Archive for the ‘yoga for seniors’ Category

By Carol Martin

I have been guiding students in Chair Yoga within senior living facilities for almost three years.  The blessings have been beyond measure.  I have made so many friends, the administrative staffs, aides, and of course, forged strong bonds with my lovely students.  I feel very blessed that they show up for class, week after week, to strengthen their bodies and minds. 

My first visit to a facility is complimentary.  I want to make sure that my students feel comfortable with me so they can relax in class.  It is also a good way for the activity director to make the determination if they want me to continue with the facility.  Due to the current recession and the budgets of some facilities in my area, I found that a complimentary visit is a win-win situation.  Most directors have me come back, some weekly, some twice a month, and a couple only monthly due to budget constraints.

When I first started, I realized a great fear for the elderly was that if they fell, they wouldn’t be able to get up.  As a matter of fact, that’s how they had arrived at an assisted living facility, they had fallen in their home and couldn’t get up.  Although they were now in a controlled environment, they were still very concerned about falling.  I stressed remaining calm and I began to show them the proper way to move after a fall, after assessing if they had injured themselves, of course, and how to get to a chair or object to help them up or to a call button.  So we worked on upper body strength and the muscles in their legs that would address the movements involved with moving along the floor or getting up.  I have had students tell me that they were successfully able to get up or get to a call button without panic because of our practice.  Actually, because of these incidents, and the students not being able to reach a call button once they had traveled to it, finding that it was too high on the wall to use it, the facility changed its standards for height on the wall for their assist buttons.  After several months, a few students in the class felt comfortable enough with getting down on the floor for Sivasana at the end of class, with the confidence that they would be able to get back up.  The feeling of liberation is empowering for the student.  I would like to add here, it is facility policy that they always call a nurse after a fall, even if they can get up by themselves and are not injured.  Of course, not all my facilities will allow them to get on the floor or even do any standing exercises at all and I respect that.  These things are discussed with the director before my first visit.

So many times in a senior facility, the only exercise they have is to watch someone on a DVD.  They just follow along with no interaction with the instructor. They can’t ask questions and don’t know why they are doing the exercises.  They are just parked there.  I feel it is so beneficial to get together for a class, have some conversation with the instructor, and have a few laughs (actually a lot of laughs!).  Once, during one of my explanations for doing a certain pose, one of my students said, let’s just exercise!  Upon reflection that week, I realized that she was used to watching a tape, not going to a class and really learning about her body/mind.  She just wanted to get it done, she didn’t know how to relax.  I feel like the information provided is beneficial for use in between classes.

Unforgettable, is one of the conversations I had with the director of one of the facilities a couple of years ago.  I had been there only a couple of months and it was at a nursing facility, many in wheel chairs.  Apparently, administration had told the director that he had to cut back on spending, so he let me know that I probably would not be able to come back.  About a week later, the director called me and told me that I had to come back.  I asked him if I had misunderstood and he said that no, he had gone past the dining room (where class had been held) and to his astonishment, the room was filled with people waiting for yoga class.  Apparently, because the class was already on the calendar and the residents didn’t know of the cut-back, they assumed I was coming.  Here is the blessing, he told me that in all his years as the activity director at that facility, he had not seen the residents show up to a class of their own volition, usually they have to bring them to an activity.  Needless to say, tears were streaming down my face, I was so honored that I could convey the importance of yoga, and I went back the following week.

Blessings that come from seeing my students progress, even if it is only a change in their color from looking pale to having rosy cheeks when they leave, improved mobility, and improved mood.  Every once in a while, there is one person who is skeptical and appears a bit grumpy but as time goes by, the edge dissolves and their mood improves.  They learn to relax, totally let go.  I had a lady tell me a couple of months ago that she had attained a quarter-inch in height when she was measured at the doctor’s office.  He gave her yoga class the credit.

Many employees of the facilities try, if their time allows, to sit in on yoga class, and of course, family members who are visiting their elder at the time of class.  A grandson of a student, who is to be deployed to Afghanistan later this month, said he was going to take the yoga techniques with him.  Many daughters come to class regularly with their mothers.

Several years ago, my mother was diagnosed with bone marrow cancer, with only six months to live.  Of course, there are no words to explain our emotions.  After spending every day with her, except when hospice was there, I would go home with so much tension, fear, and anxiety.  Of course, there were the prayers, counseling, and other things you do to try to relax and then I remembered I had done some yoga mixed into an old exercise tape years before, so I went to a local yoga class.  I was awestruck at the difference it made in my life.  I only wish that I had found it sooner.  I was retired and about a year after my mom passed away, I was trying to find a fulfilling and meaningful purpose for my life.  I was getting out of bed one morning and out of nowhere, a booming voice in my head said “Seniors”.  Now, I had to stop for a moment and think, seniors what?  Then it clicked!  Senior yoga.  I went straight to the phone books, without even having my morning tea, and within forty-five minutes, had three clients!  I did extensive reading and modifying and put a program together.  I had my yoga mentor (yoga teacher trainer) come over to observe my routine to make sure it was safe and effective.  I feel my calling was a huge blessing.

