The Benefits of Yoga as Therapy
by Emily Gilmore
Yoga can be applied to many different situations,
especially in terms of being a healing modality. The focus of therapeutic yoga
programs and individualized work at Dillsburg Yoga include neurological
conditions like Parkinson’s and multiple sclerosis (MS), anxiety, depression
and back health. As yoga grows in interest for those seeking yoga as a therapy
and within the science and wellness communities, more studies are being
conducted to validate this ancient and evolving art and science.
Kaitlyn Roland has researched yoga and Parkinson’s
through her work at the University of British Columbia, and through her work
and other relevant studies, it has been found that yoga can help individuals
with Parkinson’s in the areas of mobility, balance, strength, flexibility, range
of motion and mood/sleep. (michaeljfox.org).
In regard to yoga and multiple sclerosis, Yoga Therapy, by Jean Danford, states, “The
Rutgers School of Health-Related Professionals recently conducted a pilot trial.
Participants were better able to walk for short distances and longer periods of
time, had better balance while reaching backwards, fine motor coordination and
were better able to go from sitting to standing. Their quality of life also
improved in perceived mental health, concentration, bladder control, walking
and vision, with a decrease in pain and fatigue.”
Many studies have also been conducted on yoga for back
pain and yoga for anxiety and enhancing mood. It becomes evident when working
with people that the effects of yoga are beyond what science can measure. It’s
often helpful to have the support of science when making decisions about our
health, but ultimately it is through the practice and the experience that we
intuitively know what is right and what is good. So, it is through merging our
understanding and tools provided by science and our insight and wisdom gained
though the study of yoga that we can utilize yoga as a therapeutic modality.
Emily Gilmore, with an MS in human physiology, is a certified
yoga teacher and owner of Dillsburg Yoga, located at 5-B Harrisburg Pike, in
Dillsburg. For more information, call 717-502-2870 or visit DillsburgYoga.com.
