Yoga for Healthy Lower Backs - a 12 week course

Yoga for Healthy Lower Backs, is a unique, specific and evidence-based course.

Yoga for Healthy Lower Backs is:

• innovative
• evidence based
• long-term
• gentle
• mind-body based

The course is suitable for those with back pain, newcomers to yoga and existing yoga students.

Yoga for Healthy Lower Backs is an ideal foundation course for newcomers to yoga, even if they only have occasional back pain, as they will learn the basics of most aspects of yoga. The sequences have the aim of improving and maintaining health of the lower back, but also involving the whole body and the whole person. Long term benefits can be gained and taken into general classes through aquiring an understanding of the seeds of movements and the importance of home practice and positive mental attitudes.

Who is it suitable for?

• Those who want to learn to help themselves.
• Those who like the prospect of learning methods for “getting back control of their back condition”
• Those looking for a kind and gentle, person-centred approach.
• Those whose back pain has become chronic, e.g. persistent pain / pain there most of time.
• Those whose back pain comes and goes (recurring/ episodic), e.g. several bouts each year.  Don’t wait until your next episode of bad back pain – start soon!
• Anyone prepared to commit to weekly classes, which teach you to incorporate simple yoga skills into your daily life.
• Newcomers to yoga as well as existing yoga students.
• Those able to get up and down off the floor unaided (perhaps with the help of a chair and/or wall).
• The course has a holistic approach – so it is particularly beneficial for those who have –

• Stress / emotional factors (which may be contributing to back pain experience)
• Injuries or health conditions that prevent participation in other exercise or sports
• Multiple conditions, e.g. headaches, hip replacement, high blood pressure (your teacher will show you modifications for maximum holistic benefit).

What to Expect

• No previous experience of yoga necessary; but for those with yoga experience, YHLB offers more subtle knowledge of lifelong best practice methods with the adage “optimum rather than maximum”.
• You will not be asked to do anything which your body/mind is not comfortable with.
• Not just for fitness fanatics, i.e. suitable for people of all shapes, sizes and fitness levels!  (But note – it can help fitness fanatics get back to their favourite sports!)
• Yoga is a philosophy (as well as helping your back, it shows a positive way of living) but it is not a religion.
• No complicated, challenging or advanced yoga, i.e. no Olympic gymnastics!

Teacher
Carolyn Fuest YHLB Registered Teacher
Please contact Carolyn by phone for a brief pre-course preliminary chat about your back, if you have not yet done so. (Please make contact soon – at the very latest, a week before the course begins.)
Telephone number 07775 917117 (any day 9am-9pm) carolyn@breathefreely.co.uk

About Yoga for Healthy Lower Backs (YHLB)

• Educational social enterprise.
• Supported by charity Versus Arthritis (formerly Arthritis Research UK).
• YHLB was used successfully in a large randomised control trial led by York Trials Unit, Department of Health Sciences, University of York, funded by Arthritis Research UK.
• Public Health England list this specific yoga programme as one of seven evidence-based innovative interventions that would be likely to offer those commissioning it a good return on investment: Public Health England Musculoskeltal conditions Return On Investment Report. YHLB’s approach is also supported by the Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Alliance, Healthy London and is mentioned by NICE (National Institute of Clinical Excellence).

A full explanation of the programme and the results of the trial can be found on the YHLB website www.yogaforbacks.co.uk

Private insurance schemes may cover some people for Yoga for Healthy Lower Backs. It is worth people suggesting strongly that your own insurance scheme should offer this less-costly research-proven treatment option.