I began a Teachers Training Program at a local studio a year and a half ago because I wanted to receive certification.  I received certificates in Asana 1, Asana 11, Pranayama 1, and Sanskrit.  I felt like I had the information I needed to continue teaching Chair Yoga even though the program didn’t address it and all I lacked was Meditation, which I don’t teach my senior students.  We do a stage-by-stage relaxation at the end of class.  But I wanted to be able to offer my students the best class experience they could get from me.  That is where Aura Yoga comes in.  You have provided me with all the materials to meet my exact needs.  The decision to continue and complete my education with you has been wonderful.   

In conclusion, I have mentioned only a few of the many blessings of Senior Chair Yoga, they are endless.  Although I am guiding the class, my students are my teachers.  I take none of the praise, I give all glory to God.

Carol Martin teaches Yoga classes in St. Ann, Missouri.

By Karen Scully

I began my yoga practice about 10 years ago with an incredible teacher, Julie Wright. I was in my early 40’s, and had been a runner for many years. I developed calcium deposits on my left thigh which caused great pain after my runs, to the point of crying while trying to go to sleep. When my doctor informed me that I had to stop running, I spent the next year looking for some form of exercise that I could do the rest of my life and would give me the “highs” of running along with the benefits – mainly weight loss. That was also when my doctor informed me I was in my early 40’s and should find a form of exercise I could do for a lifetime.

So I practiced yoga almost daily for about two years. I took mainly power yoga classes, some Bikram, some meditative. I was amazed at how strong and limber a 43 year old could be. Through different injuries that were a result of my job as a personal trainer, I turned to yoga to cure my aches, pains and depression at no longer being the young thing I thought I was. So my yoga experience grew out of a need to find health through exercise and that is what my focus is on – health for all through yoga, but specifically for the “mature adult.”

The one thing I have run into with active older adults is the need for yoga for therapeutic reasons, be it physical or mental. One of the incredible things about practicing yoga is that yoga strengthens all different areas of the body: heart, lungs, muscles, cardiovascular and nervous system. Yoga can also improve our digestive systems, send oxygen to all our different systems to bring them to a healthier state, and helps our psychological well-being. All of these are a like a jewel found in one place for a person needing to remain healthy for life. Another thing I find with active older adults is stress caused by either injury or physical conditions plaguing them, such as diabetes, etc., and the stress leads to depression. It is like a vicious cycle: injury or poor health leads to stress leads to depression leads to stress leads to poor health and so on.

Studies have shown that people who practice yoga recover from surgery faster, reduce symptoms of diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma, just to name a few. Why is that? Is it that yoga helps to reduce stress? Is it because the breathing sends healing energy through the body? Is it because their muscles and bones move more easily because of the asanas? Is it because you become more toxin free because of the twisting poses? Does meditation play a part? It’s because of all of these things, which is why yoga is perfect for anyone but specifically for the active older adult. And since no two people are alike – everyone has different strengths and weaknesses and different degrees of health, we have different types of yoga available for everyone.

Let’s begin with breathing, the most important part of ayoga practice. We are taught different types of breathing in yoga to help us in our asana practice and in our meditation. But anyone knows just from having to go in for, say, a big test and slowing their heart by taking deep, slow breaths that you can indeed rule your heartbeats and in turn, rule your blood pressure by slow, deep breathing. We take oxygen into our lungs that is transmitted into our bloodstream and carried to our muscles to increase our ability to exercise and stretch without muscle fatigue. Proper breathing techniques can relax a person immediately and anywhere and we know that because of studies done regarding shifting the balance of the nervous system to the parasympathetic side causing the relaxing to begin almost immediately. We know that relaxing muscles can help chronic pain, most commonly found in older adults from either physical illness or treatments used to help with their illness. So breathing is an essential part of anyone’s yoga practice, and it will be discussed again.

Yoga is a great stress reducer. Stress can come from lots of different things: daily work, issues with income/health, poor muscle alignment, chronic pain. As a matter of fact, arthritis and back pain are the two most common forms of pain, exacerbated by stress, found in older adults. Stress makes our muscles more likely to go into spasm, causing more pain/more stress. Stress can interfere with our deep sleep, essential for health, and common older adults. Lack of sleep increases pain. It is another vicious cycle. A regular yoga practice can help relax muscles, relieve stress and relieve pain.

