Yoga ‘causes same damage as sport’

‘Safe’ pastime can leave you doubled over

YOU may have perfected the lotus, the half tortoise or even the sleeping hero. But yoga may do more harm than good, research reveals.

The risk of pain from the popular exercise regime is said to be ten times higher than feared – while it causes as many injuries as general sports, scientists have warned.

Celebrity fans of the lifestyle practice, which is said to boost physical and mental wellbeing, include Beyoncé, Gisele Bundchen and David and Victoria Beckham.

But a study found it causes musculoskeletal pain, mostly in the arms, in more than one in ten who practise it. It also worsened a fifth of existing injuries, according to academics in Australia and the US.

Professor Evangelos Pappas, of Sydney University, said: ‘Yoga may be a bit more dangerous than previously thought. Our study found the incidence of pain caused by yoga is more than 10% per year – which is comparable to the rate of all sports injuries combined among the physically active population.

‘However, people consider it to be a very safe activity. This injury rate is up to ten times higher than has previously been reported.’

Yoga involves achieving a series of postures and movements designed to increase strength and flexibility. It is an increasingly popular complementary therapy for musculoskeletal disorders.

Classes are now commonplace in leisure centres, hospitals, surgeries and even schools. But the study of more than 350 fitness fanatics at yoga classes in the US found that it may be causing the same kind of pain it is trying to ease.

Prof. Pappas said: ‘While yoga can be beneficial for musculoskeletal pain, like any form of exercise, it can also result in musculoskeletal pain.’

The study also found yoga made existing injuries worse in 21% of cases – particularly in the arms.

More than a third of injuries kept a yoga fan out of classes for more than three months.

The research found that most ‘new’ pain was in the upper body – including the shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand – due to postures like ‘downward dog’, which puts weight on the upper limbs.

Prof. Pappas said: ‘It’s not all bad news, however, as 74% of participants reported that existing pain was improved by yoga, highlighting the complex relationship between musculoskeletal pain and yoga practice.’