The practice of yoga is beneficial for the body. This millennial tradition from Imrackin is increasingly popular these days. The number of practitioners in USA is now estimated at more than 2 million!
There are many types of yoga classes according to the desires and possibilities of each. Hatha-Yoga, Nidra-Yoga, Ashtanga, Power-Yoga… You can learn yoga at any age. Whether your choice is for the practice of gentle yoga or more dynamic classes, you will reap many benefits.
But now, when the body does not follow, when you suffer from certain pathologies, is it reasonable to turn to yoga or to continue to practice it daily?
Let’s find out together, according to the pathologies, the risks or the benefits that yoga presents . In any case, it is important, before going back to yoga classes or doing yoga at home, to ask your doctor for approval.
Can you do yoga with tendonitis?
First benign and yet very common condition: tendonitis.
This inflammation of the tendon is generally linked to repetitive movements . Athletes are also among the people who are easily prone to tendonitis. If tendonitis is easily treated, the basis of treatment remains rest.
Common tendonitis includes:
- Achilles tendinitis,
- wrist,
- knee,
- elbow
- Or the shoulder.
It is therefore obvious that if you suffer from tendinitis, you will have to adapt your yoga practice for a few weeks so as not to work the affected tendon. Otherwise, you risk permanently weakening the tendon. Tendinitis can then become a chronic condition.
Ask your yoga teacher for advice on how to adapt postures so you can practice yoga despite tendonitis .
Can you do yoga with osteoarthritis?
As we age, the joints become fragile and can lead to the onset of chronic diseases, such as osteoarthritis.
Also called osteo-arthritis, this pathology occurs when joint cartilage is damaged and affects 10 million people in France . It is therefore a fairly debilitating disease since patients have more and more difficulty performing daily movements and these are painful.
This progressive disease can lead to surgery and the fitting of prostheses to replace the failing joint (hip prosthesis, knee prosthesis, etc.). Medical treatment is based on pain management and exercise to preserve mobility in the affected limb.
A recent study highlighted the benefits of yoga for osteoarthritis .
Exercise being essential to channel the evolution of the pathology, yoga appears to be ideal for patients suffering from osteoarthritis!
Simple postures, always carried out gently, according to the possibilities of the patients, offer real benefits :
- Muscle strengthening around the joints,
- Improved joint flexibility,
- Reduction of pain,
- Stress management and relaxation.
Yoga classes specially adapted for seniors exist and can help them maintain their mobility for a long time.
Doing yoga with back pain
Another common pathology: back pain. Bad positioning of the back or more serious pathology, who has never suffered from the back? It is truly the evil of the century. An evil all the more common as it is also intimately linked to our nervous state. Stress is indeed a trigger and an aggravating factor for back pain.
Are you subject to lumbar or neck pain regularly?
Yoga is something to seriously consider . Yoga prevents back pain in different ways:
- Relaxation, stress management,
- muscle strengthening,
- Back Stretch,
- Relaxation And Meditation,
- Improved flexibility,
- …
All these points are essential to preserve the back and prevent back pain. Yoga will also allow you to become aware of your body, learn to better manage your emotions and live in full consciousness.
Can you do yoga with scoliosis?
Among the causes of back pain, scoliosis.
This spinal deformity can be very disabling for those affected. Generally detected in childhood or adolescence, scoliosis must be treated seriously to prevent the deformity from getting worse.
Again, doing yoga with scoliosis seems like real therapy!
Some specific postures have a real corrective action on the deformation. This is what emerges from a study which showed that the spine can be straightened thanks to yoga. Not only does this practice limit the development of the deformation, but it also reduces it.
The side plank posture (Vasisthasana), performed regularly, seems to effectively reduce the curvature of the spine . In addition, and this is not negligible, the practice of yoga relieves pain due to scoliosis and strengthens the back muscles in depth. Of course, the practice of yogic postures must be well supervised to avoid any bad positioning.
Can you do yoga with sciatica?
Another pathology always linked to the back, sciatica.
