The mental and physical benefits of physical exercises have long been praised, Yoga being one of the most appreciated activity at present. According to medical researchers, Yoga can ease arthritis pains, which makes this sport one of the most recommended at present.
Arthritis is a very common illness affecting 1 in 4 U.S. citizens. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated in 2013 that 52.5 million adults in the United States were diagnosed with some form of arthritis. Their percentage could grow up to 67 million Americans by 2030, doctors added.
Arthritis is a disease which usually manifests itself through joint inflammation and pains. There are approximately 100 types of arthritis, but the most common one is osteoarthritis.
Patients are usually afraid to make physical exercises because they fear they might cause other damages to joints. However, the recent researches that medical experts have made illustrate that some mild physical activities could have a very good influence on joints and could help ease arthritis pains.
Yoga is the activity that is currently most recommended due to the effects that investigators have noticed on a large group or respondents. Unlike other sports, these exercises do not rely on sudden moves, but rather on stretching and mild tension.
Researchers have reached this conclusion by asking 75 respondents to follow constant yoga routines for a period of eight weeks. Classes lasted for two hours and were held once a week at the patients’ homes.
At the end of the experiment, researchers have concluded that participants in the yoga group reported a 20% improvement in their physical condition. The other group, whose members did not carry out yoga exercises did not register any improvements at all.
Due to the lightness of the yoga exercises, patients did not drop out of the courses. Figures indicate that only 24% participants thought the exercises were too difficult for their condition.
Dr. Susan Bartlett, the author of the study and professor at the John Hopkins School of Medicine told the press that yoga routines improved both the mental and the physical condition of the patients. She believes treatments for patients with arthritis should be modified to allow people to carry out leisure physical activities.
The most important condition, in her opinion, is to communicate with your yoga class teacher and to properly execute the exercises. Teachers should be aware of students’ physical problems so they could recommend them the best moves for arthritis.
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