Current research in chronic low back pain (cLBP) suggests a shift from the biomedical to biopsychosocial approach. In physical therapy, this means extending care beyond standard training in physiology, body structure, and biomechanical function. While many clinicians recognize the psychological and social factors affecting a person’s experience of pain, lack of training limits application of this approach. Yoga, as a holistic health practice, provides the opportunity for clinicians to address multiple domains of health and to build accessible and affordable programs that extend beyond the restrictions of insurance reimbursement.

Upon completion of this course, attendees will be able to -
• Review clinical guidelines that promote yoga as an intervention for care of cLBP
• Examine a framework of therapeutic yoga as wholistic healthcare for people with cLBP
• Appraise current research for cLBP that compares yoga to physical therapy.
• Outline the benefits of yoga for cLBP across domains of health: physical, mental, social and spiritual.