To say that yoga has been experiencing a boom in popularity would be a massive understatement.  The practice is now performed by so many that yoga mats have become an accessory of sorts that can be seen on the backs or under the arms of a wide range of practitioners.  But yoga is far more than a passing trend, and for those that commit themselves to the discipline, it can lead to better flexibility in Glenn Dale and a host of other benefits for the body and mind.

Yoga developed in Northern India at least 5,000 years ago, but it didn’t make its way to the West until the first American yoga studio was opened in Hollywood in 1947.  Afterwards, yoga experienced a continual-but-slow growth until the last 10 or so years, when the masses began to catch on to its appeal.  In 2016, about 37 million Americans claimed that they practiced yoga to some extent, which was a significant increase from the 20 million who reported doing so in 2012.

More than just a workout, yoga encourages a healthy overall lifestyle and focuses on the integration of mind, body, and soul.  It provides both instant gratification and lasting changes, which is what leads many practitioners to stick with it in the long term.  Research has also shown that yoga can lead to a wide range of health benefits, such as reducing chronic (long-term) pain, alleviating stress and anxiety, improving sleep patterns, reducing blood pressure, and improving heart rate, metabolism, and respiration.

At its core, though, the gentle postures (asanas) of yoga are designed to improve flexibility and the movement of joints, and this is one of the main reasons we recommend it to patients who have any tightness in their body.  While some modifications may be needed depending on each individual’s age and ability levels, we believe that yoga can help just about all of our patients either during treatment or after discharge.

Yoga can supplement physical therapy to improve flexibility in Glenn Dale

Many of the patients we see have limited flexibility and joint movement due to their injury or condition.  When it comes to treatment, we focus heavily on specific stretching of the limited muscles and joints, manually releasing them with soft-tissue and joint mobilization techniques and by strengthening other muscles.  But for patients committed to improving their flexibility in Glenn Dale even more, yoga could serve as a supplement to physical therapy that can lead to even greater gains.  Some studies have even shown highlighted specific benefits that can come about when yoga is used in combination with physical therapy for conditions like low back pain and arthritis.

There are more than 100 different types—or schools—of yoga, but most sessions typically include breathing exercises, meditation and asanas, which stretch and flex various muscle groups.  Due to the range of different schools, it’s possible for anyone to practice yoga, but Hatha yoga is generally considered best for beginners.

So if you’re interested in taking up yoga to improve your flexibility in Glenn Dale and bring about a string of other physical and mental benefits, click here for a searchable directory.  For any pain or movement-related issues that are interfering with your daily functioning, contact CAM Physical Therapy and Wellness Services at 301-453-7598 to schedule an appointment at any of our four clinics in Glenn Dale/Bowie, Laurel, Hyattsville, or Silver Spring, MD.