If you are thinking about introducing Gout yoga therapy in your life, here are a few asanas that can help you get relief from Gout symptoms:
1) “Utkatasana” or Awkward pose – This asana is known to strengthen the muscles of the hips, thighs and calf muscles. It also increases the muscle strength of the upper limbs. As the blood circulation is increased through this asana, this in turn increases the elimination of uric acid crystal from the affected joints, therefore helping in Gout management.
Procedure:
- Stand erect, legs together hands by the side of the thighs. Look in front.
- Place legs about one foot apart. Raise the arms straight in front up to shoulder level, palm facing downward.
- From a standing position, step your feet hip-width apart so you feel grounded and connected to the width of your pelvis. On an exhalation, squat down from here as if to sit in a chair, keeping your heels on the floor.
- Raising the heels, stand on toes and slowly sit putting weight on toes.
- Put both hands on respective knees.
- On an inhalation, come up to standing and take a few cycles of breath to rest your thighs.
- Shift and center your weight so that your knees come over your ankles. Now extend your arms directly out in front of you with your palms facing each other, and then take them overhead in direct alignment with your shoulders.
- After sometime, while returning, raise your arms from the knee up to shoulder level.
- Keeping your balance, stand erect on the toes, thereafter, slowly place the heels on the ground.
- Bring hands by the side of the thighs and keeping the legs together return to the original position.
Benefits:
- Calf muscles are made healthy and also help to remove constipation and relieve the nervous weakness of the lower extremities.
- Precautions
- Those suffering from muscle pull, headache, insomnia and low blood pressure should not practice it.
- To help you stay in this pose, perform it near a wall. Stand with your back to the wall, a few inches away from the wall.
- Adjust your position relative to the wall so that when you bend into the position, your tailbone just touches and is supported by the wall.
2) “Padanghustasana” or Toe stand Pose – This pose is known to bring in a balance among the psychological and mental planes of well being. As it improvises the blood circulation it is very useful in the treatment of Gout-related arthritis and is effective in treating lumbago as well.
Procedure:
- Lie down on your back, hands beside the body and legs stretched. Inhaling, raise the body up in “sarvangasana”.
- As you exhale, keep the toes above the head and don’t bend the knees (Halasana)
- Hold the big toes with respective hands. Inhaling, come up and balance the body on hips keeping knees straight. Take a few normal breaths.
- Exhaling, roll back to Halasana posture. Inhaling, lift the legs to come to sarvangasana. Now exhale and come back to normal lying posture.
Benefits:
- Prevents hernia
- Relieves severe back ache.
- Tones abdominal organs
- Improves digestion
- The pelvic organs receive rich supply of blood
- Helps in building concentration
Precautions:
Women should not practise it during pregnancy and menstruation.
Gout yoga therapy is no less than a boon for all Gout sufferers. You can even have a yoga trainer by your side to do these asanas more effectively.
