Yoga in the workplace can reduce back pain and sickness absence
Dr Ned Hartfiel, Bangor University and Rhiannon Tudor Edwards, Bangor University Back pain is the single leading cause of disability in the world. In the US, four out of every five people experience back pain at some point in their life. In the UK, back pain is one of the most common reasons for visits to the doctor , and missed work . In fact, absence from work due to back problems costs British employers more than £3 billion every year . But there is a potentially easy way to prevent this problem: yoga. Our new research has found that exercises from the ancient Indian practice can have very positive benefits for back problems. Our findings suggest that yoga programmes consisting of stretching, breathing, and relaxation methods can reduce sickness absence due to back pain and musculoskeletal conditions. Wellness at work There has already been plenty of research demonstrating the benefits of yoga for NHS patients, showing that patients with chronic...