Yoga therapy is about restoring balance in each individual to find freedom from suffering, pains, problems, and diseases. Treatment starts with straightforward exercises and is practiced under the guidance or direction of experienced yoga practitioners. To become a yoga therapist, one needs to study clinical Yoga. This lesson aims to provide basic information on how yoga therapy can work on patients suffering from health ailments like knee joint pain, diabetes, asthma, constipation, and sciatica.

Beneficial Asanas for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome:

• Namaskar mudra drawing the wrists as far down as possible and even side to side
• Garudasana arms (Eagle arms) raise the elbows up and down to release the shoulders.
• Half mountain with the palms pressing into the wall (L-pose) (Dolphin)
• Ragdoll poses, letting the fingers hang to draw blood into the fingertips
• Tadasana – stretching the fingers up to the ceiling
• Chandrasana – performing the finger lock and turning the palms up to the ceiling
• Make fists and do wrist circles
• Stretch each finger by pressing one by one against the edge of a desk or table

Precautions: CTS sufferers will most likely find their condition aggravated by poses that place a lot of weight on the wrists, although these may be beneficial for prevention in those who have no symptoms: Parvatasana (Mountain – unless you put a rolled-up mat under the heel of the hand to reduce the angle of the wrist), Bakasana (Crane Pose), Upward Dog, Chakrasana (Wheel Pose), and Inclined plane.

CTS sufferers require the slow strengthening and stretching of the Beneficial Yoga Techniques.

Arthritis: It is the inflammation of the joints. It is relieved by exercise, maintaining the range of motion, and taking anti-inflammatory foods like turmeric and ginger. In addition, Yoga helps to combat arthritis.

“Asanas increase flexibility, open up the joints and increase range of motion. Blood circulation and energy level improve. Savasanaralxes the muscles and whole body.

Those with osteoarthritis should focus on warming and energizing yoga practice, including more standing and strengthening postures. Kapalabhati and Ujjai pranayamas are beneficial. Those with rheumatoid arthritis should include inversions to increase circulation of the lymphatic system. In addition, cooling and balancing yoga practice would be beneficial, including more floor postures and cooling breaths.

The Pavan muktasana series part 1, the anti-rheumatic group, is excellent for helping people with arthritis.

Precautions: Take a break from your yoga practice during acute flare-ups, swelling, or inflammation. Do not put excess pressure on the joints.

 Yoga for Sciatica

Beneficial Yoga Poses: Practice gently and move into the poses if you feel pain; slow release and rest in Savasana or the child’s pose.

Poses that lengthen the spine: Tadasana, Ardha pavanmuktasana, or standing pavanmuktasana (wind-relieving pose)

Poses that stabilize the pelvis: Setubandhasana (Bridge) or Marjariasana (Cat)

Poses that open the sacrum, releasing compression:

Gomukasana (Sense-controlling or Cow’s face pose)

Ardha matsyendrasana (spinal twist pose)

Lying spinal twist pose

Inversions: Abdominal strengtheners, such as Navasana

Savasana with a bolster under the knees or the calves on a chair.

Deep abdominal breathing

Precautions: Forward bending is cautioned, as well as side bending. A sciatica sufferer should avoid too much sitting and lay with the legs raised or supported.

Lower Back Pain: There may be other reasons for lower back pain, including herniated discs (anterior or posterior), disc compression, nerve compression, and weak core muscles.

The challenge for yoga teachers is to teach to a class of students who may all need a gentle type, but for different reasons. For example, the student with the anterior herniated disc and posterior herniation will be aggravated by the opposite poses. So, it is even more vital that students follow the body’s cues and not push themselves in the poses.

That said, nerve compression caused by muscle weakness and poor posture is ubiquitous and can be helped enormously through Yoga. The following is a series that is relatively gentle to the back to strengthen the core muscles that support the back: the back muscles themselves, the transversus abdominus, and the abdominal obliques, as well as the rectus abdominus.

Mini Lower Back Series

1) Vajrasana (Hero pose):

This can be done with a bolster between the legs for support and pillows under the insteps and between the calf and thigh.

Raise the arms and make a steeple with the index fingers; then draw small circles in the air parallel to the ceiling, or hold straight and then make slight movements to either side (a few minutes to and afternoon)

2) Marjariasana (Cat pose):

Please encourage students to use their abdominal muscles to round the back fully

3) Puppy Tail:

Make a C-shape with the spine for a lateral stretch.

4) Bhagerasana (Tiger pose):

Raise one straight leg at a time to a position parallel to the floor. Pulse the leg slightly to build strength or raise the opposite arm.

This pose can also be practiced like a modified side plank: come onto the right knee and hand, opening the body to the side so your trunk is perpendicular to the earth. The left leg will be straight, creating a diagonal line from the toe on the planet to the armpit. Keep the hand on the hip, or the arm stretched alongside the ear. Either hold or slowly raise the left leg.

5) Ardha Bhujangasana (Baby Cobra pose):

Lengthen the spine and raise the chest and face only slightly off the ground as comfortable. Hands can be on the floor beside the armpits or forearms can be on the floor with the elbows by the ribcage.

6) Ardha Salabasana (One-leg Locust pose):

Keep the leg straight and lengthen it back, raising only slightly

7) Ardha Yoga Mudra (supported Child’s pose):

The upper body can be supported on the elbows, stacked fists, or a bolster.

8) Ardha Nokasana (Baby Boat pose):

Hold your hands under the thighs to support this pose, and keep the back long.

9) Ardha Setubandasana (Half Bridge pose):

Start with only pelvic oscillations rocking the low back on and off the mat.

Move to the rolling or supported bridge with a folded blanket or low block under the sacrum.

10) Single Leg Raises:

Place hands under the buttocks and raise and lower one leg at a time, either with the other leg straight or with the knee bent and foot on the floor

11) Ardha Pavanmuktasana (Wind-relieving pose):

Bring one knee into the chest and squeeze, holding above or under the knee

The opposite knee can be bent with the foot on the floor

Option to raise the chest slightly for abdominal strengthening

12) Legs Up the Wall pose and Savasana (Final Relaxation pose):

Rest laying with the hips raised on a blanket and the legs up the wall

Rest in savasana with a bolster under the knees