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Yoga, the Antidote for Arthritis

Yoga standing poses safely increase range of motion in all the joints.

By Suza Francina

Tuesday, March 04, 2008

As Loren Fishman, MD, points out in his new book, Yoga for Arthritis, "Arthritis restricts movement, yoga increases range of motion—these two were made for each other."

Arthritis is the leading cause of disability in this country, limiting everyday activities for millions of people. Drugs, surgeries, and steroids can alleviate some of the discomforts, but study after study has shown that exercise is most beneficial to most forms of arthritis, specifically low-impact, flexibility-enhancing exercises such as yoga.

Osteoarthritis, a painful and often debilitating condition caused by decades of wear and tear on the joints, is considered to be one the side effects of living longer. By the time we reach age sixty-five, X-rays for at last a third of us will show some signs of osteoarthritis, the most common of a group of diseases collectively referred to as arthritis.

Arthritis in its many forms affects more than seventy million (or one in three) American adults, according to estimates by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Arthritis is so common in our culture that most people consider the pain and discomfort it brings to be a normal part of aging. Arthritis makes normal activities increasingly painful and difficult and diminishes or destroys the quality of life.

At the time that I became interested in yoga, I was assisting an older woman who was immobilized in her wheelchair by arthritis. Long before I understood the degree to which yoga can rehabilitate the body, I was helping people who were unable to dress, bathe or feed themselves independently due to the pain and stiffness in their joints. This has helped me understand the extreme suffering that can be inflicted by arthritis.

Back then, people with joint pain and swelling were advised by doctors not to move! The thinking was "If it hurts, don't move it." We now know that inactivity is one of the worst responses for someone with arthritis.

An Overview of Arthritis
The word arthritis means "joint inflammation." Modern medicine recognizes more than a hundred varieties of conditions that produce deterioration in joint structures. The common thread among these conditions is that they all affect the joints—those nearly 150 ingeniously designed structures located where two or more bones come together.

Arthritis-related joint problems may include pain, stiffness, inflammation and damage to joints. Joint weakness, instability and visible deformities may occur, depending on the location of the joint involved.

Arthritis is classified into two main types. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disorder, resulting in stiffness in the joints and muscles, joint erosion and pain. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disorder that erodes the cartilage in joints, which leads to bones rubbing together. Osteoarthritis frequently occurs in people who are overweight or whose joints are painful from extreme overuse.

In spite of the prevalence of arthritis, be careful not to jump to the conclusion that your achy joints are necessarily due to it. Overuse and injuries can also result in tendonitis, bursitis, carpal tunnel syndrome and other fairly common conditions that are unrelated to arthritis.

Arthritis and Exercise
To remain healthy, muscles and joints must move and bear weight or they will lose strength. This weakness, coupled with joint swelling, will make the joints unstable. Joints in this condition are vulnerable to dislocation, increased injury and pain. Thus, regular gentle movement helps to reduce pain and to maintain mobility.

Physical movement promotes health in many systems of the body. It increases circulation, which in turn reduces swelling and promotes delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the tissues. With immobilization, a cycle of deterioration begins.

Because movement is crucial to so many physiological processes, the arthritic person's overall health tends to deteriorate without it. The normal functioning of the immune system declines, infections and illnesses occur, and the person often becomes frustrated and depressed. This cycle is self-perpetuating.

When someone comes to me with arthritis, I encourage them to learn how to practice yoga safely with the support of props. Where arthritis is concerned, I pull out all the stops in using props! The yoga "horse" (a sturdy wooden bar), wall ropes, bolsters, straps, and blankets give the person new hope and confidence and replace fear with a sense of freedom.

Physicians are increasingly advising regular gentle exercise for people with arthritis because it tones muscles and reduces stiffness in joints. Yoga is an ideal form of exercise for this because its movements are fluid and adaptable. Yoga loosens muscles that have been tightened by inactivity, stress and tension. In yoga we progress gradually, beginning with simple stretches and strengthening poses and advancing to more difficult postures only as we become stronger and more flexible.

If necessary, you can begin with gentle movements while sitting in a chair or lying on the floor. You can gradually add weight-bearing standing postures, with the support of a wall, counter or table, wall ropes, chairs, blocks, and other props.

The yoga standing pose (shown above) is among the key poses for safely increasing range of motion in all the joints as well as increasing strength and flexibility.

It's important to note that weak muscles are considered a risk factor for osteoarthritis. Be especially aware of weakness in the quadriceps, the large frontal thigh muscles: The weaker the quadriceps, the higher the risk of developing osteoarthritis in the knee. Yoga standing poses are valuable for strengthening the quadriceps without wear and tear on the hip and knee joints.

Practicing yoga can help improve respiration throughout the day. Calm, slow, rhythmic breathing helps to release both physical and emotional tension by flooding the body and brain with oxygen. The regular, daily practice of deep relaxation is restorative to every cell of the body.

I encourage those of you with arthritis to seek the help of an experienced teacher who can help you learn to distinguish between good pain and bad pain and to make yoga part of your daily life.

Instructions: Extended Side Angle Pose
Practice this pose (shown above) against a wall or other support. Stand on a firm, non-slippery surface, preferably a yoga mat.

1. Stand tall with your back against a wall, feet facing straight ahead. Become aware of your breath. Take a full minute to distribute the weight of your body evenly on both feet so you feel balanced and steady. Stretch your shoulders back toward the wall to help open your chest. Stand steady on your feet and take a quiet breath.

2. Move your feet about four to five feet apart, with your feet facing parallel. Stretch your arms out in line with your shoulders, palms down and fingers straight. Turn your left foot inward 30 degrees and your right foot outward 90 degrees, with your right heel in line with the arch of your left foot. Press both feet firmly into the floor.

3. Keeping the left leg straight, bend your right knee into a right angle, lowering your fingertips to the floor or a block and stretching the top arm toward your ear, as shown.

-Suza Francina,RYT, is a Certified Iyengar yoga instructor and has taught yoga since 1972. She teaches yoga internationally and is the author of The New Yoga for People Over 50 and The New Yoga for Healthy Aging. To learn more, visit her website: www.suzafrancina.com.

Continue to Part Two, Yoga for Arthritis: Guidelines and Cautions »

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