Physiyoga offers a holistic approach to managing pain and promoting healing

Photo Cred: Mikhail Nilov/Pexels

By Linda Childers

Chronic pain can be a challenging problem to treat, and can also significantly impact quality of life, yet a holistic approach called physiyoga, has proven effective in treating chronic pain and other health problems.

Physiyoga, also called physioyoga, combines physical therapy, yoga, and mindfulness, allowing integrative practitioners an innovative and unique approach to healing.

Diana Florio, MPT, CSCS, certified yoga teacher and co-founder of Threes Physiyoga Method (TPM), in Brooklyn, New York, said physiyoga is all about healthy communication and the alignment of mind, body, and spirit.

She developed the treatment approach after working with patients as a physical therapist in a hospital rehabilitation setting. By combining yoga postures, mindfulness, and breathing techniques, physiyoga was born.

“The health of one begets the health of the others, and likewise, unresolved thought and emotions can work their way to the breakdown of the body,” Florio said. “This mind/body/spirit interconnectedness is at the core of what we practice with physiyoga.”

According to Florio, physiyoga has also been shown to help with chronic pain, sports injuries, post-surgery recovery, prenatal and postpartum health, core strengthening, pelvic floor dysfunction, mindfulness development, diaphragmatic breathing, and aging with greater mobility. When working with clients, physiyoga instructors look beyond their injury and take under consideration factors including sleep issues, how they manage stress, posture, breathing patterns, and nutrition. Physiyoga differs from traditional yoga because it’s delivered by practitioners who are also physical therapists.

One study in the Journal of General Internal Medicine found that a combination of physical therapy and yoga were effective approaches to treating co-occurring sleep disturbance and back pain while also reducing the need for medication.

Florio offers online physiyoga teacher trainings and also maintains a list of physiyoga practitioners across the country for integrative practitioners who would like to make referrals.

“Integrative practitioners might consider referring their clients for physiyoga if they aren’t showing improvement after sustaining an injury, they want to boost their improvement, or would like to strengthen their body/mind/spirit to prevent future injuries,” Florio said. “For integrative practitioners that would like to learn physiyoga, our Advanced Teacher Training program provides in-depth study of anatomy, biomechanics, physiology, kinesiology and more.”

Through the integration of neuroscience and physical therapy infused with self-nurturance, Florio said physiyoga empowers clients and students to literally and metaphorically move through life with increased ease, comfort and peace of mind.

Overcoming injuries and aging well

Brian Roy-Garland, MS, PT, RYT-500, founder of The PhysiYoga Project in Denver, Colorado, a private practice dedicated to the implementation of physiyoga as a means of re-balancing each client’s spirit, mind, and body. 

“The majority of clients that I work with are between the ages of 40 to 75,” Roy-Garland said. “They may initially come to me after sustaining an acute injury, but most are also looking to prevent future injuries and to age in a way where they maintain a high level of function.”

He works with clients on yoga mindfulness, stabilization exercises, and by conducting a movement assessment and making minor adjustments to help them avoid injuries.

“I would much rather teach ways to prevent unnecessary injuries than work with a client who has already sustained an injury and is experiencing pain,” he said. “Physiyoga not only helps clients recover from acute injuries, it also helps them feel safer exploring movement, while building or maintaining strength and mobility.”

While Roy-Garland guides clients in his private practice, he also empowers them to practice physiyoga at home and says the exercises go far beyond traditional yoga poses.

“I start each patient session with breathwork to calm the nervous system down and I end each session with seated mindfulness to reduce stress,” he said.

Roy-Garland has treated many clients with a rotator cuff infringement, but as he explained, shoulder pain can often be exacerbated by emotional distress and tension caused by trapped emotions.

One study in the journal, BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, confirmed emotional distress was associated with shoulder pain intensity and should be included in the initial physiotherapy examination of shoulder pain.

“Physiyoga can help reduce toxic emotions in the body through yoga, breathing, and meditation,” Roy-Garland said. “Clients learn how to care for their bodies and to stay strong, flexible, and free of pain.”