Older adults also tend to slump, especially in their upper spines, causing muscle fatigue around their upper back and necks, ultimately causing pain. If continued, either due to sitting for hours watching TV or on their computers, or by the beginnings of arthritis or bone loss, their bones can slowly start to fuse in this manner so they can no longer stand straight. That’s why you see lots of older people stooped over from the middle of the back up. That is what happened to my father. Regular use of different asanas to strengthen our upper backs, using something like locust pose or cobra pose, can help strengthen these muscles and relieve the stress in the upper back, in turn relieving the pain.

Yoga also helps a person differentiate between whether they are feeling pain or are suffering. Pain can cause suffering but it is important for a person to know the difference and the difference is mostly a matter of the mind. This is where meditation comes in. Generally an active older adult cannot avoid pain, but they can control how much the “suffer” from pain. Studies have been done to show that long-term meditation can change the “wiring” of the brain in beneficial ways. Meditation activates the left prefrontal cortex which has been associated with greater levels of happiness. Personal happiness has a great deal to do with a person’s pain and suffering from the pain. Also, studies have shown that meditation can help reduce the pain signals from the thalamus to the higher brain centers where our brain interprets pain. Meditation is a huge part of biofeedback which has been shown to greatly help with a person’s pain. And where does our meditation always begin – proper breathing.

Studies have also shown that the vibrations we use, the Oms or the chanting (here we are back to breathing properly) helps to regulate the inhalations and exhalations we do. Regulating our inhalations/exhalations will regulate our involuntary muscle control, such as our heartbeats and blood pressure. Also, chanting helps us to redirect our thinking away from the pain we feel, giving a release, even for a short time, to our brain interpretation of pain, and we can learn to lengthen these periods of not necessarily removal of pain but ceasing to think out pain, thus teaching our bodies to do/think what we wish instead of the other way around. This has been found to be really helpful in older adults dealing with things such as fibromyalgia or even chemotherapy.

Older adults also seem to become depressed more easily than younger adults. Maybe our kids are grown and gone, we are unable to participate in golf or tennis the way we did due to illness or injury, whatever – depression is a huge problem in older adults. Many doctors want to treat depression with anti-anxiety drugs but yoga really leans toward a loftier goal. Yoga wants to quiet a restless mind, put us in touch with our deeper purpose in life, give us an inner source of calm and joy. Does this mean that older adults should not follow their doctor’s instructions and just do yoga? No. But it does mean we can incorporate the two to help a person to become well again, both in body and in spirit. And as we get older, we are less worried about our bodies than we are about our spirit.

If a person is physically able to do the sun salutations, these truly do bring energy into our bodies. Deep inhalations breathe energy into our bodies, and vigorous poses, such as the sun salutations or balance poses actually keep us from thinking about what may be our problems because we are too busy just trying to do the poses. The most important thing for people we work with who we know are suffering from depression is to not worry too much about their alignment (as long as we know they are not hurting themselves) but to just focus on their movement and breath. This keeps their mind focused. While they are focusing on the various movements and breathing, their body is taking in essential energy, stress relief, relaxation to help them combat depression. It works for everyone, no matter what their age but is particularly useful in older adults. Good poses for them are, along with the sun salutations are back bends because sending blood to their brains helps. It is always better to get quickly into the poses with persons who are depressed instead of focusing too much on relaxation or meditation because sometimes they can sink deeper into their depression and dark thoughts. It is also important to remember when you are doing their relaxation or savasana to keep their eyes open because closing their eyes causes them to focus inward and can lead to dark thoughts which are counterproductive to our practice.

We also understand that chanting and other devotional practices associated with yoga can help because they go directly to our emotions, again stimulating the left prefrontal cortex that is associated with calmness, happiness and emotional resiliency. Learning to bypass our bad thoughts and emotions through these practices can help us better deal with the emotional ups and downs of our lives.

Yoga also stresses a mind/body connection that some people think is elusive but yogis believe is essential. A good example of mind/body connection is does our mouth water when we think of apple pie? Does it elicit a good mood – a mood of contentment? On another level, are we so caught up in thinking of our problems that we cannot sleep? Are we so stressed about the difficulties we face as older adults that we develop an ulcer? Our physical bodies can affect our state of mind. We can’t walk as well as we used to so we become depressed. We take a hot bath to relax and relieve stress. Certain backbend poses can elicit a state of happiness in us. We can use different poses in yoga to make ourselves feel a certain way, and we can direct those poses specific to the older adult.

We need to remember to work on proper alignment, being careful to avoid poses that could cause problems with people with osteoporosis such as twists, lateral flexion and spinal flexion. We move gently through our poses incorporating spinal stabilization poses in every class, we feature poses that are comfortable and steady and encourage rest whenever necessary, we are cognizant of problems associated with older adults such as heart or blood pressure problems, and we urge the use of props, including chairs or walls for balance.