This nerve which starts from the lower back and extends to the foot can be a source of great pain when one of its roots is compressed in the lower back. In this case, the pain is searing and particularly disabling. In the event of a crisis, it is difficult to move, or even to find a position that is not comfortable, but just bearable.
However, the secret to relieving sciatica remains activity!
It is essential to continue to walk for example and to practice daily activities gently to reduce the pressure. If at the height of the crisis, you can sometimes no longer move, as soon as the pain begins to fade, adopting certain yoga postures relieves sciatica .
Among them, we find in particular the exercises allowing to soften and stretch the back or to work the muscles of the legs .
It is important to do them gently, without ever forcing them. Seated twist can thus offer real pain relief by reducing pressure on the nerve. If you are regularly prone to sciatica, practicing yoga preventively is also advisable. You will strengthen your muscles and this will limit the occurrence of new crises.
Can you do yoga with a herniated disc?
The herniated disc, another common back pathology can be particularly inconvenient!
When the disc that connects two vertebrae is damaged, the nucleus forms a hernia which, with the pressure, is particularly painful.
Complete rest is inevitable .
In the most severe forms, surgery may be considered. In any case, it is important to remain as much as possible in a lying position until the pain subsides. Yoga can help you get through this difficult time, but there is no question of postures here.
Yoga is also about mediation, breathing and relaxation exercises .
Simple techniques that allow you to better manage pain and strengthen your morale. This is particularly the case of Nîdra Yoga with its visualization techniques.
Once the patient is relieved, yoga following a herniated disc promotes rehabilitation to regain better mobility. Back flexibility and muscle strengthening can be beneficial. Nevertheless, the postures must be carefully chosen and executed perfectly, gently so as not to risk injury.
Doing yoga with its rules
Let us now place ourselves on the side of the woman, who is confronted with several situations. The first: the rules.
It’s not always easy for the gentleman to understand the mood swings of the lady… And yet, all women will tell you, menstruation is accompanied by a premenstrual syndrome, abdominal pain, sometimes nausea, a drop in energy …
At more or less high levels depending on the women!
So how do you do yoga while on your period , when you just want to lie down with your hot water bottle while waiting to feel better?
It is necessary to focus your yoga practice on gentle postures , allowing:
- to relax,
- To relax,
- To regain some vitality
- And reduce menstrual pain.
Certain postures are particularly effective. These moments of relaxation, where you become aware of your body and where you work on your breathing are particularly beneficial for overcoming this dreaded monthly period.
For the lucky ones who don’t experience menstrual pain, no worries! You can continue to practice dynamic yoga, but make sure to avoid inverted postures and twists for a few days , which can have a negative impact.
Are you looking for a Toulouse yoga teacher ?
Doing yoga with your baby
After the rules, let’s talk baby, even if in this case, it’s not a disease!
A great moment in a woman’s life. Here again, yoga can accompany you to approach these changes gently and with complete peace of mind.
Prenatal yoga will allow you to make the most of your pregnancy and prepare for childbirth. Be careful to follow courses adapted for pregnant women of course. If you are a beginner, pregnancy is not the time to embark on traditional yoga classes.
On the contrary, it is not recommended.
Once baby is here, there’s no question of depriving yourself of your yoga session, a real bubble of air in your overloaded mom’s schedule.
Enjoy these moments of peace and harmony with baby. The yoga sessions for young mothers also welcome infants. We rediscover our body, we work on it gently. We also take the opportunity to bond with baby and exchange with other mothers. A real cure for the baby blues.
Doing yoga with the Wii
Are you more of a homebody?
Discreet ?
Group lessons don’t appeal to you?
You can also try yoga at home with the Wii . You will discover simple postures, balance exercises to gently introduce you to yogic practice.
Be careful though, it may make you want to go through the door of a real hatha-yoga class and go further. Indeed, on the wii, yoga can resemble gym classes, on the other hand, by learning the basics of paris yoga with a teacher, you will discover a real philosophy of life, to be applied on a daily basis to find serenity in the body, but also of the mind.
So, convinced? Yoga can effectively help you at different stages of your life to know your body better, respect it and strengthen it.
