Furthermore, the numbers only reflect those injuries that warranted a trip to the emergency room – it doesn’t take into account other injuries that people were able to take care of without seeing a doctor. Hence, rates of yoga-related injuries may actually be greater when considering visits to the doctor’s office and at-home care.
There is a risk of injury associated with any type of activity, but yoga is generally quite safe to practice.
With yoga’s growing popularity, many participants may approach it with the same athletic and competitive notion as other forms of exercise or sports, pushing themselves too far and thus ending with an injury.
There are other reasons for yoga injuries, too, such as overcrowded classes, inexperienced participants taking advanced classes instead of beginner ones, insufficiently trained instructors, and doctor’s recommendations to take yoga without a proper understanding of the practice. Any one of these factors can increase the risk of injury.
If you are a beginner, it’s important that you start off slow and gentle, and even if you are experienced, if something doesn’t feel right, don’t push through it. Always be mindful of your form – if you are unsure, ask the instructor for guidance.
Because of the large variations seen among yoga classes, researchers recommend implementing standards for studios to adhere to in order to lower the incidence of injuries.
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