I have talked about asanas but I haven’t really covered the benefits of practicing yoga poses. Let’s take Big Toe pose – just a simple folding over of the body and holding your big toes. It, of course, benefits the low back. It also calms our brain to help relieve stress and anxiety, stimulates our liver and kidneys, stretches our hamstrings and calves, strengthens our thighs, improves digestion and helps relieve symptoms of menopause, headaches and insomnia. Next let’s take a look at a high lunge. It focuses on our ankles, calves, thighs, groin, abdomen, chest, shoulders, armpits and neck. It also helps with sciatica, heart problems and blood pressure problems. Warrior I focuses on the same as a high lunge, but also incorporates the lungs. It also strengthens the shoulders, arms and muscles of the back along with strengthening the thighs, calves and ankles. So even though I glossed over the poses a little, it would be exhaustive and take up the whole essay to discuss the benefits of each pose. Every pose strengthens, stretches and relaxes.

The purification we achieve from our twisting asanas help keep our systems working as God intended. As we wring our out visceral organs and the toxins are released into our bloodstreams, we flush them with water. Any twisting asana helps our bodies purify themselves.

Lastly, yoga also teaches us that the more we think something, the more likely we are to do it again. Our habits become deeper with more repetition. So our negative thinking or our self-flagellating inner dialogue may fuel depression. And the more an active older person sits alone or is inactive, the more they fuel their depression. So if we’re going to have a habit in our old age, let it be yoga. Let it be breathing properly, strength through asanas, meditation and purification through yoga. Let it be health in our mature years through yoga.

Karen Scully teaches Power and Hatha Yoga classes in Dallas, Texas.

By Joy Karl

Yoga is one of the best physical exercise programs for seniors. It allows older people to proceed at their own pace and to gradually gain more strength and flexibility. It goes without saying that there is no one “type” of senior. Technically, one becomes a senior around age 60-65. Some people at that age are already having a multitude of medical problems and some are as healthy and strong as people 20 or more years younger. It is important to take a good physical history so you know why type of senior you are proposing to teach. Many yoga classes treat all seniors as needing modifications and special treatment. I work with a sixty-one year old woman who is getting Pilates Instructor Certification, her husband who is on the pro gold circuit, and a seventy-nine year old with two hip replacements who rides his bike and runs every day. These are the people I term active seniors. They already have a regular physical practice of some sort. They need a yoga program that will allow them to reach their fullest potential, not one that treats them like invalids because of their age. However, regardless of their physical fitness, there are some inescapable signs of aging that may affect their yoga practice. Some of these conditions are arthritis, hypertension, and joint related injuries. I have personal experience with two of the three. I do not have hypertension, but I did have to have rotator cuff surgery to repair a torn tendon, and I have arthritis of the hands and knee. Even with these conditions, I can do a fairly rigorous program of yoga. I would like to discuss each of these three conditions in depth.

Arthritis is a condition that affects many people, especially older persons. Arthritis causes swelling and inflammation and stiffness of the joints. It is one of the most common diseases in the world and affects 40% of Americans 45-64 and 60% of those over 65. Although it is more common in older adults, it can affect teens and children. (Borreo) When the soft tissues surrounding the bones begin to deteriorate the bones rub against each other causing pain. The most common joints affected are the knees, wrists, spine, feet and the shoulder. There is no known cause of arthritis but many believe that not only wear and tear affect the joints but also obesity and heredity. It appears also that poor bone and muscle health may play a significant role. (Borreo) Yoga can help improve bone and muscle health and help keep joints mobile. As long as the yoga practitioner and teacher remember to not push beyond the capabilities of the student, yoga can help diffuse some of the pain of arthritis.

There are two main types of arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic disease characterized by inflammation of the joint lining (synovial). This inflammation leads to weakness and eventually deformity or destruction of the joint. RA is a systemic disease and will also affect others organs. According to the Arthritis Foundation about 1% of Americans suffer from RA. A person with RA will need special modifications to practice yoga. Osteoarthritis (OA) is a breakdown of cartilage in the part of the joint that cushions the ends of bones. The pain of this type of arthritis is caused by two bones rubbing against each other OA is a degenerative disease related to wear and tear and age. It usually affects the hands and weight-bearing joints like knees, hips, feet and the spine (Crews). This person will be able to do most poses in yoga and may or may not need modifications.

Many studies have been conducted by the Arthritis Foundation that show that exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, and avoiding injuries can reduce the pain of arthritis and even slow the progression of it. (Crews) The full range of motion of yoga poses help facilitate flexibility of the joint and may even help to alleviate pain.

