yoga-for-people-with-disabilities

Yoga for people with disabilities

Practicing yoga is a sport activity, but much more. Indeed, beyond even flexibility exercises, sun salutations, or even muscle strengthening, there is a whole parallel side of this discipline that we do not necessarily suspect instinctively. Indeed, our body, if it is not made for exercise, whether we are a person with a disability or we don't feel like it, is not obliged to make efforts for yoga.

Indeed, the practice of yoga, yoga postures or regular practice of yoga is not only the result of physical effort, but may also be suitable for people with disabilities.

Meditation, breathing exercises, concentration, a whole bunch of benefits of yoga even when you suffer from a physical handicap, which we will discover together right away!

 

Yoga for disabled

Yoga can be found in many fields, and corresponds to increasingly broad social categories. Moreover, this discipline is also increasingly found among seniors, pregnant women, but also the handicapped, who do not hesitate to practice physical activity, alignment or breathing exercises despite their disability and their need for technical aids in a regular environment.

Nothing predisposes us to want to do physical activity when we are disabled, and yet! And yet, a sport such as yoga can considerably help us to better live with a physical disability, through stretching, concentration, or the meditation that this discipline sometimes involves. Yes, being a disabled adult is not necessarily synonymous with total disability and a sedentary lifestyle.

Handi yoga is also a specific discipline that can be evoked, because it is precisely an activity intended only for practitioners suffering from some kind of disability. In 2016, for the RIO Paralympic Games, there were 126 athletes selected, compared to 403 for the Olympic Games. A figure that shows that there is still work to be done, and yoga for the disabled is a real step forward on the path to well-being for all.

 

Handi yoga and its benefits for people with disabilities

There are disciplines that give you a more open, richer and not less dynamic view of the sport. Which make you think that, in this case, yoga is a sport for everyone, combining concentration, breathing and integral yoga in all simplicity. This discipline is handi yoga! As its name suggests, it is yoga, whose postures and exercises are adapted to wheelchairs and other disabled people.

A traditional yoga class can then be adapted to accommodate a motor disability or any other disability, if the yoga teacher knows how to adapt to his or her student. Thus, there will be more relaxation, stretching, but also sun salutations, which will be a good way to find harmony between body, mind and spirit. And all this intended and adapted to everyone, isn't that happiness?

Yes, in a few classes, it is possible to become a perfect little yogi, whose movements will follow the physical capacities, and will be in full harmony with what one can physically do. Since disability often presents some contraindications, handi yoga proves to be an effective alternative when it comes to doing sports, relaxing and becoming aware of one's body, while meeting new people!

 

Shapeshifter-Yoga

 

 

Yoga for the handicapped

Yes, among the many benefits of yoga when you have a disability is this point, which is not a negligible point when you want to enjoy physical activity and socialization at the same time. Here, becoming aware of one's body is not an act as insignificant as it is for able-bodied people, since it is a question of reconnecting with one's body, of restoring self-confidence, through different postures.

Reconnecting with one's body, yes, but also and above all with one's mind, which proves to be a very important issue when it comes to doing yoga, valid or not. When a yoga teacher begins to give us advice on how to properly tune our chakras while being handicapped, we are able to tell ourselves that yoga is not intended for only one segment of the population, and can also bring us its benefits, however numerous they may be. So, ready to take the plunge?

The great positive point of yoga is above all to develop this bodily approach, which itself participates in the realization of one's capacities, in the work of strength, flexibility, or even in the acceptance of oneself and others. Yoga is therefore a strong, complete discipline that people with any kind of disability can practice without much difficulty. All they have to do is adapt, and that's it!

 

Yoga for People with Disabilities: Achieving your goals

Whether it is a one-time class or not, we quickly realize that yoga can help us achieve our goals when we are disabled. Indeed, through a real work of confidence, we become aware, through the postures and exercises, that everything is possible, that what we set ourselves is possible, and that our life goals are not simply unreachable chimeras. The teacher will also be there to remind us of this and show us that we are capable of anything.

