ByPhysical therapy yoga has become a necessary component of recovery and rehabilitation. It incorporates traditional yoga and evidence-based physical therapy techniques. Yoga offers a comprehensive approach to physical fitness, which will complement physical therapy initiatives and increase recovery speed. Here is how physical therapy yoga helps with recovery:
Flexibility and Range of Motion
Yoga postures, often referred to as asanas, target specific ligament and muscle tissues in your body depending on the type of exercise. You might develop some stiffness due to muscle contractions after working out or going to physical therapy. Yoga postures gently stretch and lengthen the tissues to increase flexibility.
Stiffness also develops from injuries and other illnesses that affect your muscles. While physical therapy helps reduce the effect of these injuries, yoga can enhance your muscle flexibility to increase your range of motion. Repeated movements from yoga loosen the muscles and increase blood flow.
Muscle and Core Stability
Yoga challenges your body to constantly repair muscles after every workout, strengthening them from repeated tissue buildup in the affected areas. Yoga uses your body weight to work out your muscles. These postures help complement physical therapy by slowly building up your strength for more strenuous sessions, helping you recover faster.
Core stability workouts will strengthen the muscles around your spine. These muscles are necessary to maintain a healthy recovery after spinal or back injuries. Exercises like leg raises, bird dogs, and crunches included in yoga can increase your core stability.
Balance and Coordination
A fundamental part of yoga is moving the body in different positions to improve stability and balance. Balance and coordination improve body movement by helping you understand how your body reacts to different postures. Patients suffering from fall injuries will benefit from yoga exercises like tree pose and standing splits. These exercises will help them to improve balance when standing on one leg.
A skilled physical therapy yoga instructor will help improve your proprioception. This is the ability to perceive body movements and actions while locating which limb is active during the movement. Improved proprioception can even help prevent chances of falling again once you learn how to balance yourself.
Stress Reduction
Stress will induce muscle contractions, which can impact recovery despite physical therapy. The human body releases hormones after intense workouts that can elevate your mood. Yoga helps release these hormones and reduce your stress levels, which further helps relax your body and mind.
Chronic pain, injuries, and rehabilitation will affect you emotionally. Yoga will help you learn breathing exercises that can lower your blood pressure and heart rate. Focus on physical therapy without taxing your body from the tension caused by stress.
Body Awareness and Mindfulness
Yoga philosophy emphasizes the connection between your mind and body. Challenging yourself and succeeding at more difficult exercises builds up your confidence. Yoga may help boost your sensory experiences with your body, mind, and surroundings. Connecting with your body, thoughts, and emotions will help you realize how to take an active role in your recovery journey.
Pain Management
Recovering from surgeries and injuries will cause pain in the affected regions, which may reduce your concentration in other activities. Physical therapy can increase this pain if your body is not used to exercise or strain. Breathing and stretching exercises help relieve tense body parts that might contribute to this pain.
Recover Better With Physical Therapy Yoga
Incorporate the skills and techniques used in physical therapy yoga to improve your posture and emotional health. Consult your physician to understand how to start online yoga classes within your therapy schedule. A skilled instructor will help accommodate your sessions based on your physical ability.
