NEW YORK - All around the country, class is in session. Far from its ancient origins in India, yoga has become a modern day antidote to stress. But its growing popularity is raising alarms.
"As a spine specialist and a sports medicine specialist, I see a ton of yoga injuries," Doctor Jennifer Soloman with the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York.
There are no definitive numbers, but a Columbia University survey revealed injuries to the lower back, shoulders, knees, neck - and in rare cases - yoga has even lead to stroke.
"Certain yoga positions which have you inverted put a lot of stress on the blood vessels to the brain," Dr. Soloman.
Because of the risks respected yoga instructor Glenn Black suggests the vast majority of people should give up yoga altogether.
"The e-mails I've been getting are saying 'I wish I would have had the courage to tell my teacher that I just got hurt in a yoga," Black said.
He says many get hurt - forcing themselves into positions they aren't ready to do. Black acknowledges that's not what yoga fans want to hear, and they're fighting back. The benefits from yoga can be significant: lowering stress and blood pressure and even improving your sex life.
Still, experts disagree about the risk - they do advise caution. Because as with love, sometimes, yoga hurts.
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