Y&B #50 How does Bikram Yoga affect core temperature and heart rate?
Release Date: 12/08/2016
Y&B #63 - What's the best hamstring stretch? Comparison of four techniques
Yoga Research & Beyond
How often do your students ask for help with tight hamstrings? In this episode Jenn Pilotti and I discuss a study that compared 4 stretching techniques for greater hamstring flexibility. This study from the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research compared two active stretches and two passive stretches in 100 people over the course of 8 weeks. It’s clear that one resulted in the greatest gains. We discuss the results here and in our Yoga Research and Beyond review.
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Y&B #62 - Buteyko Breathing and Asthma
Yoga Research & Beyond
How can Buteyko breathing help with asthma? Research shows 6-30% of asthma sufferers use breathing methods to alleviate their asthma symptoms in the UK. Catherine and I discuss a paper from the Complementary Therapies in Medicine journal about Buteyko breathing and asthma. Buteyko breathing technique (BBT) is a method that is used in some practices to help with hyperventilation, and asthma. BBT trains people to slow their breath rate, eliminate mouth breathing (using a small strip of tape on the mouth), and use controlled breath pauses to increase CO2 levels. Russian physiologist,...
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Y&B #61 - Ground Reaction Forces in 28 Yoga Poses
Yoga Research & Beyond
What are Ground Reaction Forces (GRFs) and why are they important? In biomechanics GRF is the force exerted from the ground onto the body when they make contact. It's basically Newton's 3rd law: for every action there is a reaction. Measuring these forces helps us understand how yoga poses impact bones and possibly bone mass.
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Y&B #60 - Can VR Technology Alter Pain Perception?
Yoga Research & Beyond
Can virtual reality technology affect pain perception? Well, yeah. Catherine Cowey and I discuss a fun study about this co-authored by Lorimer Moseley in 2015 in the Psychological Science Journal. The researchers used VR technology to give subjects (with a history of neck pain) the illusion that they had moved their neck more or less than they actually had. As they hypothesized, this had an effect on their perception of pain.
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Y&B #59 - Hamstring Injuries and Yoga
Yoga Research & Beyond
Proximal hamstring tendinopathy (PHT) is a pathology of the tendon with a combination of tissue damage, inflammation, and possibly pain at the proximal tendon where the hamstring attaches to the ischial tuberosity. PHT is very common among yoga practitioners as well as in other populations.
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Y&B #58 - The Value of Blowing Up a Balloon
Yoga Research & Beyond
Breathing is a hot topic for yoga teachers and fitness professionals. Jenn Pilotti and I talk about a study on the 90/90 breath technique with ball and balloon. Postural Restoration Institute (PRI) practitioners use this exercise to help people of all ages with musculoskeletal pain, including low back pain. We discuss the relationship between breathing and posture and how they might affect low back pain.
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Y&B #57 - How does Kinesiotape® affect balance and athletic performance?
Yoga Research & Beyond
How does Kinesiotape® affect balance and athletic performance? Cat and I discuss a study from the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy done in 2016. The authors hypothesized that there would be improvements in athletic performance but it didn’t work out that way. There are many claims about the benefits of ktape. Cat and I discuss all of that and more. Bottom line. If it works for you, use it, but don’t become dependent on it.
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Y&B #56 - Does yoga reverse bone loss?
Yoga Research & Beyond
Can 12 minutes of yoga a day reverse osteoporotic bone loss? The title of this study "Twelve-Minute Daily Yoga Regimen Reverses Osteoporotic Bone Loss" might lead you to believe so, but the results and data are incomplete and inconclusive. Jules Mitchell and I talk about this complicated, underwhelming study published in the Geriatric Rehabilitation Journal in 2015.
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Y&B #55 - Chronic Pain and Hypermobility
Yoga Research & Beyond
Catherine Cowey and I discuss an article on chronic pain and hypermobility syndrome (HMS) from the Journal of Pain Research. This article gives a thorough overview of the many kinds of hypermobility conditions and symptoms and makes it very clear that it’s a complicated subject. There’s a wide spectrum of hypermobility syndromes and symptoms which can make diagnosis challenging. The criteria are confusing and overlap depending on the type of hypermobility syndrome, and therefore, may need to be updated. We also talk about how to work with people who are hypermobile. When it comes...
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Y&B #54 - Are headstands safe?
Yoga Research & Beyond
Are headstands safe? Jules Mitchell and I discuss a study about headstands from 2014. This is the first study of its kind that assessed loads on the neck and head in headstand. We had different reactions to this study. When I read it, it reinforced my decision to exclude headstands from my practice and group classes. When she read it, it didn’t change her mind about excluding it from group classes, but she went back to headstands in her personal practice. What was it about the study that deterred me from headstands? There is some data in this study that at face value can be alarming...
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How does Bikram yoga affect heart rate and core temperature?
To be completely honest neither Cat nor I are fans of Bikram yoga or hot yoga in general. Nonetheless, we did our best to discuss Bikram yoga and this study as objectively as possible. In this episode we reviewed an ACE (American Council on Exercise) sponsored study done in 2015, which examines the effect of Bikram yoga on core temperature, heart rate and rate of perceived exertion of 20 Bikram practitioners.
Some interesting data from the study:
The average highest core temp was 103.2 for men and 102 for women.
One male had a core temp of 104 by the end of the 90 minute class.
The average heart rate was 80% max for men and 72% max for women.
The highest recorded was 92% for men and 85% for female.
It's essential for Bikram teachers to have a basic understanding of thermoregulation and know the signs and symptoms of heat related illness. Teachers should be trained to respond appropriately in the event of an emergency to keep the participant's safety a priority. Because participants experienced dangerous elevated core temperatures 60 minutes into class, shortening the class to 60 minutes or less might minimize potential for heat intolerance. Researcher Emily Quandt offers three key recommendations: shorten the class, lower the room temperature and focus on hydration.