Of everything, even the best, and that is why our goals will also be a reflection of our efforts, our evolution and the vision we have of ourselves. Handicap is obviously not a fatality, but yoga is there to show us this concretely, physically, psychically, why not set ourselves more and more intense objectives?

Nothing and no one is strong enough to intervene in our progress in yoga, since it is indeed an impalpable discipline, whose body, mind and spirit are strongly linked. An increasingly complicated posture will be performed with pleasure and conviction, for a goal achieved at top speed, by dint of progress and motivation. Handicapped or not, it's all about the mind, and the yoga objectives will be there to remind us of this!

 

Yoga for people with disabilities: A socialization useful for well-being

In group classes, the practice of yoga for the handicapped will be done in such a way as to be able to evolve, on all points certainly, but also and especially to meet people, whoever they are. Because yes, a sports class is above all a meeting place, in addition to being the place where you can spend your energy and progress in a discipline, whatever it may be. It is then possible to get away from any form of loneliness, and to make, why not, friends, who knows!

Yes, disabled or not, yoga allows us to progress together, in a form of emulation specific to this type of discipline, between sport and well-being. In a collective and warm atmosphere, and animated by a specialized teacher, one will then perform each greeting in the sun with the assurance of not being judged, but to feel supported, and to reach one's goals more quickly.

Being handicapped is therefore not at all a fatality, when it comes to doing sports normally, as one might think. An adapted discipline such as yoga makes it possible to enjoy it at its best, and the socialization of the classes is a fertile ground for taking advantage of its benefits.

When one is handicapped, yoga is therefore a totally adapted discipline, and one that has been found to take advantage of the benefits of such a discipline. Between sport, harmony of the mind, well-being and relaxation, one can easily reach one's goals supported by the help of a teacher, but also forge links with others. In an atmosphere conducive to relaxation and sequences, you can enjoy yoga as a person, adapted to your situation!

What if physical activity was finally as simple as that?

 

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Yoga as a complement to medical care

Beyond the benefits of yoga on the mind and body, practicing yoga also helps to maintain health, much more than one can imagine. Taking adapted yoga classes is then a good way to complement existing medical care.

The practice of yoga must of course be supervised by a professional in order to avoid all risks, and for the benefits to be really visible.

Some handicapped people suffer from heart and/or lung problems. And inactivity does not help to improve health. Following yoga sessions makes it possible to do sports in the most adapted way possible and to do exercises (especially with pranayama) that will train the heartbeat.

The practice of yoga can also help people with digestive system disorders. Stretching and bending the body helps the digestive system to remain flexible and avoid bloating. These problems can be common when using a wheelchair.

Practicing yoga regularly in a handicapped situation also helps strengthen the immune system, especially the lymphatic system. In addition to blood circulation, the lymphatic system allows nutrients to circulate throughout the body. It then helps the body to fight diseases and to heal more easily.

The lymphatic system uses muscles and body movement to function. For this reason, stretching and different yoga postures help the fluid, called lymph, move through all parts of the body. Organs such as the lungs or the diaphragm accompany this fluid during yoga exercises.

Exercises that also keep the entire skeleton in ideal positions for good health and to avoid scoliosis or other skeletal deformities. Yoga builds muscle and sheathes many parts of the body. These muscles are then developed enough afterwards to hold the joints in place.

Although yoga practice will never replace medical care, it helps to keep you in shape and avoid complications due to inactivity for people with disabilities.

 

What yoga develops for people with disabilities

Other abilities of the body and brain need to be developed through yoga in order to maintain balance. Abilities that help to keep fit and motivated on a daily basis in order to awaken body and mind.

In particular, yoga helps people with disabilities to develop motor coordination.

Even when paralyzed in one part of the body, a disabled person must learn to relearn how to find his balance and coordinate all his movements. In a wheelchair, balance and motor skills are no longer the same. The arms can sometimes be used to move instead of the legs. Yoga then allows you to work on several positions, or asanas, to get to know your body and its reactions.

Exercises that also help to work on orientation and movement in space to become aware of one's motor skills.

