When your body is achy and it feels hard to mobilize, you may be suffering from arthritis. This very common inflammation of the joints affects 24% of adults. In a 2019 study on inflammation biomarkers, Research for nursing found that yoga is great for pain intervention, saying “yoga may be particularly effective in reducing inflammation because, unlike exercise or stress reduction alone, yoga has components of both relaxation techniques and exercise.” Yoga can help to ease your pain and help you to go about your day good as new. 

Common causes of Arthritis

The most common causes for arthritis are age, genetics, weight gain and previous injury. Even though it can be long lasting, arthritis is treatable with movement therapies like yoga and meditation and lucky for us, Yin combines both!  Building a yoga practice into your routine can alleviate joint pain as well as  improve flexibility and joint function. Yoga can also help you manage the stress caused by pain which will result in better days and less sleepless nights. 

Types of Arthritis

There are three common types of arthritis. 

1. Osteoarthritis, which is the most common cause of arthritis and is known as “wear and tear” on the joints. It most frequently occurs in the hips, hands and knees.

2. Rheumatoid Arthritis, which is autoimmune disorder and creates inflammation in the hands and feet.

3. Fibromyalgia which causes pain all over the body and fatigue. All three of these can be eased by  a yin-yoga practice. 

Why Yin Yoga for Arthritis?

Yin yoga is a style of movement based in Chinese medicine. Yin’s specific goal is to rebalance the body and mind. It’s not simply a practice for strength or flexibility but a practice where movement is the medicine. Unlike any other yoga or workout class, yin goes deeper to connect under your skin to your ligaments, deep tissue and bones.

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10 Yin Yoga Poses to Ease Your Arthritis Pain

When practicing these yin yoga poses, it’s best to hold each stretch for 30 seconds to two minutes. These stretches will help bring flexibility into your joints! 

1. Wide Knee Child’s Pose

This pose is great for lower back pain and your hip flexors. Also great for pain in the sciatic nerve. 

2. Thunderbolt Pose

This pose improves blood circulation and posture easing pain in the spine. 

3. Cobra Pose

This pose opens the lungs while stretching the spine and shoulders. This will help you open your chest. 

4. Forward Fold Pose

Folding the body down is known to calm the mind and lower blood pressure. Come to this pose when you feel anxious or stressed and need to slow down. 

5. Side Angle Bend Pose

Side angle opens the side body and takes pressure off your hips.

6. Chair Pose

Chair pose makes your legs stronger, giving you more stability in the knees and more flexibility in the ankles. 

7. Pigeon Pose

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This pose supports flexibility and mobility in the hip joint. If you’re suffering from osteoarthritis, this pose will help target your lower back and hips. 

8. Bridge Pose

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This powerhouse pose will improve blood circulation and ease stress while also stretching your neck, chest and hamstrings. Come to this pose when you feel stiff. Move through it slowly. 

9. Wind Reliever Pose

This pose stabilizes your center of gravity, your pelvis. It also guards you muscles and eases pain along the spine. 

10. Savasana Pose

Finally, Savasana is so important in your practice. This corpse pose slows down your nervous system while you focus on your breath. It calms the mind and reduces fatigue and anxiety. This is a great place to start or end your yoga practice. 

Other ways to relieve arthritis pain

Want to try other holistic ways to ease your pain? We’ve got you covered! Here are the top five things to add into your routine to feel like your best self!

1. Add color to your diet! It’s so important to “eat the rainbow” eating lots of fruits and veggies gives you a vitamin boost and helps to naturally fight inflammation. 

1. Change up the temp. Adding a hot or cold compress to the affected area is a quick fix when you’re feeling pain. Try a heating pad or an ice pack if you’re short on time. If you have time to relax, try soaking in a warm bath!

1. Add herbs. Turmeric and ginger can help fight pain and inflammation in the body. Add these herbs to your meals or try ginger tea at night to wake up pain free.

1. Add more self care to your routine. Book a deep tissue massage or a sauna session so you can relax your body and mind.

1. Practice mindfulness. A meditation practice pairs great with a new yoga practice! You can meditate on your own or get started with us in meditation class! 
   

Try these classes to get started! 

Stretch and Breath with Shrutika. This class will increase range of motion, control and flexibility in the joints.

Total Body Yin. This slow restorative practice will stretch deep into your joints and facia. This is a great practice to end your day with. 

Yoga for Back Health. This mostly seated class will help you work through any back pain while strengthening your spine and surrounding muscles.