What types of yoga are best for treating pain?
When your body is injured or hurting, you definitely want a slow-paced, gentle practice. Viniyoga is an adapted form of yoga that focuses on slow stretches and deep breathing. This type of yoga is often used to ease back pain and arthritis pain. Iyengar yoga is another slow-paced type of yoga, one that focuses on precise bodily alignment. Different props — like straps, blocks, blankets, and bolsters — are used in Iyengar classes, which can be especially helpful if you have limited mobility or need a little extra support. If you have any questions about whether a particular class will be too vigorous, call the studio and ask which classes are best for you. How does yoga ease chronic pain? “Yoga works on stretching and strengthening, and the key to long-term healing is strength,” says Liz Owen, who studied with B.K.S. Iyengar, founder of the Iyengar yoga discipline. Owen, who has been teaching yoga for 15 years and runs classes in Arlington and Cambridge, Massachusetts, noticed that ma
