Yoga practice comes in various forms, including poses, meditation, breathing techniques, etc. Over 5000 years ago, the yoga journey started in India to boost physical and mental health. Even people with arthritis have seen significant improvement with the help of Yoga.
Arthritis is the root cause of disability. With the fear of intense pain, most people with arthritis tend to ignore any kind of movement. But the truth is, inactivity is the last thing to do for someone with arthritis.
On the other hand, yoga is another name for gentle exercises. Yoga can help an arthritis patient build muscle strength and improve joint flexibility and reduce tension, calms the body down, and therefore helps the body move comfortably. So you can say that yoga and arthritis are made for each other!
Arthritis
The word arthritis means “joint inflammation.” Today, modern medication is successful in discovering more than a hundred types of joint structure deterioration. The common part about these conditions is the inflammation occurs in the joints where more than two bones come together.
Arthritis-related joint conditions include inflammation, stiffness, pain, and decadence of bones in joints. There are mainly two types of arthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is mostly among overweight people or among those who have extreme pain in their joints due to overuse.
Before, people didn’t care about the factor that it must move where there is pain. They used to rely on the factor that, if you have pain somewhere, doesn’t move it. Today, people have understood that to reduce pain and maintain mobility, minimal gentle movement is crucial. Even movement is important for arthritis patients to so many physiological processes that their health can deteriorate without movement or regular exercise.
Yoga and Arthritis
Arthritis patients cannot work out regularly, and it is also not good for their painful joints. This is why physicians always advise them for regular gentle exercises, and Yoga is the ideal form of exercise for them. It loosens the tightened muscles of an arthritis patient who has been inactive for a longer time and decreases the joints’ stiffness. As all movements in Yoga are gentle, the recovery process is quite slow but effective. Yoga is quite similar to Homeopathy medication, which works gradually but solves the problem from the root.
The daily practice of yoga helps to restore every cell of the body. It improves the respiration process, and it increases circulation, therefore reduces the swelling and increases the oxygen and nutrients delivery process to the tissues. The calm and rhythmic breathing during Yoga practice helps to release mental and physical tension by flooding the brain and body with oxygen. Just like joining a yoga group means that you are already one step forward in beating Arthritis, the group support that one can get from a 200 hour yoga teacher training in Rishikesh also helps to cope with arthritis struggles.
However, no matter how useful Yoga can be, you still need to listen to your body first. For example, weak muscles of Osteoarthritis patients require the standing poses of Yoga. But such poses still far away when you are just starting movement after long-term inactivity. In this situation, you need to start with gentle movements while lying on the floor or sitting on a chair.
Why should you choose Yoga?
If you are an arthritis patient, yoga is not a choice to you anymore, and it’s the only option left to you to gain the old strength back. Well, apart from helping arthritis patients, yoga has some important benefits too:
- Yoga is the healthiest exercise for a human
- It improves the overall physical function, no matter how fit you think you are
- Yoga effectively but slowly helps to reduce stiffness from muscles and joints and increases flexibility.
- Such a fresh start like yoga helps to stay active all day long.
- After a regular yoga practice for a longer period, you will see how it created a mind-body connection.
There are thousands of reasons you should choose Yoga, whether you have arthritis or any other physical condition. But still, everything needs to be done in the right way.
Tips for practicing yoga
Hips, knees, and hands are the areas that are most commonly affected by Arthritis. After so many days of inactivity, the soft tissues and muscles around the hip get shortened.
The thigh and calf muscles, which supply stability and support to the knee, are also weakened from the lack of exercise.
In this situation, the only movement is not enough for a human body, and they strictly require a properly guided and regular yoga practice.
Here are some things you need to remember if either you are joining a yoga class or practicing at home:
- First, you need to know when your muscle stretching is benefiting you or signaling harm. There is a thin line between natural discomfort while moving a stiff joint and the pain caused by a movement. Remember, sudden pain is always a warning. If you face discomfort for a longer time during your Yoga session, you might change your alignments soon.
- Maintain a balance between exercise and rest. Do not rest so much that your joints return to the inactive period, and also don’t exercise to the point of fatigue. Remember to stop before you feel exhausted. The balance of rest and work is a very crucial manner in Yoga.
- Focus on how you are feeling instead of counting mechanically while practicing. Everyone has a different flow of breath and the body’s response to a particular exercise of Yoga. Smooth and peaceful breathing is exactly what you are looking for. If you are not feeling relaxed yet, then it’s the signal that you need to change the inhalation and exhalation rhythm. This factor is specifically crucial for Arthritis patients.
- If you are an arthritis patient, your joints and muscles might already be quite stiff. This is the time when you need the help of yoga props. These things can help you to improve your breathing capacity and blood circulation. Most people tend to ignore yoga props as if they are unnecessary items. But, the truth is, all you need is to learn how to use those props.
So choosing the 200 hour yoga teacher training in Rishikesh will be the best option for you.