YOGA for Healthy Lower Backs
– Standing Tall and Lying Comfortably
By Alison Trewhela, Director of the Yoga for Healthy Lower Backs Institute - March 2015
Wouldn’t it be great if there was a recognized back-care course that could teach people to help
themselves to long-term improved health? Well, there is one available now, so read on.
SIGNIFICANT YOGA RESEARCH
2005 saw the design phase of a large randomized control trial led by The University of York (York
Trials Unit, The Department of Health Sciences) into the effectiveness of specialized yoga. Several
yoga schools worked together, collaborations were developed between multiple senior yoga
teaching / therapy experts and back pain specialists, and a programme called ‘Yoga for Healthy
Lower Backs’ (YHLB) was designed for the clinical research trial generously funded by Arthritis
Research UK. The trial recruited 313 NHS patients from multiple GP surgeries throughout the UK;
half received the 12-week YHLB yoga course taught by 12 teachers, whilst the other half received
‘usual GP care’ and they all received a back education booklet. The research trial found that offering
this specially-designed yoga course to those with non-specific chronic low back pain was safe and
effective and that benefits were maintained for the year. Results were published in ‘The Annals of
Internal Medicine’ on November 1st 2011 and it was reported internationally in the media that
clinicians and physicians should consider recommending yoga to those with a history of low back
pain.
WORKPLACE HEALTH AND WELLBEING BENEFITS EVIDENCE
Another research paper was published in ‘Spine’ journal in August 2012, where it was stated that the
12-week ‘Yoga for Healthy Lower Backs’ programme would be cost-effective for society, the
individual and for employers. This paper showed that those in the yoga group had on average only
3.83 days off work over the 12 months studied compared to 12.29 in the ‘usual care’ group. This is
an impressive work absenteeism reduction of 70%, estimated as being equivalent to savings of £815
per employee per annum.
COST-EFFECTIVE INTEGRATIVE HEALTHCARE FOR THE NHS / SOCIAL CARE
The ‘Spine’ journal showed that the specialized 12-week ‘Yoga for Healthy Lower Backs’ programme
would be cost-effective for the NHS compared to physiotherapy packages and hospital clinics. As
this yoga is taught in groups and because with its once-off course attendees learn life-long skills to
self-manage their long-term chronic condition, it offers huge cost-savings potential for both the NHS
and Social Care. Already experienced by thousands of people, the programme is currently being
provided as an antidote to the prevalent conditions of back pain and stress in some hospitals, health
and wellbeing and Occupational Health centres, GP surgeries, and in public sector and workplace
offices.
GENTLE YOGA PROGRAMME WITH CLINICAL GOVERNANCE AIDS PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH
Alison Trewhela designed the gentle YHLB programme and, since training the original trial teachers,
she trains and supports well-qualified and experienced yoga teachers in how to deliver the
programme with the utmost respect to the evidence-base. The 12 educational and proactive classes
are taught according to differing class plans contained within a Teachers’ Manual and the qualityassured course is standardized, but has allowable modifications for individuals’ needs. The course
helps people to become more physically active and mentally relaxed and is designed to help not only
low back pain, but other stress-influenced problems. This course makes the ideal entry-point yoga
course and appeals to new population of people who might never have thought to try yoga.
EASY TO LEARN LIFE-LONG SKILLS
This yoga is simple and does not involve any jumping about in lycra, nor sitting in the lotus position
to chant, nor any standing on your head! All ‘Yoga for Healthy Lower Backs’ course attendees
receive a 4-track Relaxations CD (Track 1 will soon be available as an App called ‘Simply Relax’) and a
comprehensive manual (the published book called ‘Yoga for Healthy Lower Backs’ by Anna Semlyen
and Alison Trewhela). YHLB students learn pain-relieving poses, postural awareness, mindfulness
and relaxation techniques, and how to use standardized yoga sequences appropriately and
effectively for them.
BENEFIT FROM THIS UNIQUE 12-WEEK YOGA PROGRAMME
This ‘Yoga for Healthy Lower Backs’ programme represents a high quality, ‘best practice’ yoga and is
unique in its keeping to the evidence-base and sharing this same yoga programme for the benefits of
others.
For more Information on this social enterprise project, to Find a Teacher on the ‘Yoga for Healthy
Lower Backs Institute’s Register, for a video showing an overview of the course, and more –
www.yogaforbacks.co.uk