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Step 1
Acceptance
Regular exercise can help to prevent or lessen the severity of many chronic diseases including heart disease, diabetes and osteoporosis. It can also help manage stress, improve mood, and maintain independence by reducing the risk of falls. Regular exercise is also good for those with arthritis. Keeping the muscles strong helps to take pressure off of painful joints and stretching exercises help to maintain full range of motion in the joints. However, for those living with arthritis, exercise can be challenging due to pain, fatigue and balance issues. This is where the techniques of yoga can help.
For many, the word yoga often conjures up images of long bearded men in robes, sitting cross legged on the floor, chanting or being connected with a specific religion, or wrapping oneself into a posture which seems impossible for the average human to do. Yet the word yoga simply means union; union of mind, body and spirit or soul, nothing more. The heart of developing a yoga practice is to learn to listen to our bodies.
The first step is to fully accept where our body is at in the present moment, not where it was ten years ago or even yesterday - or where you want it to be, but right now. before you start to do the yoga postures you must step on your yoga mat with the attitude of a beginners mind and be willing to explore and work with your body as it is in this moment.
If you are new to yoga it is best to work with a qualified instructor to help you find the best routine for your individual situation. Since there are hundreds of forms of yoga keep trying different instructors and styles until you find the best fit. -
Step 2
Managing fatigue.
Living with chronic pain can tend to make one feel tired and less motivated to move, which oftentimes leads to a sedentary lifestyle. Even simple activities can be draining, leaving no energy for daily tasks or exercise. However, the less one moves the more deconditioned the body becomes, making one more tired, leading to an even more sedentary lifestyle. If this cycle continues, eventually just climbing up a few steps or getting in and out of a chair can cause you to get out of breath.
One way to help manage this is with yogic breathing exercises, such as deep diaphragmatic breathing. This style of breathing teaches us to use our diaphragm muscle to its full capacity and to breathe fully and deeply. This method of breathing is a more efficient way to take in and process oxygen, allowing the body to conserve energy. This style of breathing also strengthens our respiratory system making it more efficient at it’s job of delivering oxygen to our muscles and body. As one learns to breathe more deeply, feelings of fatigue can lessen. When feeling tired sometimes just taking a few deep breaths can refresh the body giving us more energy for our activities. To start, this style of breathing can be practiced sitting or lying down. Eventually, this breathing technique can be used during daily activities and when exercising to help manage feeling of fatigue. Also as the lungs strengthen you will find you do not get out of breath as easily.
Deep diaphragmatic breathing exercise.
To start find a comfortable position either sitting or lying down. Place one hand on your chest and one on your stomach. Inhale through the nose allowing the belly to rise first. Then exhale through the nose allowing the belly to relax completely. This is opposite the way many people breathe (pulling the stomach in with the inhale - but this type of breathing inhibits the action of the diaphragm and decreases the amount of air your body can take in).
Try for 15 minutes of deep breathing everyday. -
Step 3
Managing painful joints.
For those with arthritis or other chronic pain issues, yoga can provide a great starting point. Oftentimes pain can limit one’s ability to participate in regular exercise. A gentle yoga program that incorporates basic postures with calming breathing can help to stretch tight areas and gently strengthen muscles, both of which can help to reduce joint pain. Certain forms of yoga introduce gentler movements then those performed in typical exercise programs. In a gentle yoga class, the movements are done more slowly and with an emphasis on only working to a level that is comfortable. Participants of yoga learn to be aware of how the movement feels in their body and any sensations that are occurring as a result of the movement. The participant then decides whether or not the movement is good for them to do, one they should avoid, or if adjustments need to be made such as performing the movement with less range of motion. The goal of yoga is to teach the participant to be aware of sensations occurring and then try various approaches until the right variation of the posture is found for that session. This approach starts anew with each yoga session. Since each day with arthritis can be different, this means each exercise session will be as well. Some days you may be able to do more and other days you may need to do less. By approaching each session with awareness and an open mind, there is less tendency to overdo, making exercise more enjoyable and safer. By utilizing techniques taught in yoga one can begin to learn to move the body in a way that does not exacerbate symptoms and can oftentimes lead to the ability to participate in more challenging exercises. This is in contrast to the way many approach their exercise session, which is oftentimes to work out harder and/or longer then appropriate. This often leads to fatigue and sore muscles, and ultimately abandoning the exercise program altogether.
Practicing a relaxation or meditation technique can also help in learning to manage pain. A very simple technique is to practice the deep breathing in step two and during that 15 minutes keep you mind on your breath and away from stressful thoughts. Each your mind wanders away from the breath just simply keep brining it back.
