Fitness myths that can seriously harm your health. (I) Myth. Yoga is so gentle that it does not cause injury.

Fitness myths that can seriously harm your health.

Surely you have heard these “facts” so many times that you have accepted them as true. But they are not, and they can sabotage your fitness or worse, putting you at risk for a multitude of injuries and health problems. We want you to know the real truth.

Myth. Yoga is so gentle that it does not cause injury.

Be careful. Researchers at an Australian university found that yoga causes injuries ten times more often than previously thought: 1% of practitioners reported muscle pain. 21% of people with existing pain found that yoga made it worse, a rate that is compared to other sports. Still, yoga has many benefits, from increased flexibility and strength to lower blood pressure, and 74% of study participants said their existing pain decreased. To avoid problems, make sure you do postures safely, forgive the redundancy, listen to your body and inform your instructor about any existing injury or limitation.