Ageless Yoga with Annette Wertman

Judith practising yoga

Judith is a disciplined yoga student. Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at an early age, Judith believes that yoga has improved her balance, increased her strength, made her muscles more flexible, and allowed her to feel more in control.

Judith also believes that yoga has helped reduce her fatigue. She is not alone. A randomized controlled study published in the journal Neurology found that MS patients who practiced Iyengar yoga for 6 months showed significant improvements in measures of fatigue compared to a waitlist control group. In fact, the yoga participants showed as much improvement as the MS patients who were assigned to 6 months of exercise using a stationary bicycle! Although more research is needed, this study suggests that yoga can be very beneficial in alleviating some of the symptoms of multiple sclerosis.

In many of the photos on this website, you will see participants wearing soft foam material between their toes. These are called yoga toes and podiatrists think they’re great! When worn during yoga poses, these toe separators help:

• increase overall foot strength

• increase flexibility in toes and ankles

• stretch the Achilles tendon

• correct high arches

• improve bloodflow to the legs and feet

• stimulate nerves and sensation

• improve overall body posture

• reduce pain

• relieve stress

Yoga toes come in many shapes, sizes, and colours. If you’d like to use a pair of yoga toes during your next session with me, just ask. I’ll be happy to provide a pair!

Yoga is under-valued as a prevention strategy for accidental falls among older adults. On October 21, I will be giving a presentation on yoga for falls prevention at the 40th Annual Scientific and Educational Meeting of the Canadian Association of Gerontology.

I will discuss yoga as a unique option for older adults to engage in exercise, which has been established as an effective intervention to reduce many risk factors for falls, particularly musculoskeletal impairment implicated in balance impairment. Yoga is easily adapted to older adults and can offer as many benefits as other types of exercise.

Through breathing techniques, meditation, asanas (physical poses), and progressive muscle relaxation, yoga offers the following benefits, all of which have been shown to reduce the risk for falls among older adults:

• increased range of motion of muscles and joints

• increased muscular strength, endurance, and flexibility

• increased spinal flexibility

• better posture

• better sleep

• increased feelings of self-efficacy and personal control

• decreased feelings of depression

• enhanced cognitive functioning, including increased attention

• increased ability to engage in activities of daily living

Yoga is a truly biopsychosocial intervention, reducing risk factors for falls on a number of different levels, as well as slowing the aging process and improving overall quality of life.

A gentler form of yoga is becoming increasingly popular among older adults: chair yoga. In this form of yoga, the mat is replaced by the chair, offering increased accessibility, stability, and safety. Chair yoga offers many of the benefits as ordinary yoga, including reduced risk for falls. It is appropriate for older men and women of all abilities, including those with physical limitations and restrictions. It is also safe and helpful for those with a wide range of health issues, including conditions that are known to increase risk for falls (e.g., hypertension, dizziness, and osteoporosis).