Experiencing joint pain? Try yoga
In a weekly yoga series, see how joint stretches can make the body nimble
Our body usually reflects our state of mind. Emotional upheavals and stress have physical manifestations; the joints in our body get affected by our mental state.
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Age also takes a toll on the joints, after all, they have helped the body move smoothly for years. But due to bad posture and sedentary lifestyles, even younger folk complain of joint pain.
The following asanas will help to loosen them up and get them back in working condition. Today we target the ankles, knees, hips, shoulders and neck.
Ankle loosening and stretching
- Sit straight with your legs stretched out.
- Bend left knee and rest the heel over the thigh of the right leg.
- Hold the knee with left hand so that it is upright.
- With the right hand, stretch the foot downwards, upwards and sideways. Feel the stretch on the ankle.
- Repeat with the other leg.
Knee relaxation and stretching
Exercise 1
- Sit straight with your legs stretched out.
- Bend the knee of one leg, as shown.
- Raise the leg 60 degrees.
- Repeat 5–10 times.
- Change leg and repeat.
Exercise 2
- Sit with legs stretched out, back straight. Bend one leg, place ankle on opposite thigh, close to groin.
- With one hand hold the toe, with other push the knee towards the ground.
- Repeat 10–15 times.
- Repeat with other leg.
Hip relaxation and stretching
Exercise 1
- Sit down, bring heels together near the groin.
- Interlock hands and pull the feet inward, gently move knees down to the ground. Your knees flap like a butterfly's wings.
- Repeat 15–20 times.
Exercise 2
- Sit straight with your feet wide apart. Interlock palms and stretch hands in front, bending forward. Hold for 30 seconds.
- Shift hip and move hands, and stretch out towards your right foot. Hold for 30 seconds. Return to centre, repeat on other side.
Shoulder stretching
- Sit straight with legs stretched out. Make a fist.
- Raise right hand straight up, next to your ears.
- The left hand is down, the fist in level of your hip.
- Slowly move right hand downward, keeping elbow straight. Simultaneously move the left hand upward.
- Repeat 10–15 times.
Neck loosening and stretching
Exercise 1
- Sit comfortably either with legs crossed or on a chair.
- Slowly rotate the head clockwise down to chest, to the right, backward, to left side in a relaxed, smooth, rhythmic, circular movement.
- Now gently rotate anti-clockwise that is in opposite direction.
Exercise 2
- Sit with legs crossed.
- Take arms behind back, hold one wrist with other hand and pull down as you lift chest and drop head back. Hold 10-20 seconds.
- Return to start position.
While these exercises help alleviate joint pain, remember that a healthy mind makes for a healthy body.
Tackling and resolving the issues in our head keeps the body disease-free. Yoga recognises this and targets both body and mind.
So for pain-free joints, include plenty of breathing and meditation techniques along with the exercises mentioned above.
— Bharat Thakur is the founder of Bharat Thakur's Artistic Yoga. For questions on yoga, write to dubai.artisticyoga
@gmail.com. For more information, log on to www.bharatthakur.com
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