Description

Yoga can be a great way to maintain and improve people’s back health.  This CPD event will provide the necessary knowledge to support people with back pain in your classes. We will also study how back health impacts emotional and wellbeing, considering the importance of relaxation for people with back pain.

Background to Yoga for Healthy Lower Backs
80% of the adult population will experience back pain.  For some this can be a short episode of mild inconvenience.  For others, it can lead to weeks or months of debilitating pain, with a subsequent impact on everyday life, associated with loss of confidence and feelings of anxiety and depression.

Research in 2007 by Alison Trewhela and Anna Semelyn, in association with the University of York and Arthritis Research UK, demonstrated that yoga is beneficial in helping people to recover from chronic back pain.  Since 2007 there have been major developments in our understanding of how the brain interprets pain messages from the body, and polyvagal theory has also leapt forwards as a way of supporting an individual’s emotional wellbeing which can be closely linked to back health.  This CPD will address these developments, and consider how they are relevant to recovery from chronic back pain.

Kate trained with Alison Trewhela in 2013, and has since run over 40 Yoga for Heathly Lower Back courses, sharing the course with approximately 300 people. Many course participants repeat the course multiple times as a way of maintaining their back health, whilst others do the course once, and then never return to class.  The most notable improvement happened with Andy in 2021, who cancelled his spinal surgery upon completion of the course.

Kate qualified as a BWY teacher in 2007 having trained with Rosemary Bennett, and has since undertaken additional training in Yoga for People Living with Cancer, Yoga for Healthy Lower Backs, Restorative Yoga and Menopause Yoga along with various other courses.  Kate is currently studying the Gentle Years Yoga course.

Additional Information

10:00-10:30 – Welcome.  Admin/itinerary of the day. About back pain and the physical, emotional and mental aspect. The research.

10:30 – 10:40 - break

10:40 -13:00 – Pain relief poses and Core Practice A.  Relaxation.

13:00-14:00 – lunch break – try to get outside for some fresh air!

14:00-15:45 – About pain mechanisms, polyvagal theory, psoas muscle, Lesson 12 poses, relaxation.

15:45-16:00 – Questions.  Summary of the day.  Discussion.

What to Bring

It will mainly be practical. Bring the usual equipment needed for a practical yoga class, a pillow, and any props that help you to sit comfortably.