By Sanjeev Patel, CYT 500
Let’s be honest; few of us have students who enter our Yoga school and say, “I really need to practice asana because I want to improve my skeletal alignment, and my posture is poor.” People with lousy posture are usually unaware of it until somebody tells them about it.
Awakening
Worse yet, even if their coworkers imitate their bad posture, they might never take action. For anyone of any age, Yoga asanas can correct poor posture; but a lifetime of bad posture is much harder to correct. For this reason, people of all ages need to practice some form of Yoga posturing exercise.
The Typical View of Asana Practice
“It’s for women or young people who are already-fit and flexible.”Firstly, there’s a Yoga style for everybody these days, even if you can’t get out of the chair. As a Yoga practitioner, you have heard all the excuses. Secondly, some tough guys think they don’t need to practice asana because they lift weights, drink protein shakes, eat lots of meat, and create stiff muscles. That’s not all weightlifters, but it’s the usual response. I don’t want to get in the way of a big guy who is hell-bent on blocking his arteries, but I wish some people would read. Yes, I know: A bad diet doesn’t have a warning label yet!
Lifestyle and Skeletal Alignment
Back to reality: It’s nice to have women in a Yoga class, but a lot of guys aren’t getting it, and many of them have the worst posture. Some of us have necks like buzzards. So, when it’s time to eat, they have to slightly lift their face off the table and slide the plate in between. It’s a perfect fit, and my dog has better posture during meals. No worries about skeletal alignment yet?
Joint Health
Practicing yoga asana regularly helps people gain a level of fitness unlike before and achieve mental serenity. Many people, who practice yoga, don’t even realize the positive benefits that happen underneath their muscles in the skeletal frame. Yoga is known for having a more positive impact on joint function, as specific poses to strengthen the muscles by releasing fluids throughout the body. Here are some ways for anyone to practice yoga to improve their joint health and their overall skeletal alignment.
Yoga to Strengthen Joint-Supporting Muscles
The isometric contractions that occur during asana practice train the smaller muscles surrounding the joints to withstand more pressure, making them work harder to stabilize the body properly. For example, poses that force people to balance on one leg, and change elevation, train the supporting muscles to work in ways for strict balance, stability, and improved skeletal alignment. The daily practice of yoga poses helps people improve their function and their overall activities throughout life.
Improving the Flow of Synovial Fluid
Synovial fluid is a slippery liquid that occurs in the joint systems and allows bones to move in a smooth and painless way. Synovial fluid is in joints, such as the hips, elbows, and knees, where there is a lot of movement of the bones. There are a few joints in the body that do not have synovial fluid, such as sacroiliac joints on the pelvis and the discs on the back. The synovial fluid is also crucial for delivering oxygen and nutrients to the hyaline cartilage, which doesn’t have any source of blood supply. The poses in yoga allow the synovial fluid to reach different parts of the body, thus making the joints move more smoothly, and skeletal alignment can be achieved with less struggle.
Weight Control
Oops! Did I write that? Look, I know there are so many scams out there for weight loss, but a yogic lifestyle will cause a practitioner to watch his or her weight. If people just ate their veggies first, they would lower their health risks and make life easier for the old skeleton. Let’s face it; extra weight is not suitable for your ankles, knees, or hips. It’s not good for the circulation of blood in our legs. Every pound of weight somebody puts on their body, puts an additional burden on their joints.
Positive Chain Effect
Forms of exercise, such as jumping or running, are suitable, but the impact may add up over time, especially if I carry extra body weight. The joints in the skeleton are made to support the entire human body. So, when individuals carry the extra loads via weight gain, then they’re gradually causing more joint severe problems throughout their lives. Yoga, walking, and a healthy diet can help individuals manage weight, decreasing unnecessary pressure on their joints and improving their movements. I’m not saying, yoga is a weight loss remedy, but the lifestyle might keep some extra weight at bay.
Yoga Poses to the Rescue
With that said, no other form of exercise can concentrate the muscles surrounding the joints like yoga poses while promoting a healthy blood flow throughout the body. As an added benefit, skeletal alignment is improved when we lose extra body weight. To be truthful, looking at myself sideways tells me that I should skip the mocha latte and the chocolate-filled Danish. It’s either that or an hour-long cardio routine. The extra benefit is skeletal alignment, but most people never consider it.
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