Explore this yoga introduction to discover how gentle exercise can help you find relief for arthritis and joint pain.
Is arthritis pain getting you down? If you are one of the millions of people who experience arthritis pain daily, then it’s time to find relief. Fortunately, there is a whole host of natural options for managing your pain. One such option is yoga.
Yoga is a gentle exercise that can do wonders for both mind and body. It can help with health conditions ranging from pregnancy anxiety to chronic fatigue syndrome. And if you want to learn about activities that have been shown to ease symptoms of arthritis, yoga is an excellent option.
Learn some yoga exercises you can do at your desk in our Desk Yoga video series.
Yoga Introduction
Yoga Reduces Arthritis Pain
The Journal of Rheumatology published a study in 2015 that looked at the effects of yoga in a group of 75 adults with rheumatoid arthritis or knee osteoarthritis. Half of the group did eight weeks of yoga (two 60 min classes and one home practice session per week) and half continued regular treatment, serving as controls.
After eight weeks, people in the yoga group showed a 20 percent improvement over the control group on a test that assessed health related quality of life. The test reflected things like physical function, pain, and energy levels, showing that yoga improved these factors. Walking speed was also higher in the yoga group.
It wasn’t just their physical symptoms that got better with yoga. Improvements in mood and mental health were also seen; people who did yoga had significantly higher scores for positive affect and had lower depressive symptoms compared to controls.
Yoga was a safe treatment tool, leading to no unpleasant side effects or adverse events.
Yoga leads to Long-Lasting Improvements
The researchers did follow-up testing nine months later, and participants who were in the yoga group still showed significant improvements in most of the measures of health related quality of life.
Five years later, some of the participants were contacted for a focus group. According to the researchers, people said, “yoga had played a pivotal role in changing how they viewed their function, and capabilities and attitude toward living with [rheumatoid arthritis]; they credited yoga with helping them maintain a more active lifestyle.” [1]
Gentle Exercise Is Helpful for Arthritis
While doing yoga or other exercises may seem daunting at first in the face of arthritis pain, you may benefit tremendously if you try. You may experience improved daily functioning, better mood, increased strength, and more energy if you exercise regularly.
Find a local yoga class near you to get started. Start with a beginner’s class, which will be gentle and will help you to build up your strength, flexibility, and balance. Classes can be found at local community centers, gyms, and private yoga studios. Inquire about the different class styles and levels for helping choosing which class, in particular, might be good for someone with arthritis pain. The website www.Arthritis.Yoga is a good place to start, and the company, in conjunction with the Arthritis Foundation, made an arthritis-friendly DVD complete with an hour-long yoga practice and a FAQ section.
Other Natural Options for Arthritis Treatment
Arthritis shouldn’t leave you in pain and feeling miserable. If you don’t yet have your symptoms under control, start today with safe, effective, all-natural remedies.
By starting an exercise program, such as a yoga practice, and combining this with supplements like SAM-e or boswellia extract, you may be able to gain control over your symptoms and start feeling better.
As always, check with your doctor before taking any supplements or vitamins to inquire about possible medication interactions.
Learn more about What Herbs are Good for Arthritis
References
[1] J Rheumatol. 2015 Jul;42(7):1194-202.
Natural Heath Advisory Institute contributing editor Chelsea Clark is a writer with a passion for science, human biology, and natural health. She holds a bachelor’s degree in molecular and cellular biology with an emphasis in neuroscience from the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Wash. Her research on the relationship between chronic headache pain and daily stress levels has been presented at various regional, national, and international conferences. Chelsea’s interest in natural health has been fueled by her own personal experience with chronic medical issues. Her many profound experiences with natural health practitioners and remedies have motivated Chelsea to contribute to the world of natural health as a researcher and writer for Natural Health Advisory Institute.
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