Leigh Crews in her article, Yoga for Seniors has several suggestions to help a yoga teacher work with a person who has arthritis. She recommends you choose poses that:

• Increase the space within the joint, such as bound angle pose

• Provide both extension and flexion, such as the moving cat pose

• Strengthen the surrounding ligaments and tissues, such as tree or stork pose (Crews)

According to Crews, many arthritis suffers report that holding poses is more painful than moving poses. (Crews) Some poses lend themselves to moving in and out of the pose, rather than holding it – such as Warrior I and Warrior II. This might be easier for someone with arthritis in the hip or knee. My knee pops and cracks when I bend it. Sometimes, by moving it gently into better alignment, I can ease the pain. In Anatomy for Yoga, Paul Grilley talks about making adjustments based on the skeletal limitations of students. (Grilley, 2003) Yoga teachers need to learn how arthritis affects the joints in order to become aware of possible adjustments that will ease the discomfort or pain. Teaching people with arthritis to self adjust may or may not be a good thing. Make sure the adjustment still provides the same benefits as the classical asana. A better idea is to walk around and check the alignment of people with arthritis. Other general suggestions include a longer period of warm-ups, late afternoon or early evening practices, and possibly avoiding vigorous yoga practices such as ashtanga or power yoga. I do, however, know a older woman who has debilitating arthritis and she loves a vigorous workout. She knows her body and its limitations. A beginning student would need more direction than my friend. Also, extra padding under the knee is a good idea. An extra mat is usually a good idea. Additionally, I find moving into and out of Downward Facing Dog from table pose is easier on my knee and shoulder than moving into in and out from plank pose.

A final benefit of yoga to those who suffer with arthritis is that yoga can help with postural adjustments. Many times what is thought o be arthritis may be misalignment of the bones and/or joints, muscle weaknesses which pull the body out of alignment and unconsciously holding stress in parts of our body. I can attest to this personally. What I had been told was arthritis in my hip was an extremely tight piriformis muscle pulling against the opposite hip flexor which was also very tight. This had torqued my pelvic girdle to the point I was limping. Regular yoga practice has eliminated the pain and the limp. With regular yoga practice, you will notice a decrease in the amount of stress you hold in your body and a great improvement in your posture. These changes alone may be enough to enable to you have less pain. In his book, Yoga as Medicine, Timothy McCall states that “yoga can get you out of an unhealthy groove, literally and figuratively.” (Timothy McCall, August, 2007)

Hypertension or high blood pressure is another malady that often affects many seniors. Even active seniors can hypertensive issues. Hypertension affects close to one in six people in the Western World, though many, according to Timothy McCall, are unaware of the problem (Timothy McCall, August, 2007). Symptoms can include headaches, blurred vision, dizziness or, the most frightening, no symptoms at all! Problems that can arise from hypertension are heart attacks, strokes, and kidney failure among other problems. Most doctors will recommend a combination of diet, medication and exercise to bring high blood pressure back to normal. The exercise prescribed is usually aerobic in nature which helps build up the cardiovascular system. A better approach might be to combine the aerobic exercise with a regular yoga practice. It is well documented that stress can cause your blood pressure to rise. Just going to the Doctor can increase blood pressure 10-20 points for some people (Timothy McCall, August, 2007). Regular yoga practice can help bring your stress level down. A regular meditation practice will almost certainly lower your stress level and thus your blood pressure.

Certain yoga poses should not be practiced by those with high blood pressure or hypertension. Most commonly mentioned are inversions. An inversion is any move where your head is lower than your heart. Mild hypertensives may find that Downward Facing Dog and other moderate inversions do not bother them at all while head stands, hand stands and shoulder stands do. More severe hypertensive seniors should avoid even mild inversions. Yoga poses can be modified for them by using a chair or by bending forward with a flat back to a hip level position rather folding over the knees. Half Standing Forward Bend or using a wall in this pose is a good substitute for Downward Facing Dog. This allows them to do a forward bend without lowering their head. More aggressive styles of yoga that encourage you to jump from position to position are not indicated for the hypertensive senior. Timothy McCall suggests you concentrate on the exhalations, making them longer and slower to help a person ease into a pose (Timothy McCall, August, 2007). Any pose or pranayama that causes undue stress or tension in the body should be avoided. Additional suggestions include rest periods between asanas, especially if one is breathing heavily, and not holding positions too long for this may raise the blood pressure (Crews).

Injuries are the third topic I want to discuss in this essay-specifically shoulder injuries. I have known so many people in their 60’s and beyond with shoulder injuries that could have been prevented, including myself! We tend to ignore various parts of our body until something happens to bring that particular body part back into focus. For me, it was my shoulder, specifically, my rotator cuff. I had felt an odd twinge now and then but assumed because I was doing yoga on a regular basis and some weight training that my shoulders were basically sound. I couldn’t have been more wrong. After surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff, I found both my shoulder strength and mobility greatly diminished. In addition to physical therapy, I started to research ways to use yoga to rehabilitate my shoulder and to maintain shoulder health.

Shoulder injuries can come on suddenly or can develop over time. There are many reasons why our shoulders may start to hurt or lose strength or mobility. One of the biggest factors is age. Wear and tear on the shoulder joint gradually causes the tendons and muscles to weaken. Repetitive motions such as those in sports, gardening, and lifting can further damage the shoulder joints.

