Demystifying Low Back Pain

In this webinar, Andrew McGonigle shares his unique blend of Western medicine knowledge and yoga teacher expertise to walk yogis and yoga teachers through lower back pain, explaining how pain and tissue damage are not always correlated as well as how to treat low back pain with safe physical activity (like yoga).  

Understanding Low Back Pain: How Yoga Can Help 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Pain and tissue damage don't always go hand-in-hand; sometimes pain is possible without apparent damage
• Positive mindset can mitigate pain while a negative mindset can do the opposite 
• Lower back pain is not caused by poor posture 
• Progressive aerobic training and progressive resistance training can help decrease pain in those with chronic LBP 

In This Webinar: What You'll Learn

Pain and tissue damage do not always correlate! It is very possible to have tissue damage without experiencing pain and it is also possible to experience pain when there is no apparent tissue damage.

Back pain isn’t caused by “poor” posture! Spine posture during sitting, standing, and lifting does not predict low back pain or its persistence.

A positive mindset around low back pain is associated with lower levels of pain, disability, and health care seeking while a negative mindset can increase pain!

Core stability exercises don’t reduce back pain occurrence!

One of the best treatments for low back pain is physical activity. Both progressive aerobic training and progressive resistance training have been shown to be equally effective at decreasing pain intensity in individuals with chronic low back pain.

About Andrew McGonigle

Andrew McGonigle has been studying anatomy for over twenty years, originally training to become a doctor and then moving away from Western medicine to become a yoga teacher, massage therapist and anatomy teacher.

He combines his skills and experience to teach anatomy and physiology on Yoga Teacher Training courses internationally and runs his own Yoga Anatomy Online Course.

His book Supporting Yoga Students with Common Injuries and Conditions: A Handbook for Yoga Teachers and Trainees was published in March 2021 and his most recent book The Physiology of Yoga was published in June 2022. He lives in Los Angeles with his husband.

Additional Resources

• www.doctor-yogi.com
• Instagram: @doctoryogi 
• Facebook: @doctoryogiandrew
• https://onlinecourse.doctor-yogi.com/p/yoga-anatomy-online-course