Becoming a yogi with a disability is also an excellent way to work on concentration but also to develop creativity in yoga postures. Of course, this applies to all people, handicapped or not. But being in a wheelchair sometimes limits one's beliefs about what one is capable of doing. Many people who find themselves in a wheelchair after an accident only see what they can no longer do. The mind is then limited to the wheelchair.

Doing yoga stimulates the imagination by learning to move with the body as it is.

 

Improving the stress of people with disabilities through yoga

In recent years, yoga has become widely recognized as a way to reduce stress for any individual. A reputation that has been scientifically proven thanks to a study conducted by Brown and Gerbarg in 2005.

In particular, it has been proven that Kriya Yoga Sudarshan (SKY), a set of yoga techniques supported by very precise breathing sequences (alternating strong breathing, low breathing and rhythmic breathing) can reduce stress among yogis.

This practice can therefore help with states of anxiety and depression, but also to diminish the effects of stress-related illnesses such as post-traumatic stress after an accident or other.

By practicing regularly, these breathing techniques help to relax the muscles and to find oneself in a calmer state.

The standing clamp, the chair or the cat stretching are particularly effective postures to relax.

Deep breathing, also called pranayama, is therefore useful lengthwise to lower tension and help the body relax from head to toe. The slower and deeper the breath, the more stress-relieving the effects.

 

Yoga-for-the-handicapped

 

How do I take a yoga class when I am disabled?

Each handicap is specific and requires special attention in yoga classes. Therefore, there is no general rule applicable to every yogi's profile.

It is advisable to take yoga classes accompanied by a professional such as a therapist or a yoga teacher specialized in the practice of yoga for people with disabilities.

Many people are tempted to follow the online yoga classes widely available on the internet. Yoga has become fashionable, and the number of teachers is multiplying. Blogs and online courses on websites or directly on Youtube are not to be outdone.

These free online classes allow you to do some yoga postures alone in your living room. However, the danger is to get injured by doing bad postures, especially when you are handicapped.

Therefore, you should not hesitate to start yoga by taking individual classes in order to begin the discipline gently. Private classes allow you to gain confidence and to learn how your body reacts to different exercises.

The yoga teacher can then indicate the postures to be held and the positions best adapted to your handicap.

It is entirely possible to modify the asanas to make them accessible to people with reduced mobility while using them effectively. It is simply a matter of avoiding postures that could aggravate a physical condition.

Once this step is over, it is possible to choose group classes since the yoga teacher will not necessarily need to be at your side if you know your own limits.

In order to find the ideal yoga teacher, you can start by asking your doctor or a health care professional who is familiar with your situation and who will follow you.

Then, take advantage of the first yoga session to ask any questions you may have and get to know your instructor. A relationship of trust must be established between the teacher and the student so that the class can take place in the best possible conditions.

 

Yoga for people with mental disabilities

Yoga has the advantage of being a discipline accessible to the greatest number of people. In addition to being particularly recommended for people with physical disabilities, the practice of yoga is also strongly recommended for people with mental disabilities.

People with mental disabilities often suffer from a lack of self-confidence. Today's society, which is very poorly adapted to their needs and way of functioning, can be a real burden. Everyday life is a permanent stress for these people who feel that they do not fit in.

Yoga helps to calm them down and restore their confidence. Indeed, yoga is a non-competitive practice. It is not a question of looking at your neighbor to see if he is not as good as you are, but of surpassing yourself by doing postures according to your abilities. It is therefore impossible not to succeed. Over the course of the sessions, people with disabilities gain self-confidence, but they also gain a certain complicity and confidence with their teacher and other yogis.

This climate of calm, relaxation and deep breathing gives them the necessary weapons to successfully manage stressful everyday situations outside of yoga lessons.

Moreover, yoga classes provide them with the keys they need to become more autonomous both during and outside of the yoga class. A responsibility that can only foster a positive opinion of themselves.

In addition to being beneficial for motor skills, yoga for people with disabilities is therefore a real asset for morale!

So don't hesitate any longer!

 

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