Yoga offers relief from chronic pain through mindful movement, concentration, breathing, and social connection. This comprehensive approach helps shift focus from pain and supports overall well-being.
I found relief through the mindful movements in yoga class, which demanded concentration. This focus, combined with meditative aspects, breathing exercises, mindfulness, and social connection, gradually took my mind off the pain. There are countless ways to distract your brain from obsessing over pain.
“There are so many non-pharmacological, non-drug treatments you can do,” says Adriaan Louw, a physical therapist and pain neuroscientist. “Everyone’s pain experience is unique.”
I practiced yoga for several years before feeling confident enough to return to running and weight training regularly. Yoga provided a low-impact, mindful, moving meditation that was safe and helped me build up to more complex movements gradually, without setbacks. Now that I feel well enough, I mix up my exercise to keep me interested and moving. Yoga can help with pain for several reasons, including being a low-impact activity, combating catastrophizing about pain, and providing social support.
Gentle Reintroduction to Physical Activity
Scientists’ understanding of pain has shifted from being strictly biological to what is known as the “biopsychosocial model,” which considers the health of the whole person, rather than just physiology. This paints a more complete and accurate picture of how we experience pain.
“We understand joints, muscles, tendons, and ligaments really well because we studied them thoroughly,” Louw says. “Now we know what you think and believe about your pain experience is just as powerful.”
When you first experience acute pain, it is important to ice the affected area in the first 48 hours to calm down your system and rest if needed. But then, it is crucial to get back to activities you enjoy and return to movement and exercise as soon as possible.
Louw emphasizes that research shows rest doesn’t work. Instead, “Focus on function. You’ve got to move. Pump blood around the tissues. All the research says movement helps. Get yourself going as quickly as you can – little and often.”
