Yoga Therapy Gains Ground in Hospitals

As the health benefits of yoga are increasingly recognized, more doctors in the US are utilizing yoga therapy as an adjunct practice to modern medicine. According to the New York Times, yoga is offered as therapy in 93 percent of 755 integrative medical centers across the nation—facilities that offer both traditional medicine and alternative approaches to health under one roof.

A number of doctors advocate the use of yoga therapy as a complementary treatment to modern medicine. Dr. Michael Sinel, an assistant professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of California, says to the New York Times, “I deeply believe in yoga and know the therapeutic value of yoga for health care.” Dr. Sinel has been a strong advocate for combining medical care with yoga therapy to facilitate the healing process.

For many seasoned yoga therapists, collaborating with doctors and hospitals is an important step forward. Larry Payne, founder of a yoga therapy training course at Loyola Marymount University, seeks to bridge the gap between the medical profession and yoga teachers and therapists by offering yoga classes for medical students at the David Geffen School of Medicine at U.C.L.A. His idea is that once medical professionals understand and feel the value of yoga themselves, they can then suggest or prescribe it to their patients.

The convergence ofyoga therapy and modern medicine is a positive trend that’s on the rise. As more and more medical professionals and facilities advocate its use, yoga therapy will become a streamline for alternative healthcare.