A new study suggests that yoga may be more likely to improve back function, ease chronic back pain, and reduce the need for pain medication than conventional exercise or reading a self-care book.

According to WebMd:

The researchers say that exercise has previously been shown to relieve chronic low back pain, but this is the first study to suggest yoga may be superior to other forms of exercise. "Yoga may be beneficial for back pain because it involves physical movement, but it may also exert benefits through its effects on mental focus," they write. This focus could help patients "increase their awareness of how they had been moving and positioning their body in maladaptive ways, to relax tense muscles, and to relieve mental stress."

The study appears in the Dec. 20 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.

For more information, go here