| (ARA) - More and more people are performing the | | | | compared to those who did not practice Yoga. |
| age-old practice of Yoga. Yoga can stretch you, it | | | | "People with RA may benefit from low-impact |
| can relax you and now it may help people with | | | | exercises like Yoga to help improve overall health and |
| arthritis. According to the American Yoga Association | | | | fitness without further damaging or hurting the |
| (AYA), Yoga may help people with arthritis deal with | | | | joints," said Dr. Cheryl Lambing, M.D., Assistant Clinical |
| pain and stiffness, improve range of motion and | | | | Professor at the University of California Los Angeles. |
| increase strength for daily activities. | | | | "Physical activity may optimize both physical and |
| One of the most common forms of arthritis is | | | | mental health and plays a vital role in disease |
| rheumatoid arthritis (RA), which affects | | | | management." |
| approximately two million Americans, of which more | | | | The unique Yoga guide, Remain Active with RA, |
| than 75 percent are women. RA is a chronic, | | | | encompasses traditional Yoga poses including |
| autoimmune disease in which the body's immune | | | | range-of-motion, muscle strengthening, and |
| system attacks healthy tissue lining the joints, leading | | | | endurance exercises - the three major forms of |
| to pain, deformity and disability that may be | | | | exercise typically prescribed for people with RA. Each |
| permanent. Now available is a first-of-its kind online | | | | exercise contains detailed photographs and |
| Yoga guide specifically for people with RA, developed | | | | instructions indicating the proper way to perform |
| by the AYA, in collaboration with the Arthritis | | | | each movement, with variation of exercises based |
| Foundation and support from | | | | on disease severity. It is important for people with |
| For thousands of years people have used Yoga to | | | | RA to speak to their physician before embarking on |
| build flexibility and strength, improve concentration, | | | | any new exercise program. |
| relieve stress and increase energy. Today the | | | | "With my rheumatoid arthritis, I never thought I |
| benefits of Yoga may extend to people with RA. | | | | would be able to do an exercise like Yoga," said Lynn |
| According to a pilot study published in the British | | | | McKenzie-Collins, Ph.D. "I am now reassured that |
| Journal of Rheumatology, people with RA who | | | | there is a Yoga guide tailored for people with my |
| participated in a Yoga program over a three-month | | | | disease that may help my pain and stiffness. |
| period experienced greater handgrip strength | | | | |