4. Psychological stress. The role of stress in chronic low back pain In a survey conducted amongst sufferers of chronic low back pain of greater than three months, it was observed that the contribution to the degree of disability in low back pain by the psychological distress with abnormal illness behavior was about 43% and the contribution by the actual physical problem was only 67%. Sikorski et al., in 1996 published their studies on the role of psyche in 131 subjects with chronic low back pain in which they concluded that the demonstrable bone or soft tissue structural problems accounted for only 38% of the pain and the rest of it was all due to the psychological stress, as assessed by a Psychiatrist. How does yoga understand the relation between life style and back ? According to yoga the causes of back pain can be classified as Adhija or Anadhija, i.e., functional or organic. The organic causes include Trauma, Tumour, infection which contribute to a small percentage of the cases of chronic back pain. The Adhija causes (functional causes) begin at the mind (Manas) level. Majority of the chronic low back pain are due to functional causes ( related to modern life style -adhija vyadhis). DORSAL STRETCH Sthiti: for Supine Posture.  PRACTICE -
While inhaling, slowly raise the head, shoulders and body up to the dorsal part of the back, raise the arms up to shoulder level (parallel to the ground). -
Hold this position for a while. -
While exhaling come down to the floor and relax. -
Repeat the same movements five times. |