Joint pains can cause discomfort and can hinder your day-to-day activities. Inflammation is one of the most frequent reasons for joint pain. While there are medications that can help with pain, practicing regular yoga can also help relieve joint pain. Here are 6 yoga poses that can help you.
Bridge Pose for Joint Pain Relief (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)
Setu Bandha Sarvāṅgāsana, Shoulder supported bridge or simply Bridge, also called Setu Bandhāsana, is an inverted back-bending asana in hatha yoga and modern yoga as exercise.
- Comfortably lie down on your back
- Bend your knees and and align them on the same plane, hip width apart
- With the help of your shoulders lift the chest up, make sure to not lift the shoulder
- Engage your core, leg and buttocks
- Hold this pose for 10-15 seconds
- Slowly bring your chest down and relax your legs
Beginner’s Tip
Once the shoulders are rolled under, be sure not to pull them forcefully away from your ears, which tends to overstretch the neck. Lift the tops of the shoulders slightly toward the ears and push the inner shoulder blades away from the spine.If you are looking to bring a change into your life by learning yoga for self-rejuvenation or transfer the benefits to others, by getting a professional certificate and expertise Yoga Teacher Training in Rishikesh, India
Mountain Pose for Joint Pain (Tadasana)
Tadasana, Mountain Pose or Samasthiti is a standing asana in modern yoga as exercise; it is not described in medieval hatha yoga texts. It is the basis for several other standing asanas.
Mountain Pose improves your posture and body awareness, strengthens your legs, and establishes good alignment. Tadasana may not look like much, but keeping your body active and aligned is hard work. You’re not just standing in any old way. For Advance, Yoga Asana Join 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training in Rishikesh
- Stand erect with your feet together
- Make sure your weight is balanced equally on both feet
- Turn your biceps and palms facing forward
- Take a deep breathe in and lift your hands and rib cage slowly
- Stay in this position for 10 counts
- Exhale and bring your hands and chest back to normal position
Child’s Pose for Joint Pain (Balasana)
Child’s Pose (Balansana) is yoga’s most important resting posture and it is a nice way to gently stretch various parts of your body. It’s a chance to stop what you are doing, reassess your position, reconnect with your breath, and prepare yourself to move forward. In class, the teacher may offer the opportunity to rest in the child’s pose after a fast-paced vinyasa sequence, a long hold in a pose like Downward Facing Dog or Plank, or an attempt at a challenging inversion. It is a counter pose for Cobra and other back extensions.
- Kneel down and sit back on your heels
- Make sure your knees are together
- Inhale deeply and bend forward and lower your forehead
- Stretch your arms forward and relax
- Hold this pose for 45 seconds to a minute, regulating deep breaths
- Slowly get your arms back and get back to the starting position
Supported Warrior Pose for Joint Pain (Virabhadrasana)
Warrior Pose is a standing yoga pose that helps build focus, power and stability. This foundational pose stretches the front side of the body and is great for building strength in the legs, core and back.
Inhale into Warrior 1. The left knee is bent and the chest faces forward in Warrior 1. It is quite often challenging to touch the back foot flat on the mat especially on the outer part. For this reason it may be better to take the legs a little closer.
Exhale into Warrior 2. The hips and body are sideways but the gaze is forward. Tip! Try looking behind at the back arm to make sure its straight then glance at the hip then look forward and down at the bent knee. This way you can spot bad alignment that is obvious.
- Stand with your back straight
- Move your feet 3-4 feet apart
- Raise your arms parallel to the ground with shoulder wide open
- Keep your palms facing down
- Turn your right foot slightly at a 90 degree angle
- Engage your thigh muscles and turn the right thigh outwards
- Turn your torso towards the thigh and slightly bend outwards
- Hold this position for a minute
- Come back to the same position and repeat on the other side
Downward-Facing Dog for Joint Pain (Adho Mukha Svanasana)
- Kneel down, inhale deeply and bend forward
- Stretch out your elbows and relax your back
- Extend your fingers and balance your weight equally on both palms
- Exhale and lift your knees up and pelvis facing the ceiling
- Gently straighten out your legs
- Press down on your heels and palms
- Bring your chest towards our thigh, making sure your shoulders are wide open
- Relax your head and ensure your arms are aligned
- Hold this position for 5-10 breaths
- Slowly move back to the start position
Sun Salutations for Joint Pain (Surya Namaskar)
- Start with standing erect and folding your palms in prayer position
- Inhale and lift your arms above the head
- Exhale and slowly bend down and try touching your palm to the ground
- Inhale and stretch your left leg behind and fold your right knee. Keep palms on the floor and extend your fingers
- Slowly get your right leg back and make sure your body is parallel to the floor
- Bring both your knees on the floor and exhale. Rest your chest, hands and feet, but raise your hips towards the ceiling
- From the previous position, tuck elbows on the side of your body and lift your chest and head off the ground
- Transform to downward facing dog position
- Inhale and bring your left foot forward
- Gently bring your right foot forward, keeping your palms in same position
- Inhale and lift your body up and stretch your arms above your head
- Bring your hands down with palm facing forward
