Daily Times

A disease that causes painful inflammation and stiffness of the joints, arthritis is the leading cause of disability among adults. According to conservative estimates, 54 million adults are doctor-diagnosed with arthritis, while up to three hundred thousand babies and children suffer from it. Arthritis no longer affects just the old-aged population. Nowadays, more and more young children are succumbing to the life-altering symptoms.

Arthritis comes in many debilitating forms, including autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia and gout. It causes inflammation, which causes swelling in the joints, redness and pain with eventual damage to the joints.

Yoga is a practice incorporating breathing techniques, exercises and meditation. It has been common since the last five thousand years and is well-known as a way to boost physical and mental health. Yoga not only helps deal with the physical arthritis symptoms like pain and stiffness but also psychological issues related to stress and pain management that come from arthritis symptoms. Regular yoga has been proven to reduce joint pain; improve joint flexibility and function as well as lower stress and tension to promote a night of better sleep. Positioning the body and joints in various yogic poses along with coordinated breathing and meditation exercises not only releases tension from the muscles but also helps relax the joints and ease the inflammation.

Yoga can help a person suffering from arthritis build muscle strength, improve balance and reduce inflammation

Sharon Kolasinski, a rheumatologist at the University of Pennsylvania, studied the effects of yoga on people with knee osteoarthritis. She concluded that taking 90-minutes modified Iyengar yoga classes once a week for eight weeks led to a significant reduction in pain and improvement in physical function as well as joint stiffness. Yoga can alleviate symptoms by gentle exercises which reduce tension and improve joint flexibility. Yoga can help a person suffering from arthritis build muscle strength, improve balance and reduce inflammation.

In a landmark study by Kiecolt-Glaser, key blood markers were measured for inflammation. It was found that women practising basic Hatha yoga postures showed promising results. More experienced yoga practitioners showed lower levels of inflammation-causing proteins like interleukin-6 in their blood, as compared to women who had just started yoga.

For those patients with a severe case of arthritis, yoga poses are adjustable, especially in clinical yoga. Sufferers can be accommodated with aids such as chairs and blocks to help them balance during poses so as to not strain their joints. Yoga is also a low impact exercise in which serious injuries are rare. Yoga helps improve muscle strength, flexibility and promote balance. It increases energy, which is associated with fewer bodily aches and pains.

Results from a study conducted by Dr Subhadra Evans from the University of California shed new light on yoga’s benefits for arthritis. Participants with rheumatoid arthritis practised Iyengar yoga for six weeks. They suggested that while their day-to-day levels of pain had not varied, they were able to get through daily activities more enthusiastically and effectively. Their relationship with pain had changed, such that it became manageable; leading to a healthier outlook on life. Yoga’s impact on pain management has been thoroughly studied and its effects are far-reaching.

Yoga emphasizes introspective thought. Pinpointing the sources of pain or anxiety and learning to relax them is extremely useful for people with arthritis. Yoga helps develop communication with your own body, which is very essential to well-being.

The writer is a Wellness and Yoga Expert