Yoga Therapy for Arthritis


Book Description

Yoga therapy is commonly used for the management of arthritis, but often focusses exclusively on adaptation of the physical poses and on structural solutions. This book moves beyond the traditional routines to present yoga as a lifestyle designed to improve quality of life and overall well-being for individuals living with arthritis and rheumatic conditions. By incorporating the ancient practices of yoga as both physical and mental exercises involving a model of 5-koshas or sheaths (physical, energetic, mental/emotional, wisdom, and spiritual), the yoga therapy practice presented here will help reduce pain and shift the perspective of the individual living with arthritis. This therapy uses a whole-person approach that employs a broad range of tools to address the biopsychosocial effects of arthritis through the application of yoga practices and philosophy. Useful as a guide for people living with arthritis, this book is full of inspiration for self care along with instructions for yoga teachers and medical professionals to guide their clients using this whole-person perspective.




Yoga for Fibromyalgia


Book Description

Eight simple and relaxing yoga sequences for fibromyalgia patients looking to manage their pain, alleviate their fatigue, and improve their overall well-being Fibromyalgia is characterized by widespread pain in muscles, ligaments, and tendons, as well as fatigue and multiple tender points (places on the body where slight pressure causes pain). Although mainstream medicine has yet to devise a successful plan for treating fibromyalgia, yoga offers sensible strategies for managing—and sometimes overcoming—the pain. Written by a yoga teacher and suitable for both yoga novices and veterans, this book is grounded in simple movements, breathing techniques, and guided visualization and relaxation sessions. Readers learn to reduce stress and manage fibromyalgia through eight sequences: four for pain relief, one to diminish fatigue and improve sleep, and three for maintaining body awareness and general flexibility. The author’s simple, supportive language and mixture of theory, practice, and the latest scientific data offer hope for one of today's most challenging health conditions.




Back Care Basics


Book Description

A doctor and certified Iyengar yoga instructor introduces a low-cost program for reducing back pain and relieving stress through gentle yoga Back Care Basics offers the low-cost solution for back care: therapeutic yoga. Dr. Schatz’s approach to back rehabilitation is gentle, effective, and doesn't resort to drugs or surgery. Her program encourages both positive health practices and a positive outlook—the important tools needed for prevention and healing. Dr. Schatz has designed this program to help those with pain from chronic musculoskeletal back and neck strain, spinal arthritis, osteoporosis, premenstrual syndrome, pregnancy, and scoliosis. Simple and practical ways to heal the back, restructure the body, and cope with stress are taught so that one becomes more sensitive to early warning signs of an impending "back attack" and what to do to ward it off.




Gentle Yoga for Arthritis


Book Description

UTILIZE THE BENEFITS OF GENTLE YOGA TO RELIEVE YOUR SYMPTOMS OF GENERAL ARTHRITIS Over 50 million people in the United States alone struggle with arthritis, a painful and debilitating inflammation of the body’s joints. In the medical world, the focus of arthritis treatment is controlling the pain and minimizing any joint damage, while working hard to maintain quality of life. As a result, many doctors will recommend adopting a healthier lifestyle, including a balanced diet and regular physical activity. And as yoga remains the premier low-impact, high-result form of physical activity, many have reclaimed their lives from arthritis pain with the help of yoga. Gentle Yoga for Arthritis shows you how to integrate yoga into any existing exercise routine, to improve your overall health and well-being. Yoga stances release muscular tensions, easing the strain on the body’s joints, while increasing balance, strength, and flexibility. Additionally, breathing techniques encourage better circulation to help your extremities stay loose and healthy. Gentle Yoga for Arthritis also includes: · An overview of the causes and symptoms of arthritis · Helpful diet and lifestyle tips to reduce symptoms · An introductory guide to understanding the benefits of yoga · Important precautions to ensure safety during yoga practice Whether you are beginning to experience arthritis symptoms, or whether you want to adopt a lifestyle to prevent arthritis from ever happening, Gentle Yoga for Arthritis is your complete guide to creating a customized yoga practice specifically for your needs.




