5 Yoga Poses To Relieve Arthritis Pain

No one can deny the role of physical activity in managing and preventing diseases. Conventional thinking takes in running, working out as the most effective physical activities. However, in recent years, yoga, qi gong, and several other forms of physical activity have joined mainstream physical activities.

Let’s explore the why’s and how’s of yoga in this article!

How is yoga beneficial?

When it comes to pain relief and physical activity, yoga can be a good choice. Particularly, for the people suffering from joint pain and inflammation due to arthritis, yoga can fairly help them. Some of the health benefits of yoga are;

1. Yoga can help you to control your breathing responses
2. It can add strength and flexibility to our body
3. Yoga can help with joints and muscle pain
4. You can improve your sleeping quality by practicing yoga
5. Yoga makes stress management easier
6. Moreover, yoga can help you feel fresh and more energetic.

Arthritis and yoga- What’s the connection?

But before moving on to yoga, it is important to understand what arthritis? Arthritis is the term that is used to describe more than 100 different diseases related to joints. With several possible causes, arthritis symptoms can range from mild joints pain to severe inflammation and immobility of joints.

When it comes to the cure of arthritis, physical activity is considered a beneficial approach. Arthritis patients can increase their joints flexibility alongside reducing pain and relieving joint stress.

Sharing my own experience, a few years ago my father who was suffering from arthritis went to the best orthopedic surgeon in Peshawar. The physician asked him to practice yoga and surprisingly, yoga was a huge relief for his symptoms.

Yoga poses for arthritis

Here are some of the approved yoga poses that can help arthritis patients;

1- Sun Salutations or Surya namaskar

Surya namaskar or salute to sun yoga is a centuries-old practice. Sun salutations include 12 yoga poses that can help you to stretch your spine that can help to relieve both physical and mental stress.

Method

1. Stand straight with both your feet touching
2. Join your hands, palm to palm, in front of your chest (praying position)
3. Upwards raise your arm while exhaling
4. Stretch your arms above your hands while bending backward

2- Cat to cow pose

This is the best yoga pose for people suffering from neck arthritis. This pose can help to improve posture and makes your spine and hips more flexible.

Method

1. Place your hands and knees in a table pose
2. Upward lift your sit bone, sink in your belly by pressing chest forward to move into cow pose (inhaling)
3. Slightly raise your head and gaze straight forward
4. Then, round your spine outwards, bring your pubic bone forward, and come into cat pose (exhaling)
5. Now, just relax your head (don’t force your face into your chest).

3- Supine twisting

This yoga pose can help to align the spine and relax it as well. Supine twist can help to improve digestion and release your lower back while supporting your spinal muscles.

Method

1. Take your hands put to make a T while scooting your hip towards the right side
2. Bent up your knees towards your left elbow keeping your gaze at the right
3. Then, centralize your knees, scooting your hip to the right and bending your knees up to the right side while keeping your gaze at the left.

4- Downward-facing dog or adho mukha svanasana

This yoga pose can help you in relieving back and neck stiffness as well as is effective against arthritis knee pain.

Method

1. Stand on your fours while maintaining a shoulder and hip distance in arms and feet respectively
2. Pull up your hips keeping your arms stretched with straight knees
3. Make your ears in line with your arms while looking at your knees (an inverted V posture)

5- Crescent Lunge or Anjaneyasana

This yoga pose can help to release hip tension and improve the flexibility of joints as well as can make them more stretchable.

Method

1. First, take the lunge position
2. Place your right knee on the floor and in the direction of your left knee elongate your tailbone
3. Now bring forwards your right knee and lift up your arms and breathe
4. Switch the side and practice with the left knee.

Takeaway Note!

All these yoga poses if done correctly can surely help to relieve the symptoms of arthritis. But before deciding on these yoga poses, make sure you consult the relevant physician to avoid any injury.

So, start yoga today for pain-free joints tomorrow!