Controversies in the field of yoga therapy have emerged due to various factors. One controversy revolves around the potential risks associated with yoga practice, particularly for certain populations. Older adults, individuals with limited mobility, and those with chronic medical conditions are advised to proceed with caution and under the guidance of a certified instructor to minimize the risk of harm, such as strained muscles and dizziness (Greenlee et al., 2017).
Another controversy lies in the effectiveness of yoga compared to other forms of exercise or physical therapy. While some studies have shown positive effects of yoga on pain, disability, and quality of life for patients with chronic low back pain, there are still debates about its effects at different follow-up periods and in comparison to other physical therapy exercises (Zhu et al., 2020).
The field of yoga research also faces challenges in terms of standardization and limitations in funding, time, and resources. Despite these challenges, there has been a surge in publications on yoga as a therapeutic intervention to mitigate disease-related symptoms in clinical populations (Jeter et al., 2015).
In the context of mental health, there is a need for more rigorous research on the use of yoga as an intervention or treatment program. Some reviews highlight the limited number of small to medium-scale randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the use of yoga for mental health issues and disorders, with significant design issues in some studies (Maddock et al., 2021).
However, there is emerging evidence from randomized trials to support the use of yoga for depression, sleep disorders, and as an augmentation therapy (Balasubramaniam et al., 2013). Yoga therapy has also been explored as an add-on treatment for schizophrenia. Given the cognitive deficits and stress associated with schizophrenia, yoga may be particularly helpful in managing symptoms and improving overall well-being (Duraiswamy et al., 2007).
Additionally, yoga has shown promise in the management of substance use disorders, although further research is needed to fully understand its effectiveness and address methodological issues (Kuppili et al., 2018). Overall, while there are controversies and challenges in the field of yoga therapy, there is growing evidence to support its use as a therapeutic intervention for various conditions, including chronic pain, mental health disorders, and substance use disorders. Further research is needed to address methodological issues, standardize practices, and explore the long-term effects of yoga therapy.
References:
Balasubramaniam, M., Telles, S., & Doraiswamy, P. (2013). Yoga on our minds: a systematic review of yoga for neuropsychiatric disorders. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 3. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2012.00117 Duraiswamy, G., Thirthalli, J., Nagendra, H., & Gangadhar, B. (2007).
Yoga therapy as an add-on treatment in the management of patients with schizophrenia ? a randomized controlled trial. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 116(3), 226-232. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0447.2007.01032.x Greenlee, H., DuPont-Reyes, M., Balneaves, L., Carlson, L., Cohen, M., Deng, G., … & Tripathy, D. (2017).
Clinical practice guidelines on the evidence‐based use of integrative therapies during and after breast cancer treatment. Ca a Cancer Journal for Clinicians, 67(3), 194-232. https://doi.org/10.3322/caac.21397 Jeter, P., Slutsky, J., Singh, N., & Khalsa, S. (2015).
Yoga as a therapeutic intervention: a bibliometric analysis of published research studies from 1967 to 2013. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 21(10), 586-592. https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2015.0057 Kuppili, P., Parmar, A., Gupta, A., & Balhara, Y. (2018).
Role of yoga in management of substance-use disorders: a narrative review. Journal of Neurosciences in Rural Practice, 09(01), 117-122. https://doi.org/10.4103/jnrp.jnrp_243_17 Maddock, A., Blair, C., Ean, N., & Best, P. (2021).
Psychological and social interventions for mental health issues and disorders in southeast asia: a systematic review. International Journal of Mental Health Systems, 15(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13033-021-00482-y Zhu, F., Zhang, M., Wang, D., Hong, Q., Zeng, C., & Chen, W. (2020).
Yoga compared to non-exercise or physical therapy exercise on pain, disability, and quality of life for patients with chronic low back pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Plos One, 15(9), e0238544. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0238544