5 Yoga Poses and Exercises for Rheumatoid Arthritis

If you're looking for a new way to reduce rheumatoid arthritis pain, you should give yoga poses and exercises a try. There are several such workouts that can help reduce chronic pain associated with rheumatoid arthritis.

These exercises can also help in preventing back pain by increasing flexibility,, managing stress, and enabling you to move with more poise and grace.

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What Is Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease that impacts the blood vessels, eyes and joints. It's a condition where the immune system attacks the body’s tissues. This autoimmune disease results in the lining of the joints, leading to joint deformity and bone erosion.

Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, such as joint stiffness or swollen joints, tend to get worse with inactivity. We've created a list of low-impact yoga poses and exercises for rheumatoid arthritis:

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Yoga Poses and Exercises for Rheumatoid Arthritis

Here are five of the best and most amazing yoga poses and exercises you can incorporate into your lifestyle for rheumatoid arthritis:

1) Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)

It can help in building strength in the shoulders, wrists, and finger joints and lowering back pain.

How to do it?

Start by lying on the ground on your back before bending your knees and keeping your feet flat on the ground.

Keep your feet at hip and parallel to each other. Breathe in, and elevate your hips upwards with your forearms pressing onto the ground. Lengthen your tailbone, and keep your thighs apart. Hold before gently releasing.

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2) Seated Spinal Twist

It can help in managing rheumatoid arthritis by improving the mobility and flexibility of the spine. It can also help stretch and strengthen the complete body.

How to do it?

Begin in the seated position on your hip bones before stretching your legs and crossing them one over the other. With your opposite hand, clutch one knee of your crossed leg while keeping your spine elongated. Twist your spine to the back, and hold. Swap sides, and repeat.

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3) Cat Cow Pose

It can help relieve back pain and enhance your spinal flexibility. It can do wonders for joint pain along with stimulating the lower back.

How to do it?

Begin by bringing your body on all fours, with both palms and knees. Breathe in, and raise your tailbone along with your chin and gaze upward. Breathe out to lower your chin towards your chest along with curling your back. Repeat.

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4) Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)

It can help enhance joint health by strengthening them and increasing their flexibility. This yoga pose can also help fight fatigue, boost energy and reduce knee discomfort in older people.

How to do it?

Start by lying down on your belly, with your palms beside your chest and feet apart. Bring your toes to the back before pressing them down.

Press your palms onto the ground before raising your chest and head. Keep your hands extended while stretching your neck and opening your chest. Gently release.

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5) Tree Pose (Vrksasana)

It's a simple yoga pose that can help build strength in your legs and improve body balance This yoga pose can also help build the range of motion of your spine and knee.

How to do it?

Start in a straight standing position before raising one leg slightly and balancing your bodyweight on the other.

Bring the sole of your raised leg onto the inner thigh of the other leg. Bring your hands over your shoulders in the prayer position with fingers pointing upward. Hold before swapping legs and repeating.

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Bottom Line

The aforementioned yoga exercises are among the best and most effective if you're suffering from rheumatoid arthritis.

Before performing them, you should pay attention to your body needs and how yoga makes you feel. If you feel any discomfort or unexpected pain, you should immediately stop, and consult a medical professional.