The shoulder is the most mobile joint in the body. It allows us to move our shoulder in virtually every direction. There are three bones: the clavicle (collarbone), the scapula (shoulder blade), and the humerus (upper arm bone). The muscles of the rotator cuff stabilize the back of the shoulder joint. These muscles help to keep the head of the humerus in place against the shoulder blade. The rotator cuff is comprised of four muscles (supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, and subscapularis). Four tendons of the same names join these muscles to the bones. There are many reasons for shoulder injuries but the most common are bursitis, tendonitis, and arthritis. Any of these conditions could lead to a serious shoulder injury if care is not taken.

In yoga practice, it is necessary to allow the shoulder joint to warm up gradually. Stretches that move the arms overhead and out to the side are important for the he alth of your shoulder. Even one painful twinge should be reason to stop and assess what you are doing in yoga class that might be hurting your shoulder. One of the more helpful things I read while recuperating from surgery was that your arm starts in your back. Any move you make with your arm should originate in the back. This has really helped me stabilize my shoulders during poses such as plank pose, side plank pose, Upward Facing Dog , Sun Salutation, etc. There are modifications for these poses which put less pressure on the shoulder area. In plank and Sun Salutations, keeping the knees on the floor will help a lot. There is a modified Side Plank which keeps one knee on the ground for balance and shoulder stability.

I read the quote below in an article about yoga and shoulder injuries. It so closely mirrored my own understanding that I wanted to copy it whole into this article.

“Muscle imbalances often develop in yoga due to the over-preponderance of push type exercises such as Chaturangas that most practices entail, without sufficient counter poses. Over the long run, this can lead to muscle imbalances and instability. A great counter pose to Chaturanga is Purvottanasana (upward plank). This pose helps to stretch the muscles that Chaturanga stretches, and vice versa. Dhanurasana (Bow pose) is also a great way to stretch the front of the shoulders and build strength on the posterior side. Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (bridge pose) is another great chest and anterior shoulder opener. Another beneficial pose is Jathara Parivartanasana (revolved abdomen pose). By keeping your arms and shoulders pressed into the floor, you strengthen the back of the rotator cuff. Other counter poses include Ustrasana (camel), and Gomukhasana (cow face pose). Off the yoga mat, practices that require a pulling motion and thus strengthen the backside of the shoulder might include rowing or pull-ups. The idea is to provide a balance of strengthening and stretching across both the front and back of the shoulder. The increased stability will help to both minimize the occurrence of dislocations as well as protect the shoulder girdle from tendinitis, bursitis, and certain forms of arthritis.” (Fetz, 2009)

I would encourage you if you have a client with shoulder pain to encourage them to seek a professional opinion before proceeding with yoga asanas that put pressure on the shoulder joint. I feel very strongly that had I gotten help when I first noticed the pain, I might have avoided surgery.

It is important to encourage all seniors to engage not only in the physical aspects of yoga but also the pranayama and the meditation. There is a bumper sticker that reads “Old age is not for sissies.” I couldn’t agree more but with the tools that a regular yoga practice provides, I feel certain seniors can continue to lead active lives.

Works Cited

Borreo, M. (n.d.). Yoga for Arthritis. Retrieved 07 20, 2009, from maxlifestyle.net: http://www.abc-of-yoga.com/yoga-and-health/yoga-for-arthritis.asp

Crews, L. (n.d.). Inner Idea. Retrieved 07 22, 2009, from Inner Idea: http://www.inneridea.com/library/yoga-for-seniors-program

Fetz, A. (2009, January 27). Aero Core. Retrieved August 20, 2009, from Aero-Core: http://www.acrocore.com/yoga-and-shoulder-injuries/

Grilley, P. (2003). Anatomy for Yoga. Pranayama, Inc.

Timothy McCall, M. (August, 2007). Yoga as Medicine. New York, New York: Bantam Dell.

Joy Karl is a certified Yoga teacher. She teaches Yoga classes in the Centerville, Ohio area.

Written By Nancy McNichol, CYT

 The word yoga is classically translated as “union.”  It is a drawing together of heart, mind, and body that integrates all the parts of ourselves into a unified whole.  We are at our best when every part of ourselves is in alignment with every other part.  We are happiest when we are following our hearts and doing what we really love.  In essence, when we bring these three into alignment, we step into the flow of grace that is yoga.  The journey of yoga is an inward search to find the very best within us and then to learn to express that every day.  Anyone can benefit from the practice of yoga.  People of all ages, backgrounds, cultures and religions come to yoga.  Some are in great health; others come with injuries or physical limitations.  Seniors have limitations which can be greatly reduced by yoga.  Senior yoga is becoming very popular because of the many benefits it has to offer. 

