Posted on December 14, 2007 in Exercise and Fitness
The typical symptoms of arthritis include joint inflammations which are more often than not accompanied with redness, stiffness and warmth around a specific area or joint.
Researchers claim that arthritis sufferers are constantly complaining of loss of flexibility in and around the joints, fatigue and loss of energy. They are also gripped with typical tendencies like avoiding physical activities, resorting to leisure and altering diets to feel stronger or taking pain killers to soothe their aching joints.
Arthritis patients need to understand that ignoring the initial conditions can lead to much severe circumstances where one could lose his or her complete flexibility and/or range of motion.
What is arthritis?
Arthritis conditions arise when the soft tissues or cartilages that support the joints begin to deteriorate. This deterioration of the soft tissues can result from the following:
- Disproportionate body weight
- Unhealthy lifestyle
- Age
- Gender in the case of osteoarthritis which women are more prone to
- Obesity
- Genetic factors
Whatever be the case, arthritis is a condition distinct to a deteriorating bone and muscle framework.
How does yoga help arthritis patients?
Yoga therapy engages one in way so as to relax the mind and body thereby relieving the body from all traumatic aches. The best feature about yoga is that it encourages one and all to reap its benefits without discriminating on the grounds of shape, size and level of fitness. It basically involves low impact exercises that reduce stress and increase the range of motions by strengthening the bones and muscles.
The theories and practices involved in yoga also have a holistic approach. So it helps in the overall and qualitative functioning of the body by relieving and relaxing stiff muscles and joints that are injured or not.
Benefits of yoga for arthritis:
Yoga can help arthritis sufferers in the following ways:
- Increases flexibility of joints
- Strengthens joints and muscles
- Regulates further range of motion
- Improves balance
- Regulates the level of uric acid
- Weight transfer thereby reducing obesity conditions
- Enhance one’s resistance or immunity levels against other diseases and illness
- Contributes to a healthier lifestyle
The basic asanas that can help in dealing with arthritis:
These are the common asanas that are commonly recommended for arthritis patients:
- The Sukhasana or the Easy Pose: This asana calms the senses, reduces the metabolism rates and strengthens the spine.
- The Single Leg Raise Exercise: This one brings comfort to the legs and lower back muscles.
- The Shoulder Stretches: This brings relief to the shoulder and upper back muscles and joints.
- The Neck Exercise: This reduces stiffness around the neck and shoulder areas and also improves posture.
- The Standing Side Stretch Exercise: This exercise helps in toning and increasing the flexibility in areas around the stomach, legs and arms.
- The Hand Clenching Exercise: This improves the flexibility and reduces pain around the fingers.
- The Wrist Clenching Exercise: This exercise helps in increasing the flexibility and reducing the aches around the wrists.
- The Corpse Exercise: This helps in relaxing the joints and senses.
- The Ankle Bending Exercise: This exercise increases the strength of the joint around the ankles which carry the burden of the entire body.
- The Ankle Rotation Exercise: This exercise helps in increasing the flexibility of the ankle joints.
- The Relax Pose Exercise: This exercise deals with calming the physical and mental senses.
These exercises when observed are simple and easy to follow. So instead of increasing your dependence on rest, medications and diet to increase the strength of your bones and muscles engage in qualitative exercises like the yoga asanas to get rid off the inflamed and aching joints.
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