The number of Americans now practicing yoga is staggering, and there’s good reason so many folks are taking to the mat. The benefits include helping practitioners de-stress, lose weight, increase flexibility and improve posture. Now add another: Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can reduce joint tenderness and swelling.
In a study conducted at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, researchers divided thirty sedentary adults with RA into two groups. One group participated in an eight-week program of yoga, in which they took two one-hour classes per week and were told to practice at home as well. Breathing, relaxation and meditation instructions were also included, and some poses were modified to accommodate the physical limitations of RA. The other group didn’t do any yoga.
The yoga group had fewer tender and swollen joints than they did before starting class. Those who were not doing yoga had no change.
Interested, but still a little hesitant to enroll in a class? Try this simple pose at home:
• Stand with feet hip-width apart and place a yoga block (or thick book) in front of your toes. If balancing is tough for you, stand with your backside against a wall.
• Bend your knees, but be sure they don’t turn inward.