Doctors are recommending yoga for seniors to help promote good health and to create greater flexibility which allows for an ease of movement.  The discipline of yoga provides guidance for a lifetime.  Yoga can be modified to suit all stages and conditions of life.  It is important to incorporate pranayama (breath control), gentle asana (posture movements) and meditation (relaxation) in every class for the active senior.  Using breath and movement together to warm up the body is referred to as ‘Vinyasa’.  A good breathing technique used in yoga is “Ujjayi Breath” which is performed when breathing in and out through the nose while slightly closing the glottis.  This technique helps the student concentrate on the breath which is very important in all the yoga postures.

There are several steps that should be followed in a Senior Yoga Program.  First you want to check to see if anyone has any spinal issues or heart problems or if they have high blood pressure.  Then you want to inform your students that they should not come to class with a full stomach.  They should eat a light meal an hour prior to the yoga session and make sure they wear loose fitting, comfortable clothing.  Teach proper spinal alignment along with leg/foot and arm/hand positioning for every pose to insure that no injures occur. 

Avoid poses that require forward spinal flexion, twists and lateral flexion for any client diagnosed or suspected of osteoporosis.  Advise your students to move gently through and while in each pose.  You NEVER want them to overextend themselves.  They should only take a pose as far as they comfortably can.  Every student has their own limits.  Let them know it is important to leave their ego at the door.  Don’t bring ‘EGO’ into the yoga classroom.  Remember to incorporate spinal stabilization in every class to protect the spine.  Include yoga mudras to develop fine motor conditioning in the hands.  A Mudra is a hand gesture, an asana for hands, and a muscular contraction to seal the prana (cosmic energy; life force; breath of life).  The most commonly recognized mudra is the “prayer” mudra, known to yogis as Anjali mudra.  Anjali means “offering’.  This mudra can represent offering to one’s self in service or in gratitude.  In India mudras became very important with the practice of yoga.  It is good to have the students set an intention to flow smoothly through their yoga session.  These are important steps to follow in order for the students to fully benefit from the class without getting injured. 

The serenity of mind that yoga engenders and the physical vitality and suppleness it creates are fundamental to young and old alike.  At first a person may be drawn to the postures as a way of staying fit or slim, but one quickly discovers the value from the breathing exercises or meditation when they enter a time of change.  The student may see a change in their strength, endurance, state of mind, etc….   Some call Yoga ageless.  It is very important to take care of yourself, physically, mentally and spiritually at any age.  The slow gentle movements of the yoga postures are ideal for the later years of life, helping both mind and body to stay young and active, while the breathing exercises increase the supply of oxygen to the brain. When properly performing the routines on a regular bases it helps to loosen up the muscles by stretching and toning them; it helps create joint freedom and strength putting less stress on the joints; it increases circulation; and can cause a reduction in inflammation creating an overall better sense of wellbeing making it easier for the seniors to move freely in their daily routines of life.  The benefits help improve flexibility, core strength and balance along with better breathing and relaxation.
  
This will aid the seniors in their sleeping and in their movement allowing them to move more freely and effortless.  It actually helps restore health to a more youthful state.  In addition, many problems that occur with age can be avoided altogether if a Senior Yoga Program is performed on a regular basis.  Just by regularly participating in yoga, the senior feels the benefits, which has them wanting to continue in their training.  Daily yoga classes are ideal. 

There are a variety of routines from floor, chair and standing postures.  The chair and standing routines are great for seniors or anybody that is unable to sit on the ground.  Before starting the yoga session it is very important to do some exercises to warm-up the body as to avoid injury.  The idea is to move every part of your body, easing any stiffness in the joints and improving circulation, especially to the extremities.  It is good to start any yoga session with Breath.  With the senior sitting comfortably in their chair, their feet firmly planted on the floor; start off with a round of Kapalabhati Breath. Kapalabhati breathing is a purification practice to help cleans the respiratory system.  This basic breathing format helps the yogi feel centered and allows them to ground themselves.  This is just one of the purification practices that make way for a fresh intake of oxygen-rich air which is how it cleanses the respiratory system.  This is a wonderfully invigorating exercise to begin your yoga session.  It helps clear the mind and improve concentration to prepare for the postures. 

Always make sure you warm up to limber the body.  Start standing with feet firmly planted on the floor and do arm rotations, elbow taps, hip circling, half squats and forward bends, then have the students sit back down in their chairs and do some neck rolls and shoulder lifts.  At this point you are able to move onto some modified postures.   Standing once again for the modified sun salutations, warrior I and II, forward and backward bends and side stretches then sitting back down on the chair doing a spinal twist, single leg raises, cat pose, ankle rotations, heart knot and greeting the heavens  are some good postures for the seniors.  By doing these yoga postures they will get a good, appropriate work-out while learning skills and information about postures and how their bodies work that will ultimately help them in their daily lives.  They also experience a real joy from working with body and breath. 