Yoga for Back Pain


Book Description

"To many of his patients [Dr. Fishman] is a miracle worker." —Jane E. Brody, New York Times “Stunningly innovative. . . . This is the first book in which the different causes of back pain are identified and assigned appropriate yoga poses. Individuals of any age, even those unfamiliar with yoga, will be able to follow Dr. Fishman’s simple instructions.” —Joan White, Iyengar Yoga National Association of the United States Let internationally renowned rehabilitation specialist Loren Fishman, MD, be your personal instructor for a healthier back! With down-to-earth techniques and instruction for all levels, Cure Back Pain with Yoga helps you: • distinguish between the nine major causes of backache; • target your source of pain through diagnosis-specific yoga poses; • manage, reduce, and ultimately end your pain. Depending on the severity and chronicity of your pain, the postures in this guide, described in detail and illustrated by photographs, will help you determine how to start your own yoga practice or alter your existing practice in order to achieve lasting comfort and strength.




Yoga for Healthy Knees


Book Description

A gentle, easy-to-learn yoga program designed to treat persistent knee pain and improve overall knee health, from a longtime yoga practitioner and instructor Drawing on her expertise as a yoga teacher who has used yoga to recover from knee pain and to keep her knees healthy, Sandy Blaine presents a comprehensive yoga program to help you: • understand common knee problems that cause pain and limit mobility • establish safety guidelines to help you get started • use props, such as blankets and towels, to support your body and your mind • practice poses for pain prevention and rehabilitation




Yoga for a Healthy Lower Back


Book Description

A guide to managing lower back pain through gentle yoga exercises—perfect for beginners and anyone with conditions like fibromyalgia and arthritis The sacrum, or lower back, is an incredibly powerful part of the human anatomy. It’s what enables you to stand upright and tall, it unites your upper and lower body, it roots you to the earth—and it is one of the most common areas where people experience chronic pain and discomfort. Yoga practice can have a transformative effect on lower back problems: it allows the body to gain the range of movement and flexibility that short-circuits the mind’s perception of limitation and pain. Yoga for a Healthy Lower Back will help you understand lower back pain and heal it through gentle exercises that can be done even by those with no previous yoga experience. Liz Owen describes the anatomy of the sacrum and the region around it, including the hips and lumbar spine, and illuminates both the Western and Eastern approaches to understanding back pain. She then provides simple, easy-to-learn sequences of yoga poses for general sacrum health and then for specific issues or conditions such as pregnancy, fibromyalgia, and arthritis, among others.




Exercises for Joints and Glands


Book Description

Here is a set of simple, pleasant stretching exercises that can be enjoyed by everyone. They increase circulation to all parts of the body and help improve overall flexibility. Restore a natural vitality to the body and mind by releasing accumulated tensions in the joints and glands. People with arthritis and rheumatism have found this book to be very beneficial. These exercises also gently prepare and train your body for the practices of hatha yoga.




Walk with Ease


Book Description

A basic easy guide to creating your own walking fitness plan, including how to get started and stay motivated.




Yoga for Osteoporosis: The Complete Guide


Book Description

A comprehensive, user-friendly medical yoga program designed for the management and prevention of osteoporosis, with more than four hundred illustrations. Osteoporosis leads to painful fractures due to loss of bone mass; yoga strengthens bones without endangering joints: it stands to reason that yoga is the perfect therapy for osteoporosis. Forty-four million Americans suffer from low bone mass, and osteoporosis is responsible for more than 1.5 million fractures annually. Drugs and surgeries can alleviate pain, but study after study has shown that exercise is the best treatment, specifically low-impact, bone-strengthening exercises—hence, yoga. In this comprehensive and thoroughly illustrated guide, Loren Fishman and Ellen Saltonstall, who between them have seven decades of clinical experience, help readers understand osteoporosis and give a spectrum of exercises for beginners and experts. Classical yoga poses, as well as physiologically sound adapted poses, are presented with easy-to-follow instructions and photographs. The authors welcome readers of all ages and levels of experience into the healing and strengthening practice of yoga.