A new study has found that yoga can be safe and effective for people with arthritis.
A new study found yoga a safe and effective way to improve symptoms of arthritis. Researchers reported that patients who underwent yoga classes for eight weeks experienced improvements in their health and mental state.
Arthritis is a painfuljoint disorder. Out of more than 100 different types of Arthritis, the most
common forms are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. There is no cure for
the disease but exercise and lifestyle changes are prescribed to alleviate
symptoms.
Arthritis top the list of disability causes in the United
States where 52.5 million people suffer from some form of Arthritis.
An estimated 10 million people in the UK has arthritis which
is 1 in 5 of the adult population.
Susan J. Bartlett, Ph.D., an adjunct associate professor of
medicine at Johns Hopkins thinks that there is a growing interest in yoga in
America where 1 out of 10 people practices the meditative exercise to improve
health and fitness.
“Yoga may be especially well suited to people with arthritis
because it combines physical activity with potent stress management and
relaxation techniques, and focuses on respecting limitations that can change
from day to day,” said Bartlett.
Researchers selected 75 peoplewho had either knee osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis – the 2 common
types of arthritis. Participants were divided into two groups. One group took
part in twice-weekly session of yoga for eight weeks which included a weekly session
of practice at home. The other group acted as a control group with wait list. Doctors
assessed their physical well being before the start of the study and after it
ended. The doctors didn’t have any knowledge about which group the participants
belonged to. The patients continued taking their regular arthritis medication throughout
the study.
A 20% improvement in pain, mood and energy levels were
reported by participants who performed yoga compared to the participants on a
waitlist. These patients also had a 20% improvement in their physical function.
These improvements were noticeable even after 9 months of the end of the study.
“Preliminary evidence suggests yoga may help sedentary
individuals with arthritis safely increase physical activity, and improve
physical and psychological health and HRQOL [health-related quality of life],”
the study team said.
The researchers, in a bid to help doctors in safely
recommending yoga, developed a checklist. They said that arthritis patients
should talk with doctors about the specific joints that causes inflammation and
about medications.
“Find a teacher who asks the right questions about limitations
and works closely with you as an individual. Start with gentle yoga classes.
Practice acceptance of where you are and what your body can do on any given
day,” said Clifton O. Bingham III, M.D., director of the Johns Hopkins
Arthritis Center.
The study results were published in the Journal of Rheumatology.
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