Why I started doing yoga.

The story dates back to 2008.  In that year I had at least four episodes where I had a muscle pull in my waist, you know like a sudden spasm, which hampered my movements like bending and twisting. The pain used to be so intense that it used to become impossible to even sit down in the Indian style toilet.  Also, there would be a fair amount of swelling and a slight warmth in the area.  Now, now, don't you think I am writing down a medical report.  These were the turn of events that used to happen after getting a muscle pull.  Whenever such a thing happened, I used to call my physician friend who gave me injections and some pain killers .  At such times, it was obvious that I take leave from my office and incur loss of pay on account of that.  In such a situation, I used to lose at least two days of office attendance.  The last time I had such an episode was because of a very trivial incident.  After getting ready to go to office, as I bent down to turn on the petrol cock of my bike, I developed this pull.  Since one of my paternal aunts had advised me to attend yoga class as I had informed her of these episodes and I also had checked out on the location of the said yoga class, I straight away went to this yoga class and informed the lady yoga instructor of what ails me.  She told me it would take at least 30-45 minutes for the treatment to which I readily agreed.  I called my office to inform that I would be late as I am at a doctor's clinic.  The treatment consisted of traction.  I was asked to lie down on the floor with my legs resting on the wall, half bent.  One strap was tied to my waist which was then hooked to a clamp already affixed to the wall.  I was made to be in that position for almost 30 minutes which gradually subsided my symptoms.   I must say by the time I got back to my feet, my symptoms were all gone and I could feel the swelling had reduced.  After that I hardly had any pain and could work in the office throughout the day without any discomfort.  The next day onwards I started attending to yoga classes regularly.  I might have been a student of that class for almost six years after which I shifted down south to Hyderabad.  It is for sure that yoga helped me get rid of many chronic ailments or at least they are quite under good control by regular practise.  It is a sincere advise that one must practise regular yoga or any form of exercise to remain fit and healthy.