Yoga is more dangerous than previously thought and causes as many injuries as other sports, a study has found.

The 5,000 year-old Indian discipline is said to boost physical and mental wellbeing, and celebrity fans include Beyonce, Lady Gaga and Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen - as well as David and Victoria Beckham.

However, in a recent study yoga caused musculoskeletal pain - mostly in the arms - in more than one in ten participants.

The scientists behind the research, which was published in the Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, also found that the practice worsened over a fifth of existing injuries.

Professor Evangelos Pappas, of Sydney University, the study's lead researcher said: "Yoga may be a bit more dangerous than previously thought.

"Our study found the incidence of pain caused by yoga is more than 10 percent per year - which is comparable to the rate of all sports injuries combined among the physically active population.

"However people consider it to be a very safe activity. This injury rate is up to 10 times higher than has previously been reported."