Ankylosing spondylitis exercises that include yoga can be extremely helpful when you are living with symptoms like back pain, stiffness, and inflammation.
“We don’t have a cure for AS, so yoga and other low-impact exercises are great options,” said Melvyn A. Harrington Jr., MD, associate professor of orthopedic surgery at Baylor College of Medicine. from Houston. The phrase “no pain, no gain” doesn’t apply here: you don’t want to add to the pain you’re feeling, so you’ll want to start out slowly and tailor the yoga postures to your abilities.
The benefits of yoga for arthritis
“The movement and stretching provided by yoga is helpful and can sometimes relieve some of the lower back pain associated with AS,” said Lauren Harris, a New York-based yoga instructor.
The deep breathing of yoga also offers benefits. “Yoga offers gentle flexibility and stretching, but breathing work can be incredibly helpful for people with AS because it improves chest expansion,” said Diana Zotos, PT, certified yoga instructor. and physiotherapist in the rehabilitation department of New York City Hospital. “Some people with AS have a slumped posture. The deep, diaphragmic breathing of yoga supports the posture. ”
“If it looks like a stretch, that’s a good thing, but the pose may not be right for you, if it hurts” she said.
Working with a yoga teacher is a smart idea to help you tailor yoga postures, or asanas, to your needs as best as possible.
Here are 3 yoga postures approved by experts that can be particularly beneficial for your spine.
Greetings to the sun
Harris said, “To start the day, these are a great way.” “They can be calming and meditative when you connect movement with breathing.” Stand with both feet in contact, then bring together your hands, and place them on your heart. Exhale and lift your arms up. Slowly lean back and stretch your arms above your head. “Relax your neck and inhale,” says Harris. “Remember, this is movement breathing.”
AS benefit: Improves flexibility and stretching of the spine.
Child pose and child pose More
Get into the pose by kneeling, spread your knees and bring your big toes together. Rest your hips on your feet or heels and rest your arms on the floor.
Do you want to step it up? Try Child’s Pose Plus. Get into the pose by kneeling, spread your knees and bring your big toes together. Rest your hips on your feet or heels and rest your arms on the floor.
AS benefit: Improved flexibility and stretching of the hip flexors and spine.
Cow pose
Get on all fours, hands shoulder-width apart, wrists just below shoulders, and fingers wide apart. Your knees should be hip-width apart and just below your hips. Now bring your chest forward, toward the ceiling, while your shoulder blades support your waist, and tilt your pelvis up and back so that your seated bones straighten out.
AS benefit: Improves flexibility and stretching of the spine.
