Yoga for Arthritis
By Annie Hopper
Owner, Grass Valley Yoga
The aches and pains of arthritis can disrupt regular life. Finding productive ways to eliminate the suffering is an important step towards feeling happier and healthier.
Yoga provides slow, controlled movements combined with deep breathing and relaxation techniques that can ease the discomforts of chronic arthritis. Yoga poses can help strengthen your joints which is crucial in preventing and dealing with arthritis. Using the full range of motion, yoga allows your joints to function normally, thus reducing the risk of stiffness. When the pain of arthritis strikes, it has a ripple effect of stiffening up the rest of the body, as if to protect the part that hurts. Most people respond to this by decreasing their activity level. Such inactivity, however, is often the worst thing to do because it weakens the muscles and increases stiffness and pain. Yoga encourages you to keep moving gently, while your body is healing, to maintain muscle tone, good circulation, and joint flexibility.
Kelly Sems, MD, a rheumatologist at Arthritis Health, a center for arthritis care and yoga therapy in Scottsdale, Arizona says that “yoga relieves stress, a trigger for pain. Done in a group, it provides social interaction, which can decrease depression that may accompany a chronic condition. And yoga also teaches a certain tolerance for discomfort, not a bad discipline for those in chronic pain.” People at any fitness level can practice yoga. Dr. Sems suggests that no one practice during an acute flare, and everyone should learn their limits and when to decrease intensity. The rule for arthritis patients (and people in general) is that if it hurts, stop. The adage of “no pain, no gain” does not apply to yoga, particularly if you have physical limitations.
Breathing and relaxation techniques are an extremely important part of your daily routine; these techniques improve respiration, relieve anxiety, and can help distract attention from pain. Breathing helps to relax both physical and emotional tension by flooding the body and brain with oxygen. In yoga you learn breathing and relaxation techniques that can be used anywhere, anytime to relieve stress and tension.
While there are certain treatments that can slow down the progress of arthritis, there is no known cure to date. Many of the drugs that are prescribed to arthritis patients come with a long list of side effects. In fact, many people who suffer from this disease find that prescription drugs tend to worsen the condition. Rather than deal with possible medication reactions, consider learning how to stretch, strengthen, and ease your swollen joints.
Arthritis does not have to be a disability; by practicing a few gentle exercises and breathing techniques every day, you can reduce pain, build strength, and maintain your daily activities with a healthy outlook and renewed energy.