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Yoga as Therapy: Is it Safe?

By Ginger - Posted on 14 February 2012

Yoga has become extremely popular and trendy in North America. More and more people are using yoga as a means to improve their health physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Yoga is even being used as a therapy in our western healthcare system. So what is yoga and is it safe to use as a therapy?

Yoga is a system of health that was developed about 5000 years ago that enables you to use your body, mind, breath, and spirit as one unit, therefore enhancing and promoting an overall balanced lifestyle of health and wellness. There are a wide variety of yoga styles, approaches, and teachings. The most common yoga practices in our western world involve yoga postures, breathing methods, meditation, philosophy and principles.

Medical Therapeutic Yoga applies yoga principles and techniques to specific injuries, dysfunctions, or imbalances. It is an emerging profession that has grown because of its effectiveness in delivering a holistic approach to healing with a focus on self-empowerment. Medical research shows that it is among the most effective complementary therapies in treating health problems, including chronic low back pain (American College of Physicians/American Pain Society, 2007).

Physio-Yoga Therapy is a type of rehabilitation therapy that combines both evidence-based Physiotherapy and Medical Therapeutic Yoga. Physiotherapists use evidence-based treatment methods to help you restore and maintain optimal movement and function as well as provide education on health maintenance and injury prevention. As licensed health care professionals, physiotherapists have extensive training and knowledge about how the body functions, and use specialized manual skills to assess, diagnose, and treat a variety of injuries, disease symptoms, and disabilities.

Is Physio-Yoga Therapy safe? Yes, as long as the Physiotherapist (PT) has the proper training and credentials as a PT and as a Medical Therapeutic Yoga Practitioner. The knowledge and skills of a licensed healthcare professional, such as a PT, ensures the individual assessments and treatments are safe and effective. NOT all yoga poses are safe or appropriate for everyone. Yoga poses and physio exercises are modified to adapt to each individual’s need. Also, a PT is well trained to know when it is necessary to make a referral to a specialist or back to your physician.

A typical Physio-Yoga Therapy session includes a variety of yoga postures, breathing practices, meditations and lifestyle modifications combined with physiotherapy manual techniques and exercises specifically designed to address your needs.

When practiced regularly and safely, the benefits are numerous. Physically, yoga postures and breathing techniques can improve muscular strength, flexibility, postural alignment, body awareness, breathing patterns, bone strength, immune function, optimal body weight, sleep patterns, digestion, circulation, and normalize blood pressure. Mentally, it can improve your alertness, concentration, reduce stress and anxiety, and improve your ability to relax. Some common conditions that can be addressed are back/neck pain, musculoskeletal injuries (shoulders, hips, knees, etc), osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, fibromyalgia, chronic pain, high blood pressure, Irritable Bowel Disease, migraines/headaches, pregnancy, anxiety, rheumatoid arthritis, scoliosis, urinary incontinence.

It is worthy to note the role Physio-Yoga Therapy alplays in disease and injury prevention as well.
The key benefit is an overall state of health and well-being!

Shelly is offering a FREE talk about Physio-Yoga Therapy at Sun City Physiotherapy in Winfield on Tuesday, Feb.28 at 7pm. Please call the clinic to reserve your spot at 250.766.2544.
Bring all your questions you’ve ever had about yoga!

Shelly Prosko B.Sc. PT, PYT-C, CPI

Shelly is a Registered Physiotherapist, Yoga Therapist and a Certified Pilates Instructor. She received her Physiotherapy degree at the University of Saskatchewan, Canada in 1998, her Yoga Therapist training through Professional Yoga Therapy Studies in North Carolina (www.professionalyogatherapy.org) and her Pilates certification through Professional Health and Fitness Institute in Maryland (www.prohealthandfitness.com).

She has treated a wide variety of musculoskeletal, neurological and cardiorespiratory conditions while working in private orthopaedic clinics and long term care facilities across Canada and the United States. Shelly was the physiotherapist and clinic manager at The Morris Center For Sports Medicine in Watkinsville, Georgia for 7 years. In 2006, she relocated to Alberta and continued to work in the private orthopaedic clinic setting and was actively involved in the occupational rehabilitation programs at CBI Health.

In 2009, Shelly settled in the Okanagan and continues to follow her passions at Sun City Physiotherapy (www.suncityphysiotherapy.com) by offering private Physio-Yoga Therapy sessions and by incorporating Yoga Therapy and Pilates into her physiotherapy treatments. She also teaches specialty Physio-Yoga Therapy classes in the community. She believes that bridging the gap between Western and Eastern healthcare philosophies is essential in order to achieve optimal health. Consequently, her treatments are individually based and are a unique blend of both approaches.

In addition to her many skills as a health care practitioner, Shelly is also an accomplished figure skater and has traveled the world with many professional ice shows. She is also passionate about music, dance, acting, trapeze, and spending quality time with her family and friends.