YogaYoga• Sanskrit for Sanskrit for

“yoke” or “yoke” or “union”“union”– MindMind– BodyBody– SpiritSpirit

Elements of YogaElements of Yoga• AsanasAsanas – poses – poses• PranayamaPranayama – –

breathingbreathing• MeditationMeditation• KriyasKriyas – –

cleansing cleansing processesprocesses

Brief HistoryBrief History• Stone seals excavated from Indus Stone seals excavated from Indus

Valley carbon date to 3000 BCValley carbon date to 3000 BC• Vedas, ancient texts record Yogic Vedas, ancient texts record Yogic

teachings, 1800 – 300 BCteachings, 1800 – 300 BC– Pre-classical yogaPre-classical yoga

•Buddhist – meditation and ethical thoughtBuddhist – meditation and ethical thought• Jainism – “liberation of the spirit”Jainism – “liberation of the spirit”•Hinduism – “physical purification process”Hinduism – “physical purification process”

Brief History, cont’dBrief History, cont’d• Classical yoga – 2Classical yoga – 2ndnd century AD century AD

– 8 paths to be memorized8 paths to be memorized– Wisdom would be internalizedWisdom would be internalized

• Post classical yoga – 1800Post classical yoga – 1800– The body should be treated as a templeThe body should be treated as a temple

•Physical fitnessPhysical fitness•Mental healthMental health

Clinical RelevanceClinical Relevance• Complimentary Complimentary

and Alternative and Alternative MedicineMedicine– Mind/bodyMind/body

• PreventionPrevention• General healthGeneral health• RehabilitationRehabilitation

Health BenefitsHealth Benefits• Musculoskeletal Musculoskeletal

SystemSystem• Nervous SystemNervous System• Cardiovascular Cardiovascular

SystemSystem

Musculoskeletal Musculoskeletal SystemSystem• ExerciseExercise

– Increased muscle strengthIncreased muscle strength– FlexibilityFlexibility– Stable jointsStable joints

• OsteoarthritisOsteoarthritis• OsteoporosisOsteoporosis

Washington State Washington State University ResearchUniversity Research• Therapeutic intervention of cervical Therapeutic intervention of cervical

spondylosisspondylosis– Degenerative disorder of cervical Degenerative disorder of cervical

intervertebral discsintervertebral discs– Nerve root irritationNerve root irritation

•Neck painNeck pain•Brachial neuralgiaBrachial neuralgia•Vertebro-basilar insufficiencyVertebro-basilar insufficiency

Washington State Washington State University Research, University Research, cont’dcont’d• 102 patients, ages 18-60102 patients, ages 18-60• Pain assessment pre-therapyPain assessment pre-therapy

– 39% reported moderate pain39% reported moderate pain– 60% reported severe pain60% reported severe pain

• Performed specific asanas twice daily Performed specific asanas twice daily for 8 weeksfor 8 weeks

• After 8 weeks re-assessment of painAfter 8 weeks re-assessment of pain– 100% patients reported NO pain100% patients reported NO pain

Carpal Tunnel Carpal Tunnel SyndromeSyndrome• 42 patients with CTS42 patients with CTS

– RandomizedRandomized– Treatment group (22)Treatment group (22)– Control group (20)Control group (20)– 11 asanas, twice weekly for 8 weeks11 asanas, twice weekly for 8 weeks– Pre-and-post therapy grip strength, pain Pre-and-post therapy grip strength, pain

intensity, sleep disturbance, Phalen sign, intensity, sleep disturbance, Phalen sign, Tinel sign, and median nerve motor and Tinel sign, and median nerve motor and sensory conduction time were measuredsensory conduction time were measured

Carpal Tunnel Carpal Tunnel SyndromeSyndrome• Results Results

– Yoga group showed significant Yoga group showed significant improvement in grip strength, Phalen improvement in grip strength, Phalen sign and a reduction in painsign and a reduction in pain

– Improvement was seen in other Improvement was seen in other symptoms however, not significantly symptoms however, not significantly greater than control groupgreater than control group

Cardiovascular Cardiovascular SystemSystem• Cedars-Sinai Preventive and Cedars-Sinai Preventive and

Rehabilitative Cardiac CenterRehabilitative Cardiac Center– Preventative Preventative

•““Stress management techniques”Stress management techniques”– RehabilitationRehabilitation

• Integral yoga – Hatha yogaIntegral yoga – Hatha yoga

HypertensionHypertension• Two studies using Two studies using

head-down-body up head-down-body up postural exercisespostural exercises

• Baroreceptor reflexBaroreceptor reflex– Carotid sinusCarotid sinus– Short term blood Short term blood

pressure regulatorpressure regulator• Negative “g” Negative “g”

sensitizes sensitizes baroreceptorbaroreceptor

Hypertension, Hypertension, cont’dcont’d• Pilot study on Pilot study on

baroreceptor reflexbaroreceptor reflex– 20 male patients 20 male patients

with essential with essential hypertensionhypertension

– Patients discontinued Patients discontinued drug therapy drug therapy

– Group I – tilt tableGroup I – tilt table– Group II – yoga posesGroup II – yoga poses

Hypertension, Hypertension, cont’dcont’d

– 30 minutes daily30 minutes daily– 3 weeks3 weeks

• Assessment measuringAssessment measuring– Blood pressureBlood pressure– Blood catecholaminesBlood catecholamines– Plasma renin activityPlasma renin activity

• ResultsResults– Significant reduction (P<0.001) Significant reduction (P<0.001)

Additional BenefitsAdditional Benefits• StressStress

– Suppresses immune Suppresses immune systemsystem

– Cardiac risk factorCardiac risk factor– InsomniaInsomnia

• AsthmaAsthma

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