Yoga As A Treatment For Arthritis
Arthritis involves the breakdown of joints and joint inflammation, causing joint pain and stiffness! Many also deal with swelling in the joints, muscle weakness, and creaking in the joints. Of course, in addition to physical signs, arthritis also comes with psychological symptoms! These include increased stress, anxiety, issues sleeping, and depression. Stress even triggers arthritis flare-ups!
Many turn to medications or arthritis back pain treatment. Physical therapy is a serious option for juvenile rheumatoid arthritis treatment in particular. Of course, many women also employ natural remedies for joint pain and inflammation linked to arthritis. This is where yoga comes in! Yoga courses offer structure to the poses, and at-home yoga videos also help. It’s time to get on the yoga mat for arthritis relief!
Improves Flexibility
One of the major ways in which yoga helps treat arthritis is by improving joint flexibility and muscle strength. In the beginning, people may not be able to touch their toes, but careful practice will make this a reality! Great beginner yoga poses for arthritis relief in terms of flexibility are cow pose, child’s pose, and downward dog. All three improve the spine’s flexibility through gentle stretching. None of them put too much pressure on the joints if they’re practiced correctly!
The hands in cow pose and downward dog should be shoulder-width apart. Cow pose should have the knees hip-width apart. There are variations of downward dog where the feet are hip-width apart and others have the feet together. Comfort is key! Child pose for arthritis should have the feet and knees together with the arms extended and hands placed shoulder-width apart.
Corrects Posture
Countless people have poor posture and tend to hunch over their computers all day. While poor posture doesn’t cause arthritis, it can make the back and neck pain worse! The good news yoga is great at improving posture. Good posture ensures people sit properly at their desks. It even improves their walking! Having good posture will keep the spine straight, thus reducing back pain.
The best yoga poses for improving posture and reducing back pain associated with arthritis include downward dog, forward fold, cat-cow pose, mountain pose, and bridge pose. Those who are further along in their yoga practice can benefit from tree pose. This is best left to more advanced yoga practitioners who have arthritis, since it does put a little more pressure on certain joints.
Boosts Weight Loss
The risk is clear: the more someone weighs, the higher their risk of arthritis is in certain joints. This is because excess weight puts additional pressure on the joints. Someone who is overweight and stands will put more pressure on their ankles than someone who maintains a healthy weight. Increased pressure on the joints for someone who already has arthritis increases the joint pain and swelling they experience. This is why weight loss is beneficial!
Yes, yoga does help with weight loss! Even though it’s a gentler exercise, it is still physical activity. Women tighten their muscles, reduce belly fat, and improve their heart health with yoga. Amazing yoga poses to help with weight loss include plank pose, bridge pose, boat pose, and half-moon pose. The transitions between poses are also incredibly helpful for weight loss!
Offers Stress Relief
Stress impacts people with arthritis greatly and in several ways. One is stress increases the pain people perceive, which makes joint pain worse! Having a condition like arthritis also increases stress, especially when daily activities are limited. When the body is stressed, the brain releases chemicals. These can trigger inflammation and pain, resulting in a flare-up of arthritis symptoms.
Thus, stress relief is vital in arthritis treatment. Yoga is the perfect way to relieve stress! Yoga allows people to get away from the stresses of their day. When they step onto their yoga mat, they are encouraged to breathe deeply and turn their thoughts to relaxation. They must focus on the poses in the current moment. Clearing the mind through yoga lessens their stress and therefore, their overall joint pain related to arthritis. All yoga poses help relieve stress. The key is regular practice!
Improved Sleep
Increased stress influences the quality of sleep someone gets. Joint pain and inflammation also make it difficult to sleep. What’s more, but a lack of sleep can also increase stress and cause more joint pain. It’s a two-way street when it comes to the relation between sleep and arthritis! The good news is yoga works wonders on sleep quality. Yoga, as we know, reduces stress, which helps with sleep. The reduced joint pain yoga offers also makes it easier for people to fall asleep and stay that way!
People should work a relaxing yoga practice into the end of their day to relax their body and encourage deep breathing. Just before bed, this puts their body in the best position possible to sleep through the night. End the yoga practice with child’s pose or corpse pose for the ultimate relaxation benefits!