Yoga Can Improve Arthritis Symptoms

Improvements in those who completed the yoga classes was still apparent in follow-up assessments nine months later. But a new study suggests that for people with two of the most common forms – osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis – yoga may improve symptoms. Characterized by pain and stiffness in and around the joints and other connective tissue, arthritis is the leading cause of disability, with around 22.7 million Americans reporting activity limitations as a result of the condition.

Five years ago, Shirley Telles, a medical doctor working with a yoga research foundation in Haridwar, and her colleagues had documented what they claimed were “decreased disability” and “better functionality” in patients with rheumatoid arthritis after a one-week intensive yoga programme.

Researchers said people with arthritis who are considering yoga should discuss with their doctor which specific joints are of concern and ensure their teacher knows their limits.

In the trial, people with arthritis who practiced yoga for eight weeks had about a 20 percent improvement in physical health with similar improvements in pain, energy, mood and carrying out day-to-day activities and tasks. Little difference between the groups existed when partipants were tested for balance and upper body strength, but walking speed improved slightly for the yoga group.

“There’s a real surge of interest in yoga as a complementary therapy, with 1 in 10 people in the U.S. now practicing yoga to improve their health and fitness”, researcher Susan J. Bartlett, an adjunct associate professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins and associate professor at McGill University, said in a statement.

The findings are detailed in the Journal of Rheumatology.

“This is important because the medical community in western countries remains concerned that yoga may not be appropriate for people with vulnerable joints”, she said.

Arthritis, when improperly managed, can affect patients’ mobility, mood, and quality of life.

Clifton O. Bingham, director of the Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center, says the idea for the study grew out of his experiences treating patients.

Dr. Bingham says that the first step of the study was to make sure that yoga was safe and reasonable for arthritis sufferers.

People who suffer from symptoms of arthritis can benefit from doing yoga three times a week. The instructors were experienced yoga therapists trained to change poses that suits the individual yogi. All of the study participants were screened by doctors before the study, and continued to take their regular medications.