Has your back been feeling stiff lately? Are you experiencing pain in your knees? If you deal with these chronic aches and pains, you might be suffering from arthritis, which is a type of disease that causes inflammation in the joints.
Many people incorrectly assume that arthritis only affects older people. The bad news is that more and more young adults are struggling with the disease. The good news is that a regular yoga practice can decrease your arthritis-related pain! If you’re in pain, moving around might be the last thing on your mind, but some gentle yoga may be the best natural remedy to heal your joints.
Not only does yoga improve overall mobility, but it helps to relieve pain and reduce inflammation in the joints. Arthritis is essentially caused by a lack of moisture in the connective tissues in your body, and yoga helps to restore the flow of fluid to your muscles. In addition, certain yoga poses can be tailored to restore specific joints in your body. For example, a common complaint of arthritis patients is that they experience intense swelling in their fingers and knuckles. Yogic hand stretches are a great way to spread the fingers and send fresh oxygenated blood to the places where it hurts the most.
Here are some other basic postures that can help ease joint pain:
• Sukhasana – also known as the “Easy Pose” it helps to straighten the spine and clear your mind
• Shoulder stretches – are wonderful ways to relieve tension in the shoulders and lengthen your arms
• Neck exercises – lots of people hold their tension in their neck and shoulders, which can lead to stiffness and headaches. Working the muscles in your neck can improve flexibility and relieve tension.
• Wrist bending – your wrists are particularly prone to arthritis pain. Improve the range of motion in your wrists by gently moving them and forth
• Ankle rotation – your ankles often bear the brunt of your body weight. By stretching and moving your ankles, you can help restore their natural flexibility
If you are in pain, you might be skeptical about starting a yoga class. However, one of the major recommendations that doctors give to arthritis patients is to get moving! Since yoga is a type of exercise that is relatively low-impact, it will be less stressful on your joints than activities such as jogging or playing other types of high-impact sports. Keep in mind that the longer you maintain a sedentary lifestyle, the quicker your joints will continue to deteriorate. So, if you’re starting to feel those aches and pains, think about starting a regular yoga routine!
