With the growing popularity of yoga, most people know that the relaxing poses help reduce stress and stretch out after work, busy family days or just tough days in general. Most people, however, don’t know the medical aspect of yoga that YMEDICA is trying to share.
YMEDICA is a medical yoga startup led by founder and CEO Sam George. In a phone interview with MedCity News, George, who said he used to be in politics, explained why he decided to start his own business.
He said he was scheduled to have spinal fusion surgery until he ran into a yoga instructor the day before his procedure. As George recalled, the instructor said she was dying of cystic fibrosis—until she found yoga, that is. The yoga instructor was convinced yoga saved her life. It inspired George and spurred the idea for YMEDICA. Even though George’s background is primarily in politics, he jumped into healthcare with YMEDICA.
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There has been a lot of interest in the use of yoga and other meditative exercises to help cystic fibrosis patients, but there has not yet been clinical validation of yoga as a treatment. A cursory search on ClinicalTrials.gov showed 328 studies of yoga in various phases of development.
George said that when he asked his yoga class whether yoga had helped their medical conditions, about two-thirds of the class said “yes.” This overwhelmingly positive attitude about yoga inspired YMEDICA to implement a “desktop yoga”
platform, according to George.
It is currently running a study at Arizona State University with 500 members using a desktop yoga class, seven minutes a day. Sam believes YMEDICA is the first to roll out desktop yoga in a major way.
YMEDICA has raised $1.9 million in equity for yoga therapy. The company is currently raising capital in order to support the launch of the business, and is seeking funding from angel and venture firms. YMEDICA’s business model is focused on Medicare Advantage insurers for senior fall prevention.
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The yoga produced by YMEDICA isn’t just normal yoga, “It’s medical yoga,” George insisted. The company works with specialists to develop different programs for different patients. For example, the company researched osteoporosis and produced a platform that would best fit a senior patient with osteoporosis. After those programs are developed, patients can access them from their computers.
George said, “We’re developing a network of teachers for online yoga. We’re developing a visual interface, like Uber, so people can connect with other people.”
YMEDICA is where the research and development takes place, and Rewind Yoga is the consumer product name. The general public can access the seven minute desktop yoga sessions at rewindatwork.com. The company’s other programs are carried out through businesses, hospitals, senior networks and other outlets.
Because it’s medical yoga, George explained that it is crucial that the company is cautious. They have consulted with multiple specialists and researchers to devise a program that helps a wide variety of people, whether they’re suffering from cancer, old age or workplace stress. No doctor prescription is necessary to access the programs. George compared this medical yoga to acupuncture: it relieves stress and at the same time, helps the health of the individual.
Since many people have a hard time fitting in time to go to a yoga studio, YMEDICA believes that their desktop yoga and improving technology will bring yoga to a whole new level for everyone.
Photo:YMEDICA
