Osteoarthritis is the most common chronic condition of the joints. The disease is triggered by degeneration of joint cartilage and bone. This leads to stiffness and pain, which may eventually require surgery or joint replacements. The joints commonly affected are hips, knees and thumb joints. In the United States the disease affects about 27 million people.[i] In Australia, two million people currently have osteoarthritis but it is predicted that within ten years that number is expected to double to four million. Arthritis is often considered an old person’s problem, but nearly 3 out of every 5 patients are under 65. Starting the practice of yoga early may be a good preventative.

It’s important to emphasise what osteoarthritis is not. It is not rheumatoid arthritis, a disease that affects the immune system. Osteoarthritis is also sometimes confused with osteoporosis. The latter is a disease that causes bones to become brittle as they lose minerals, such as calcium. Bones suffer the loss of these minerals more quickly than the body can replace them, so an osteoporotic body becomes more and more vulnerable bone fractures. Symptoms associated with osteoarthritis, such as painful knees, troublesome hips and degeneration of vertebrae could be alleviated to some extent by just losing weight. It's thought that if Australians reduced their weight by 5kg that about half of new osteoarthritis cases would disappear. Seeing an x-ray of an afflicted joint can help a doctor diagnose osteoarthritis, but it may not be entirely conclusive.[ii](link is external) The severity of osteoarthritis symptoms may be unrelated to how the joint looks on an x-ray.

Only a third of people whose x-rays show arthritis report pain or other symptoms. And others whose joints look normal may have excruciating pain. How can yoga help? It is a recognised fact that moderate activity is a very effective treatment for osteoarthritis. The amount and type of exercise needs to be adjusted for each individual, which is a simple thing to do by providing yoga special needs practices. Yoga postures and practices are valuable therapeutic tools as well for warding off or forestalling the onset of osteoarthritis. Here are some of the ways that someone who is suffering from arthritis can benefit from doing yoga:

• Alignment: Working with an experienced teacher, a student can eliminate some misalignments that may have contributed to wear and tear on the joints. A student who develops body awareness learns to eliminate the movement patterns that contribute to arthritis. One becomes more mindful of daily activities: how one stands, sits and walks. • Better posture and physical condition: Improving posture, strengthening muscles and becoming more flexible will help prevent osteoarthritis by minimising erosion of cartilage. When one already has the disease, meliorating poor posture and increasing fitness will have a salutary effect on both mind and body.

• Reduction of stiffness and pain: When a joint has already been damaged, yoga may be able to create ease of movement and decrease pain. A practice such as ‘pawanmuktasana’ (joint-freeing exercises) is especially made for arthritis symptoms. In this practice, all the joints of the body are taken through their range movement, but without stress, especially when modulated by the breath.[iii]( • Learning the reflective practices: Pranayama (yoga breathing), relaxation and meditation, all help deal with the stress that worsens arthritic symptoms. The practice of pranayama taps into the subtlety of the energetic body—a valuable healing tool. Meditation techniques especially can help one cope with pain.

• Lifestyle changes: Yoga encourages gradual lifestyle changes, such as adopting a wholesome and moderate diet. Losing weight is challenging for many, but as one becomes more sensitised through yoga practice to what the body needs, improvements in diet may follow naturally. • Reducing stress: Using yoga to de-stress may help a practitioner see more clearly how to simplify life, slow down and take time to heal.

• Authority: Having a regular yoga practice can mean that from the time of diagnosis, a practitioner is able to exercise a measure of control over their body and mind. If, or when, it comes time for joint surgery and/or replacement, the practitioner can adapt their personal practice for the recovery and rehabilitation period. Osteoarthritis is a disease that wears down the bony structure of the body. This phenomenon happens to a majority of people, sometimes when they younger, but eventually affecting those who are middle and old aged. Yoga, in the way it serves as a lifelong companion, is a consummate method for dealing with osteoarthritis. The advantage of yoga is that is encompasses much more than doing postures for physical health benefits. It gives the practitioner a large array of tools for fostering total health and wellbeing on all levels, including mental, emotional and spiritual.

[i] http://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/data_statistics/arthritis-related-stats.htm(link is external) [ii] http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Osteoarthritis/(link is external) [iii] http://eveyoga.com/2013/05/28/pawanmuktasana-every-part-of-the-bodymind-nourished/#.Vl49h4ReAo8(link is external)

*Please Note: The information in this article is intended for your educational use only and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of YogaMate or it's Panel of Advisors. This information it nota substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

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