Yoga: A Secret Weapon
The physiotherapy profession continues to evolve and has undergone a paradigm shift over the years. Here at Carlingford Active Health, we have always been on top of evidenced based medicine and adopted a conceptual ‘biopsychosocial’ approach to treatment. Research suggests that superior patient outcomes are achieved when a broader view of symptoms are used to contextualise the patient therapist interaction, encouraging therapists to engage in a multifaceted process.
By practicing a multidisciplinary approach and understanding the complexity of care required for individuals, combining physiotherapy and yoga as a treatment pathway offers an evidence based approach to overall patient care and enhances the care for many conditions.
Yoga unites the mind, body and spirit. It’s a comprehensive full body workout. It reduces stress by lowering the stress hormone, cortisol. But you probably knew that already. What you may not know is that yoga is a powerful tool in physiotherapy and injury prevention.
Our team engaging in Yoga practices at Kinetica Yoga & Pilates
Every year, yoga is increasingly included into the practice of traditional physiotherapy. A single yoga pose can target several areas at once, not only improving range of motion to the injury but strengthening everything connected to it as well.
It’s a common misconception that yoga only involves stretching and meditation. Yoga is actually the deepening of flexibility while building strength. Through utilising the body’s own weight as resistance, yoga strengthens and delivers long, lean muscles while increasing flexibility. Through simultaneously stretching and strengthening, yoga targets the entire body equally and nurtures muscles and joints that are otherwise left unattended. This is where yoga’s true power alongside physiotherapy lies.
The deepening of flexibility and building of strength at Kinetica Yoga & Pilates
Contrary to popular belief, strong and toned muscles can also be in need of a tune up. Dancers, gymnasts, football players, netballers, runners and cyclists to name a few, build tight muscles that often require increased stretching and range of motion, especially in the hip flexors and glutes. Tightness in this area consequently leads to tightening of the hamstrings and lower back and can radiate even further. Yoga takes the hips through their full range of motion (and increases range of motion), which inevitably releases tightness and tension in the hamstrings and back. This is one of the reasons yoga is such a beneficial tool alongside physiotherapy in achieving pain relief. Increased flexibility in the hips not only relieves painful, stiff muscles, it aids in realigning the hips.
Kinetica Yoga & Pilates, Castle Hill
Our very own Physiotherapists practice what they preach. We recently had a private studio session at Kinetica Yoga + Pilates in Castle Hill (https://www.kineticayogaandpilates.com.au/), walking away feeling worked, relaxed and restored. Ros has a wealth of knowledge and works with the likes of the Penrith Panthers and NSW Blues in the NRL and the Sydney Swans. Ros has been a key element at reducing injury risk amongst this playing population. Head on over and explore all the class options or speak to one of our Physiotherapists to discuss how Yoga may be incorporated into your injury rehabilitation.