Yoga exercises are a tranquil ancient practice.

Yet, the sheer mention of yoga can conjure up images of people carrying out incessant humming whilst meditating or performing inexplicable moves that see you tied up in a knot!!

But have no fear, no matter your ability, yoga can actually be your friend.

Together, yoga and physiotherapy can be used as complementary therapies to relieve pain and enhance your well-being.

Yoga exercises are known for their beneficial effect on the body and mind, whilst physiotherapy treatment promotes recovery focusing on movement, pain relief, and preventing further injury. 

Collectively, see how these therapies provide a holistic recovery that enhances your quality of life.

What does yoga do for the body? 

Yoga is an ancient tradition that has been practised for thousands of years and modern science has proven its numerous health benefits.

Originating in India, yoga exercises combine physical postures (poses), controlled breathing techniques, and meditation. 

Yoga exercises help improve your quality of life by: 

• reducing stress levels

• improving sleep pattern & quality

• enhancing focus and concentration levels 

• increasing balance and flexibility

• Improving bone density, muscle strength & tone

• prevent injuries by building muscle elasticity

As if these benefits weren't enough, studies have shown that the effects of practising yoga on a regular basis can improve your memory, lower your risk of heart disease and even relieve arthritic symptoms.

What’s the difference between yoga and physiotherapy? 

Although yoga exercises and physiotherapy treatment are both beneficial and similar in their objectives to stretch and protect your muscles. They’re both very different in their approach and expertise.

Some people believe that the well-being of the mind is just as important as the well-being of the body and yoga exercise is a perfect demonstration of this. 

Yoga manages to bridge the gap between physical and mental wellness through various poses, breathing techniques, meditation, and relaxation techniques. 

Usually taught via an instructor or yoga exercise videos for perfect access to self-help and can provide relief from pain and improve general balance and mobility.

Physiotherapy treatment is also a type of self-help, as you can self-refer rather than be assigned by a GP but is a medical profession that primarily focuses on the health of the musculoskeletal system. 

Physiotherapy patients are typically people who have injuries or diseases that affect their muscles, bones, joints, circulatory system, or nerves. Physiotherapy treatment often involves exercises designed to help improve the range of motion in a joint or muscle group.

The difference between yoga and physiotherapy is that yoga is demonstrated by a trained instructor and is used as self-help for people who want to focus on enhancing physical ability and mental health. 

Whereas physiotherapy is delivered by a medically licensed practitioner and is primarily concerned with how our body moves, interacts and reacts to different stimuli.

The benefits of combining yoga and physiotherapy 

Both yoga and physiotherapy have been scientifically studied and have been proven to be beneficial in various ways.

Yoga is a type of physical exercise and physiotherapy treatment is a medical speciality that provides physical therapy and rehabilitation.

While the methods used for treating injuries and muscle groups are similar, they can be used in different ways. 

For example, stretching after a workout can help to relieve stress from muscles following a workout. However, if an individual has poor posture or is sitting at a desk for prolonged periods of time, it can cause sore muscles as well as back pain.

In this case, postural treatment may be more appropriate as opposed to stretching alone. Combining the two helps alleviate pain, promote growth, and aid the holistic recovery of patients.

Yoga exercises concentrate on muscle groups:

• of the back, chest, neck

• of the legs, hip, inner thigh, quadriceps

• of the arms, shoulders, shoulder blades

• of the front side of the body from head to pelvis

Yoga exercises are designed to work in harmony with the whole body and alignment of all muscles to work as one rather than individually.

Physiotherapy treatment for injury:

• Muscle strains

• Sprains

• Fractures

• Illness 

Physiotherapy treatment also works with muscle groups with the intention to restore function, independence, and maintain your quality of life.

Physiotherapy techniques and approaches range. Other than manual therapy, your physiotherapist may use more than one technique to achieve desired results.

Physiotherapy treatment techniques:

• Range of Motion (ROM) exercises

• Electrotherapy

• Ultrasound

• Ice & heat therapy

• Acupuncture

Yoga and physiotherapy work together to alleviate pain and improve the overall holistic recovery of patients. This combination allows for a more fulfilling and longer-lasting recovery.

Yoga exercises have been proven to help people with their physical, cognitive, and emotional well-being. Physiotherapy treatment is used as a means of reducing pain and improving mobility, as well as helping with the healing process by increasing blood flow to damaged areas.

Combining these two therapies provides a better chance at alleviating pain faster, helping people work through their injuries sooner, and more importantly feeling better quicker.

Let’s help you align in body and mind 

CK Physio offers a range of physiotherapy treatment services at our clinic that will work in harmony with yoga exercises to treat physical pain and injury.

This includes physiotherapy, sports physiotherapy, rehabilitation, and other orthopaedic treatments. We do not provide yoga as therapy but have great knowledge and expertise on how to access this sufficiently or work with your current yoga practice.

For your convenience and safety, before we meet face-to-face, we start with a virtual session.

You will be paired with a fully qualified physiotherapist who will be able to talk through your condition, requirements and any questions or queries you have.

Although the way is virtual, at CK Physio we still believe in a human touch.

Virtual patients get the same care as our physical patients, with the added convenience of being able to get treatment quicker and from the comfort of their own surroundings.

So, use our online booking form to discover the right physiotherapy treatment to get your body and mind aligned!