What’s more, yoga has stress-reducing benefits, which are important because anxiety can trigger RA flares. RELATED: Best and Worst Types of Yoga for Rheumatoid Arthritis
Props Can Help You Stretch Muscles Without Increasing Joint Pain
As yoga has become more popular, companies have developed various props to make yoga more comfortable. Props can be especially valuable for people with rheumatoid arthritis, who may have difficulty doing a full expression of certain yoga poses without them, says Ally Hamilton, a yoga teacher in Santa Monica, California, the author of Yoga’s Healing Power, and a cofounder of the online studio Yogis Anonymous. “Someone with joint pain might not be able to reach all the way down, but using a block to ‘lift the floor up’ changes everything,” Hamilton says. RELATED: Can Mindfulness Meditation Ease Rheumatoid Arthritis Pain?
You Don’t Need Every Prop to Get Feel-Good Benefits
Sporting goods stores and yoga studios sell dozens of props, but you don’t need all of them (or even most of them) to have a good yoga practice. You can try various props provided by a yoga studio during a class to get a feel for the ones that will most benefit you. Everyday items you already own can take the place of certain props. A folded blanket or home pillows can double as a bolster, for example. Still, commercial yoga props have a place, whether you’re doing poses at a studio or at home. Here are some you may want to consider.
The Most Important Yoga Props for People With RA
1. A Good Yoga Mat
Years ago, everyone did yoga on a towel. But the stickiness of a dedicated yoga mat makes it easier to keep your feet from slipping while you’re in a pose, which is why they became the go-to choice for yogis. What’s more, mats cushion the joints more than a thin towel, which is especially important for people with joint pain. (Of course, it’s nice to place a hand towel over the top portion of the mat, so when you lie down your face doesn’t land where smelly feet have been.) Mats come in various thicknesses. More thickness means more cushioning, but you can go overboard. “I like mats to be at least ¼-inch thick, but I don’t like the really thick ones you use for general stretching,” says Kelli Bethel, the director of yoga therapy and yoga at the University of Maryland School of Medicine Center for Integrative Medicine, in Baltimore. “Too-thick mats may hinder alignment in standing or balancing poses.” Prices start around $20, but can reach $80 and above for certain name brands or non-slip styles.
2. A Pair of Basic Yoga Blocks
One of Hamilton’s favorite props is the block — actually a sturdy thick foam rectangle. Someone with rheumatoid arthritis who doesn’t want to bend their knees deep enough to touch their hand to the floor, for example, can successfully do the pose by reaching down with an upturned block, she says. Although they come in several sizes, the typical block is about 9 inches long by 6 inches wide and 4 inches high — perfect for supporting your forehead when doing a forward bend, or to push against a wall with your hands during a Downward Dog pose modified for someone with RA. It’s best to buy a pair of blocks for poses that require you to reach down evenly on both sides. You can snag a set from the yoga company Gaiam for about $15.
Other Valuable Tools for Doing Yoga at Home With RA
3. A Yoga Strap
Yoga straps look like colorful woven belts. They help you keep your arms or legs together if they tend to drift apart mid-pose, and enable you to stretch into poses that you otherwise aren’t flexible enough to do. In a standard yoga class, you might be asked to grasp one end of the strap with your fingers, but people with RA should instead use the strap as a loop, says Loren Fishman, MD, a rehabilitation physician in New York and the author of numerous books, including Healing Yoga. In a seated forward bend, for example, you can loop the belt around your feet, and then instead of pulling yourself forward with the belt in your hands, you can move the looped belt down around your forearms for leverage. (Rather than opening and closing the belt repeatedly, which can be tricky, you can keep it in a loop, loosening it when you come out of a pose.) Yoga straps typically come in different sizes: 6 feet (good for most uses) or 8 or 10 feet (if you’re very tall). A basic strap sells for $7 to $9 online.
4. A Bolster or Yoga Pillow
While a bedroom pillow can be used to prop up your body when you’re doing restorative yoga poses, a specially made bolster better supports your weight without sinking. If you lie on your back and place the bolster beneath your spine, for example, your chest will open beyond what can be done on a regular house pillow. And a bolster placed on your lap as you fold over will help you comfortably stay in a forward bend for longer. Bolsters are typically filled with cotton batting, with colorful covers that are usually removable for washing. They come in several sizes, from more tube-like bolsters to torso-size rectangles. Many have handles to allow you to carry them more easily. These accessories are a little pricier, in the $40 to $60 range.
5. An Eye Pillow
No matter how challenging the yoga class, there’s nothing like the feeling of ending the class with deep relaxation. By putting an eye pillow over your eyes, you can block out overhead lights or sunlight and allow yourself to have a more profound rest. Plus, the weight of the pillow encourages your eyes to soften. Pillows may be filled with flaxseeds, beans, manufactured pellets, or other material. Some pillows are scented with dried flowers or calming essential oils to enhance relaxation. DreamTime sells a lavender-filled eye pillow for under $12. You could also sew your own and fill it with fragrant dried flowers mixed with uncooked rice.
6. Your Kitchen Counter
Sometimes, the best props are the free ones you already have at home. When doing balancing poses where you lift a leg off the floor for the first time, for example, it’s especially important to have support so you don’t fall. Bethel says your kitchen counter is the perfect height to support these balancing as well as standing poses. Just lightly hold the top or edge of the counter as you perform the pose.
