The benefits of Therapeutic yoga

Therapeutic Yoga - Clinical Case Study

The practice of Yoga and Mindfulness have exploded onto the wellness scene in the last 10 years with these once alternative practices now considered mainstream by many in the west.

Yoga has become a household name and a regular practice for practitioners of all ages and backgrounds and mindfulness training is now considered gold standard for many corporate business and schools around Australia.

With so much popularity we are also seeing these practices find their way into allied health clinics. My personal clinical practice was enhanced as I began to introduce breath, yoga postures and mindfulness into my patient sessions over the last 5 years. Personally, I witnessed my patients began to take more responsibility for their injuries, were able to be more present and enhance their awareness of their issues during our sessions and were discharged to self-management must faster than I had experienced before.

There is growing research into the benefit of these practices mentally, physically, emotionally for pain management rehabilitation with patients.

The case study below is from a patient that I worked with a few months ago and highlights how these practices can be implemented into clinical practice for a common musculoskeletal presentation.

History:

• Discogenic Right Low Back Pain 2012 post car accident
• Past management with Physiotherapy intermittently
• Currently, acute pain post bending over to pick up daughter
• Referred Pain to right calf with aggravation

Social History:

• Office worker – sitting 8hrs + daily
• 2 children - 5 and 3
• No previous Yoga experience

Aggravating Factors:

• Sitting > 2hrs
• Lifting/Carrying Children

Objective Assessment:

• Anterior Pelvis Tilt
• Hyperlordotic
• Shallow upper chest breath
• Standing Forward Fold – fingers to shins – pain 4/10
• Straight Leg Raise – 80 degrees – pain 4/10
• Poor activation pelvic tilt and single leg extension
• Tension posterior longitudinal chain
• Tension through erector spinae, gluteals, psoas major and quadratus lumborum bilaterally

Acute Management:

• Supine crook lying with a bolster under the knees.
• Mindful Check into ground awareness into the present and body scan around pelvis and spine
• Deep 3D breathing to base of ribs.
• Soft tissue release through posterior chain tension
• Posterior Facet joint mobilisation L2 – 4 bilat
• Gentle cobra pose, pelvic tilting and bridging
• Standing posture with block between thighs. Grounding and neutral pelvis.

After this initial session the patient was able to stand and forward fold without pain and with greater awareness of pelvic posture. She was able to complete all exercises without pain and the depth of her breathing allowed her to rest with the mind and body relaxed.

Her home exercise program consisted of relaxed breathing in crook lying and gentle exercises to mobilise the spine and pelvis.

This patient continued to experience improvement over the next two sessions with no ongoing pain and reporting that the breathing exercises and mindful body scan were now incorporated into her morning routine.

She was discharged and now attends weekly therapeutic yoga classes for ongoing awareness, mobility and strength. Her daily home practice has resulted in an ability to self-manage any days where there is greater tension or sensitivity in the low back

A central part of this treatment is the incorporation of breath to activate the parasympathetic nervous system. From the relaxation response patients who I have managed with acute low back pain are able to be present with their pain and notice how breath and gentle movement provide relief that they are able to continue with at home.

To find out more about how the systems of Yoga and Mindfulness can be incorporated into any treatment program join us for the Therapeutic Yoga level 1 and 2 courses around Australia this year. 

View our upcoming course dates HERE