Struggling With Arthritis Pain? THESE 6 Yoga Poses Could Make Moving Easier | Health News

Living with arthritis can feel like a daily battle. The simplest movements—getting up from a chair, climbing stairs, or even just sitting down—can become painful and exhausting. Joint stiffness, inflammation, and reduced mobility are all-too-familiar symptoms for millions of people coping with arthritis. While medications and physical therapy are common treatments, many are turning to yoga as a gentle yet powerful way to manage arthritis pain.

Yoga, with its focus on controlled movement, breath awareness, and gentle stretching, can increase flexibility, reduce joint stiffness, and improve overall well-being. If practiced regularly and mindfully, yoga can make a noticeable difference in how your body feels and functions.

Here are 6 yoga poses that may help alleviate arthritis pain and make everyday movements easier:

1. Tadasana (Mountain Pose)

Why it helps: This foundational pose improves posture, strengthens legs, and increases awareness of body alignment—key for reducing joint strain.

How to do it:

• Stand tall with feet hip-width apart.
• Engage your thighs, lift your chest, and reach your arms alongside your body or overhead.
• Breathe deeply and hold for 30 seconds.

2. Balasana (Child’s Pose)

Why it helps: A gentle stretch for hips, thighs, and back, this pose helps release tension and is soothing for stiff joints.

How to do it:

• Kneel on the floor, sit back on your heels, and stretch your arms forward.
• Let your forehead rest on the mat.
• Breathe slowly and hold for up to 1 minute.

3. Setu Bandhasana (Bridge Pose)

Why it helps: Strengthens lower back and glutes, which can reduce pressure on knees and hips.

How to do it:

• Lie on your back, bend your knees with feet flat and hip-width apart.
• Press into your feet and lift your hips.
• Hold for 30 seconds, then release slowly.

4. Marjaryasana-Bitilasana (Cat-Cow Stretch)

Why it helps: Improves spinal flexibility and eases back and neck tension.

How to do it:

• Get on hands and knees in tabletop position.
• Inhale: arch the back (Cow), lifting tailbone and head.
• Exhale: round the spine (Cat), tucking chin to chest.
• Repeat 5–10 times, moving with your breath.

5. Supta Matsyendrasana (Supine Spinal Twist)

Why it helps: Gently stretches the spine and relieves lower back and hip tension.

How to do it:

• Lie on your back, bring one knee across your body.
• Extend the opposite arm and look in that direction.
• Breathe deeply and hold for 30 seconds, then switch sides.

6. Vrikshasana (Tree Pose)

Why it helps: Enhances balance and strengthens the muscles around the knees and hips, supporting joint health.

How to do it:

• Stand tall, place the sole of one foot on the inner thigh or calf of the opposite leg (avoid the knee).
• Bring hands to prayer position or overhead.
• Hold for 20–30 seconds on each side.

Tips Before You Start

• Consult your doctor before starting any new exercise regimen, especially if your arthritis is severe or you have limited mobility.
• Use props like yoga blocks, bolsters, or a chair for extra support.
• Move slowly and mindfully—never force your body into a pose.
• Practice consistently but gently to gain the most benefit.

(This article is intended for your general information only. Zee News does not vouch for its accuracy or reliability.)