How to Safely Practice Yoga With Rheumatoid Arthritis
Practicing yoga with RA
You might be wondering whether yoga is safe for someone with a chronic joint disease like rheumatoid arthritis. Though yoga is considered safe enough, try to choose one of the gentler kinds of yoga. Styles like Hatha or Anusara have more slow-paced, but effective poses than routines in Bikram, Ashtanga, or power yoga.
If you are planning to start a regular yoga practice, keep in mind there are probably some modifications out there for traditional poses to optimize your practice with your body’s limitations. Simply using small adjustments can really help your practice by relieving pressure points on arthritic joints.
For one, using props can go a long way to relieve pressure on your joints. You can benefit from using the many specially made yoga props out there, including foam blocks and yoga straps. It is good to keep around a blanket and chair, too.
