You might understandably question if it would be a good idea to practice yoga if you have been diagnosed with arthritis of the spine. However, as part of a more comprehensive treatment plan, yoga can sometimes be very helpful for alleviating pain and other symptoms. Also, as your comfort level improves, you will likely be able to increase your physical activity, which in turn can provide further benefits, such as enhancing the strength of the muscles that support your spine and reducing the emotional stress of dealing with neck or back pain.

Prior to beginning any type of workout program for arthritis of the spine treatment, though, it’s always a good idea to talk with a physician. That’s because some physical activities — even yoga and other low-impact exercises — may be inappropriate for certain individuals with spinal arthritis.

Yoga poses that may be useful for arthritis of the spine treatment

If you’d like to give yoga a try and your physician approves, your best bet would be to seek the assistance of an experienced yoga instructor — preferably one who has experience in working with people who have neck or back pain. Here are a few basic poses that may want to ask about:

• Cat/cow
• Downward-facing dog
• Legs-up-the-wall
• Locust

In addition maintaining proper form, it’s also essential to breathe deeply and listen to your body while practicing yoga. If you find that a certain pose or movement causes you pain, you should stop immediately. But, you needn’t stop exercising completely. Your physician may encourage you to try another form of low-impact exercise, such as walking, swimming or cycling. It will be important for you to keep moving.

Because yoga is generally viewed as complementary therapy rather than a first-line treatment for arthritis of the spine, your physician may suggest that you practice yoga while using other conservative treatments, such as physical therapy or medications.

Surgical treatment for arthritis of the spine

If, despite your yoga practice, your pain seems to be getting worse instead of better, you may want to contact USA Spine Care to explore your surgical treatment options. We can tell you about the benefits of our minimally invasive outpatient surgery and provide a free MRI review* to help you determine if you are a candidate.