Yoga: Risks and Benefits (English Edition)

As yoga has become more popular in the United States — about 20 million Americans currently practice the ancient discipline — it has sparked a debate between believers and detractors. Instructors and enthusiasts tout yoga’s benefits to the mind and body, suggesting that it can help alleviate stress, back pain and even infertility. Yet hospital emergency rooms are seeing an increase in serious yoga-related injuries such as strokes, fractures and nerve damage. And because there are no licensing requirements for instructors, the quality and safety of most classes is uneven. Does yoga help most people — or is it more likely to hurt them? This e-single, which features articles and commentary from The New York Times, explores both sides of the debate.