Senior Yoga is good for those who are stiff or flexible, and those with medical conditions, including arthritis.  Because there are contraindications, as stated earlier, such as high blood pressure, heart concerns or back problems, postures that are of any concern regarding these issues should never be used in a Senior Yoga Program.

Reaching beyond the physical benefits is what makes Senior Yoga Programs different and more beneficial then other senior health plans.  The relaxation that comes from Yoga is very important in retaining memory and improving brain function.  With its restful properties, yoga can restore many essential brain functions in those that need them most.  In addition to the many health benefits yoga has to offer our seniors, it also offers a healthy environment.  Because more and more seniors are remaining independent into their later years, it is important for them to be a part of a strong community.  There are Yoga centers all over the country that offer senior yoga.  This allows the seniors to engage socially while they improve their overall mental and physical health. 

To receive all of the benefits from senior yoga it is important to end each senior yoga program with a relaxation meditation.  Meditation helps establish superior levels of consciousness.  It also allows inner harmony within the body, soul and mind opening a path to inner peace.  All of this improves physical, emotional and mental health creating a tranquility of the mind contributing to the healing process.  Seniors find their health improves because they are aloud better movement. 

In meditation you have the person sit comfortably in an upright chair.  They may also lie down if that is more comfortable but they are more likely to fall asleep that way and sleep is not the purpose of meditation.  You then want to help calm the mind and body using a relaxation technique.  Start by asking them to relax their forehead down into their eyes, checks, jaw and neck then move down into the shoulders, arms and torso, then down through the hips, legs and out through the feet.  Ask them to totally release any stress or worries and let it melt away.  You might want to put on some soothing soft music. 

Also cover yourself with a blanket to make sure you are warm and comfortable.  You can’t relax if you are cold.  A meditation should last around five minutes after a yoga session.  The person then slowly comes out of their meditation by gently moving their fingers and toes then slowly opening their eyes.  They then want to roll to their side, if lying down before coming to a sitting position.  While sitting upright with their hands, palms up with the thumb to the forefinger they chant the mantra OM.  A mantra is a mystical sound, the aim being to utilize the power of sound vibration to influence modalities of consciousness.  OM means what was, what is and what shall be, which is a sacred syllable representing the absolute to indicate the vibrations of the universe.  Then ending with palms together at their heart, which is an Anjali Mudra.  They may offer Namaste which means the spirit in me salutes the same spirit in you.

It is best to perform yoga on a daily basis to feel the full effects that yoga can have on you.  You may find that you’re a little stiffer in the morning therefore some students like to have their yoga classes in the afternoon or evening.  You will find that you get a more restful sleep after an evening yoga session.  It is a very special way to end your day.

Nancy McNichol is a certified Yoga teacher.  She teaches classes in the Glenside, Pennsylvania area.

By Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

Chair Yoga classes make a definite change in the stride or gait of seniors. The shortening of our stride can have a negative effect on self-confidence. Yoga gives seniors an opportunity to naturally lengthen each stride. In turn, the increased mobility enhances self-confidence and independence.

You might think that walking would give seniors the required mobility needed to live a quality life. Walking is great therapy for the cardiovascular system and it settles the mind. I have met many enthusiastic walkers over 65 years of age, who show the benefits of a regular walking program.

Additionally, during walking sessions, each step forward is filled with self-confidence. Walking is, in fact, a form of mind and body exercise therapy. However, Yoga is designed to help each of us with anatomic and postural deficits, which naturally occur during the aging process.

There are many reasons why the length of our stride shortens over time. Some of it has to do with skeletal health. In the case of skeletal health, each of us would prefer to maintain a peak hip extension and an average pelvic tilt.

As we age, our posture can change, due to weakened abdominal and hip muscles. Chair Yoga programs are a healthy form of intervention for the skeletal health of seniors. There are many Yoga postures to choose from, when considering skeletal health in the hips and pelvis.

When considering specific postures, one should realize they may have to be modified by using a chair, Yoga strap, blocks, or other props. There are many forms of Virabhadrasana (Warrior Pose). One suggestion would be Warrior 1, Warrior 2, and Reverse Warrior.

Garudasana (Eagle Pose), Tadasana (Mountain Pose), Vrksasana (Tree Pose), and Trikonasana (Triangle Pose) would all be helpful in developing improved structural alignment. These are very brief examples of Yoga postures that can be modified for seniors.

Improved posture is not an accident. Chair Yoga classes can be found in most senior centers, but many of them meet once per week. Seniors, who practice Yoga at home, in addition to classes, will see and feel results sooner than those who practice once a week in a class.

Ultimately, mobility and skeletal health are issues that require prevention and maintenance. If we want to increase, or maintain our level of mobility, it is up to each of us to take action by joining a walking club, participating in sports, and practicing chair Yoga at home or within a class.

(c) Copyright 2009 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

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