suffering due to pain, functional impairment, and decreased quality of life, also influences body perception.
In accordance with the research of Dr. Georg Feuerstein, the authors assert, “Yoga is a commonly used complementary treatment for neck and back pain, with an estimated 3 million American adults using it explicitly to treat such pain. Deriving from ancient Indian philosophy, yoga comprises lifestyle advice, spiritual practice, and physical postures. It is thought to create physical, emotional, and spiritual balance, with the infinite goal of uniting body, mind, and spirit.” (536).
Because of these elements, the authors chose to study you because it has proven effectiveness in randomized controlled trials on musculoskeletal disorders including osteoarthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and low back pain. A recent clinical trial conducted by the same authors demonstrated the effectiveness of Iyengar yoga for chronic neck pain when compared to a home-based stretching program in reducing pain intensity and functional disability. The authors also noted that yoga also improved cervical proprioceptive acuity; “As yoga focuses on increasing awareness of muscle tone and joint position, it is also thought to help in recognizing and changing habitual patterns of posture and muscle tension in daily life.” (536-7).
The study consisted of one Iyengar Yoga class per week over the course of 9 weeks. Classes were 90 minutes long and included the use of props, including yoga blocks, belts, and blankets. Participants were also encouraged to practice at home in between classes. A certified Iyengar Yoga teacher designed the classes specifically for people suffering from chronic neck pain and who also lack previous yoga experience.
The classes included the following yoga poses:
Standing half forward bend at the wall
Results and Conclusions.
Study participants reported experiences on physical, cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and social dimensions and saw yoga as an active self-help strategy, using yoga poses in stressful situations to relieve or prevent pain, and cited more perceived control over their general well-being in daily life. Participants also saw themselves becoming generally more relaxed and the increased body awareness enabled some to monitor and control their posture in daily life, further relieving pain. Yoga was seen as a multidimensional intervention linked to change in all dimensions of human experience and the authors suggest that body awareness may be the key mechanism in these changes.
Notes:
If you are suffering from pain or discomfort please consult a medical doctor. Yoga is an increasingly popular form of therapeutic and recreational movement. There are a variety of types of yoga and not all are designed to be therapeutic. Do a little research before attending a yoga class.