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Monday, June 19, 2017

Yoga may improve arthritis symptoms, new study says

arthritis symptoms

A new study found yoga a safe and effective way to improve symptoms of arthritis. Researchers reported that patients who underwent yoga classes for eight weeks experienced improvements in their health and mental state.

Arthritis is a painful joint disorder. Out of more than 100 different types of Arthritis, the most common forms are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. There is no cure for the disease but exercise and lifestyle changes are prescribed to alleviate symptoms.

Arthritis top the list of disability causes in the United States where 52.5 million people suffer from some form of Arthritis.

An estimated 10 million people in the UK has arthritis which is 1 in 5 of the adult population.
Susan J. Bartlett, Ph.D., an adjunct associate professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins thinks that there is a growing interest in yoga in America where 1 out of 10 people practices the meditative exercise to improve health and fitness. [Read more What causes aging? Can the process be slowed?]

“Yoga may be especially well suited to people with arthritis because it combines physical activity with potent stress management and relaxation techniques, and focuses on respecting limitations that can change from day to day,” said Bartlett.


Researchers selected 75 people who had either knee osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis – the 2 common types of arthritis. Participants were divided into two groups. One group took part in twice-weekly session of yoga for eight weeks which included a weekly session of practice at home. The other group acted as a control group with wait list. Doctors assessed their physical well being before the start of the study and after it ended. The doctors didn’t have any knowledge about which group the participants belonged to. The patients continued taking their regular arthritis medication throughout the study. [Read more

A 20% improvement in pain, mood and energy levels were reported by participants who performed yoga compared to the participants on a waitlist. These patients also had a 20% improvement in their physical function. These improvements were noticeable even after 9 months of the end of the study.
 “Preliminary evidence suggests yoga may help sedentary individuals with arthritis safely increase physical activity, and improve physical and psychological health and HRQOL [health-related quality of life],” the study team said.

The researchers, in a bid to help doctors in safely recommending yoga, developed a checklist. They said that arthritis patients should talk with doctors about the specific joints that causes inflammation and about medications.

“Find a teacher who asks the right questions about limitations and works closely with you as an individual. Start with gentle yoga classes. Practice acceptance of where you are and what your body can do on any given day,” said Clifton O. Bingham III, M.D., director of the Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center.

The study results were published in the Journal of Rheumatology

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