A 2015 study published in the Journal of Rheumatology discovered that 8 weeks of yoga improved pain, flexibility, and overall health in adults with arthritis who did not exercise much. This adds to the evidence that yoga can relieve headaches and menstrual cramps, as demonstrated in a 2015 Journal of Physical Therapy Science article and a 2019 Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice meta-analysis.
Do you want to know how yoga can help you? Here are ten poses that can help with a variety of physical ailments.
Menstrual Cramps
Menstrual cramps can be painful and inconvenient, and many women treat their cramps with over-the-counter pain relievers and birth control pills. Consider trying these poses if you’re looking for other ways to relieve menstrual cramps.
Janu Sirsasana
While sitting, straighten your left leg and bend your right leg. The inside of your right thigh should be pressed by your right foot. Hinge from the hips and fold forward over your extended leg. Breathe and stretch your spine. Repeat on the other side, with your right leg extended, after a few breaths.
This move helps you relax by reducing anxiety and stress. Bending from the groin also stretches tense muscles caused by cramping.
Malasana
Begin by standing with your feet hip-width apart and your toes turned out. Squat down low. Gather your hands in a prayer position and press your elbows into your inner thighs. You can twist your back to each side if you want. You can add extra support by placing a balancing block under your buttocks.
Malasana is a stretch for your thighs, groin, and lower back. This move also aids digestion and affects the ascending and descending colon, which can help relieve pain in the lower abdomen.
Stress-related Teeth Grinding
So tense that your jaw hurts? You could have bruxism, also known as teeth grinding. Stress can cause teeth grinding, which is an unconscious habit. It can cause dental issues, jaw problems, and headaches. If you are concerned about teeth grinding, consult your dentist or healthcare provider.
You can use these poses to relieve stress and tension in the neck, upper shoulders, and trapezius to help you recover from a stressful day.
Eagle Arms
Sit up straight and extend both arms in front of you. Catch your wrist or palms by wrapping your right arm under your left. Then, lift your fingertips straight into the air and press your pinky fingers forward, away from you. Take a few deep breaths. Then, wrap your left arm around your right.
Eagle Arms stretches your rhomboid muscles, which aids in the release of muscle tension in your shoulder blades.
Chest Stretch
The chest stretch can be performed seated or standing. Stretch out your chest by moving your arms behind you and interlacing your fingers. Bring your chin to your chest and gently roll your neck side to side. Rotating your neck releases tension in the muscles surrounding your jaw.
Back Pain from Poor Posture
The majority of us spend countless hours hunched over our phones and computers. Looking down at your screen can add up to 60 pounds of pressure to your spine. Over time, poor posture can lead to “text neck,” as physical therapists refer to it. While yoga can help relieve this problem, other back issues should be addressed by specialists. You need to visit a spine center.
Bridge Pose
Begin by lying on the ground with your knees bent and your feet firmly planted on the ground. Then, straighten your hips and raise them to the sky. Maintain the stretch. You can use a block to stabilize your lower back if necessary. The Bridge Pose opens up your hip flexors and chest, reducing muscle tension and stress.
Belly Bloat
When a large meal causes gas and an upset stomach, a few minutes of yoga can help you feel better. Many of the yoga poses that relieve menstrual cramps, may also help with bloating.
Seated Twist
Sit up straight and extend your legs in front of you. Bend your right knee and cross it over your left, placing your foot on the floor. Exhale while twisting to the right after inhaling to straighten your spine. To provide support, place your right hand behind you like a kickstand. Take several deep breaths, lengthening your spine with each inhalation and twisting more deeply with each exhalation. Repeat on the other side, bending your left leg over your right.
The twisting action helps move gas through your digestive system while relaxing the muscles of the torso and outer hip.
Deep Belly Breathing
Sit upright or lie down with your hands on your diaphragm (just under your ribcage). Deeply inhale and exhale through your stomach, allowing your abdomen to expand and contract. Your chest should not contract and expand.
This type of abdominal breathing helps to stretch your abdominal muscles and massage your organs.