A study at the University of Washington has shown that yoga is as effective as conventional stretching classes in the treatment of chronic back pain, and both have better results than self-help books on the topic. The researches were seeking an alternative to the typical treatment of medication, a self-management book, and perhaps some massage therapy, and the results were positive. At the end of the study, the yoga and stretching participants were functioning better than the group which was only given a self-help manual. Time to grab a yoga mat!
