One of the biggest dangers of participating in group or online yoga classes is that the prescribed yoga poses given to a large group of people does not take into account the many different muscular and postural imbalances that exist in a given group of people, thus greatly increasing the risk of creating greater muscular and postural imbalances.  For example, if a person is experiencing tightness in the rear hip area with the onset of sciatic nerve pain and participates in a common yoga class the sciatic syndrome will be exacerbated and more difficult to treat as the typical yoga practitioner utilizes many poses that specifically cause rear hip tightness.  Without the advantage of a postural analysis, done by a qualified professional, to fully examine and diagnose each individual’s functional status it is impossible to prescribe a tailored therapeutic plan of action to address existing muscular dysfunction.  The yoga industry is highly unregulated and most if not all yoga certifications provide a minimal level of training that only focuses the actual poses with no regard to education in the field of corrective exercise therapy.  There is a growing body of academic research that further highlights the physical risks of participating in yoga programs.     

A recent study published by Dr. Betul Sekendiz, a professor at Central Queensland University, found that the number of yoga participants who experienced an injury serious enough to receive care at an emergency room increased by 80 percent from 2009 through 2016.   Another study published in the Orthopedic Journal of Sports and Medicine in November of 2016, also found that over a 14-year period there were 29,590 yoga related injuries serious enough to receive treatment in an emergency room.  This study noted that catastrophic yoga related injuries were twice as likely to occur at the end of the study than in the beginning, meaning the incidence of yoga injuries has seen a dramatic increase with time.   This study also mentioned the lack of regulation and specialized training that certified yoga instructors receive.  The most common injures caused by yoga are to the back, knee, wrist, elbow and hamstring.   

The best advice for anyone who is in pain or interested in participating in a safe and effective program to address postural or muscular imbalances is to see a qualified professional such as an exercise specialist, athletic trainer or physical therapist.
 
by JD Maes. JD is the chairman of the Board of Directors of the Catholic Charismatic Center and has worked in the health and wellness field for 20 years.