Lax Regulation of Yoga May Put You At Risk

The business of yoga is booming.

More than 16 million Americans practice yoga regularly, and they spend nearly $6 billion a year on yoga classes and products.

But, as Early Show Consumer Correspondent Susan Koeppen reports, a lack of regulation in the yoga industry could be putting you at risk.

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the number of yoga injuries rose from more than 3,700 in 2004 to more than 4,400 in 2006.

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Rachel Schneider, 27, who suffered from back pain, says that, while yoga brought calmness to her life with "a little bit of spirituality" and physicality, it ultimately caused two bulging disks which left her screaming in pain.

She shares her experience of getting injured because of yoga, an exercise that she loved.

And Koeppen explained how the inadequate oversight was leading to unqualified teachers being at the helm of yoga classes and students getting hurt in those classes:



So what is the right way to do yoga?

Celebrity Yoga trainer Kristin McGee showed Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith how to safely ease into yoga poses.