Living with arthritis can be challenging, as joint pain, stiffness, and inflammation often make movement difficult. However, staying active is essential for managing arthritis and maintaining mobility, but thoughtful, targeted compressive movements are even better. Avita yoga for arthritis provides a low-impact way to ease pain, improve mobility, and strengthen muscles, all while promoting relaxation and overall well-being. In this blog post, we’ll explore how gentle yoga can benefit those with arthritis, highlight key shapes, and share tips for practicing safely.
How Yoga Helps with Arthritis
Yoga is a holistic practice that combines movement, breathwork, and mindfulness. For individuals with arthritis, it offers specific benefits:
- Pain Management: Gentle movement can reduce joint stiffness and alleviate pain by increasing blood flow to affected areas.
- Improved Range of Motion: Regular practice helps maintain and even improve joint mobility, making daily activities easier.
- Strengthened Muscles: Avita Yoga builds muscle strength by using them to stimulate healing compression in and around the joint. This is what makes Avita very different from anything else you have tried.
- Reduced Inflammation: Arthritis is a fancy word for joint toxicity that leads to cartilage and bone degeneration. Avita Yoga’s emphasis on relaxation and thoughtful compression cleanses the joints, which reduce and often eliminate inflammation. It can even lead to healthy remodeling of the inner surfaces of the joint.
- Enhanced Balance and Coordination: Because of reduced pain and increased mobility, this gentle yoga improves balance, reducing the risk of falls and injuries that can be especially problematic for those with arthritis.
Gentle Yoga Shapes for Arthritis
1. Malasana (Simple Squat)
How to Practice:
- Sit against a wall, on a bolster, and draw your heels close. Adjust to reduce the distance between your hips and heels to sustainably maintain the shape.
- Wrap your arms around your legs, clasping your hands or forearms lightly.
- Relax your upper body forward, allowing your sit bones to ground and your spine to flex deeply.
- Soften your shoulders and let your breathing adapt to the compressive nature of the shape. Let it help you release tension with each exhale.
Watch this video for effective yoga shapes to relieve shoulder and neck pain.
2. Yoga for Arthritis in fingers
This shape helps alleviate stiffness and discomfort in the fingers by applying gentle cleansing compression that promotes healing and improves mobility. Focusing on each finger individually allows you to apply the proper pressure to each without pushing into pain.
How to Practice:
- Start with the little finger on your right hand.
- Gently bend the finger and use your left hand to apply light compression.
- We expect to feel stiffness or slight discomfort, so we pause and breathe with the sensation. Observe the changing feeling as time passes and allow your mind to welcome the healing. Bones and joints love pressure.
- Hold each finger for 1–2 minutes, allowing your mind to observe and focus on the healing sensation that comes with thoughtful joint compression.
- Release slowly and repeat with the next finger.
- After completing one hand, switch to the other.
Note: Each finger may provide different feedback, as daily activities affect them uniquely. This is a beautiful example of Avita Yoga and how it cleanses and restores joint mobility.
For detailed visual guidance and more shapes to ease finger arthritis, check out this video.
3. Virasana ( Knee Flexion)
This gentle movement helps improve knee mobility, reduces stiffness, and promotes healing by encouraging better blood flow and alignment in the joint.
- Sit on the right edge of a sturdy chair, with the outer part of the right hip on the edge.
- Gently slide your right foot backward to increase knee flexion. If possible, aim to have your toenails on the floor.
- If this feels too intense, add firm cushion to elevate yourself on the chair to reduce strain and ease into the movement.
- Maintain the position for 1.5 to 3 minutes to stimulate healing in the knee joint.
Watch this video for practical yoga shapes to relieve knee pain
Tips for Practicing Yoga Safely with Arthritis
- Start Slow: Begin with shorter sessions and simple shapes, gradually increasing duration and pressure as your body adapts.
- Use Props: Yoga blocks, straps, and cushions can help achieve the proper shape and pressure. Explore props to enhance your practice here.
- Listen to Your Body: Avoid pushing into pain or discomfort. Reduce time or pressure to adjust for healing sensation. It may not be pleasant initially, but it can never be painful. This discernment between pain and healing sensation is the one skill we learn in Avita Yoga.
- Practice Consistently: Regular practice, even 10–15 minutes a day, can yield significant benefits over time.
Conclusion
Gentle yoga for arthritis offers a safe and effective way to manage symptoms while improving mobility and overall quality of life. By practicing regularly and listening to your body, you can enjoy reduced pain, greater mobility, and a renewed well-being.
If you’re seeking a holistic, healing-centered approach to managing arthritis, Avita Yoga offers the perfect solution. Our classes are designed to gently address pain and promote lasting recovery through mindful, precise movements tailored to your body’s needs.
Experience the life-changing benefits of Avita Yoga for yourself! With convenient online classes, you can begin your healing journey from the comfort of your own home.
Don’t wait—take the first step toward a healthier, more mobile you today! Join an Avita Yoga class now.
