Wheelchair and yoga… Did you know that yoga is a way of life? Yoga is such a comforting amalgamation of stretches, breath control (pranayama) and mudras. We can adopt and modify every asana and every stretch to suit our physical and mental state.
There are so many fitness and active health practices, but yoga holds the unique position for being a dynamic, yet extremely effective and customizable set of breathing, mudra, and stretches. All over the world, this is a unique science and each practitioner would concur with this. The beauty of yoga is that every person with any kind of issue related to the mind or the body or the psyche can practice it. To highlight this perspective of the uniqueness of yoga, let us examine the versatility factor of yoga, as an asana. Also, it is only natural that when we are battling dis-ease, we go into depression. Try reading this to see how pets can help you handle depression, as reported by the many people we interviewed.
This article here provides a brief introduction to simple yoga asanas for people who are on the wheelchair. The intent is to ensure that although the wheelchair is an impediment to our movement, it does not deter us from following simple fitness steps, that will keep us mobile, even in that state. So, read on for a simple, but the short sequence of the best stretches we can do, albeit modified and customized.
Yoga on a wheelchair, even if it is a modified version…
Lynn, a young mother, barely 25 years old who has just gone through a caesarian procedure, is trying to get back to her feet and swears by yoga. Likewise, Samarth Desai, an octogenarian, lives by himself and is trying to have everything from his wheelchair. He got confined to his wheelchair for a few months, because of a small mishap at home, where he slipped for no reason, hurting his knee. If we owe our gratitude to anyone for the amazing modifications of the asanas to suit the needs of the times, it is to the stalwart, B.K.S.Iyengar. He formulated a series of asanas that are compatible with any type of props. The intent is to ensure that the benefit of the asana is received full length. The props are only incidental. Read here to help with more information for seniors who are on a wheelchair, yet want to do yoga. The use of straps can help them get deeper into the pose or facilitate the pose itself. There is even an easier way for them to practice yoga and that is by doing mudras. The following mudras are great for seniors to have better circulation and more energy.
Let Us Examine The Many Yoga Asanas That Can Easily Be Done While Being Seated On A Wheelchair Or A Chair
1. Breathing, followed by Tadasana
The first one is the basic Tadasana, which we usually do, by standing and stretching our hands, by inverting the clasp that we form with the palms. Continue to sit on your wheelchair.
Before we take the first step towards doing the Wheelchair or the Chair yogasana, we have to get into the mode or the state of doing it.
The first step is therefore, Breathing. Read here to know more about pranayama or yogic breathing practices and how they can even help cancer survivors.
So, let us get into the tempo, by having a regulated inhalation and exhalation series. Inhale deeply through the nostrils, and then exhale just as deeply.
After we complete about six deep breathing cycles, let us slowly come back to the centre. From this step, we commence with the Tadasana. Slowly, raise your hands, with the palms facing the ceiling.
As you take your hands up, consciously clasp the palms and then upturn them as you reach the highest point. We can do this about three times, raising the hands as we inhale, and then bringing the hands down, as we exhale.
Tadasana or Mountain pose is even great for kids with ADHD – check here what other yoga poses can help your little ones to calm down, self-regulate and center.
2. The Leg And The Hand Stretch
In order to keep ourselves mentally and physically agile, we have to ensure that some kind of movement keeps happening.
After the Tadasana Stretch, let us now address the other most important part of the body, without whose proper functioning, we would be at sea! Let us sit straight in the wheelchair.
Now, as you inhale deeply, slowly raise your left leg and stretch it forward (the maximum you can, without pushing yourself), and at the same time, stretch your left hand too.
Repeat this with the right leg and the right hand. Now, we can do this twice, as we should not over-strain ourselves.
3. Alternate Hand And Leg Stretch
This is a modification of the previous stretch.
We have to stretch the hands and legs alternately.
This is an important step. It involves motor movement and the ability to correlate messages and instructions from the brain with the movements.
The effort may be immediately difficult for someone in the beginning. It looks simple, but it is not really that simple. The alternate hands and legs have to stretch out.
4. Leg Bends
This asana is a modification of the Hasta Pada Angushtasana, in a way.
We focus on one leg at a time Fis=rst, let us begin with the left leg. Try to keep a small stool in front of the chair or the wheelchair that you are sitting on; keep this low table or stool near your feet.
Now, as you continue to sit on your chair, slowly, raise your right leg, and place the heel (foot) on the low table.
Using this as a lever, slowly, raise your left leg up. Now, hug the left leg, around the shin, with both your hands. The image below, is a reference point, and you can try to sit in that way.
As you bend and place your left leg on the base of the chair, remember to hug it with both your hands.
As you are doing this, breathe well. Inhale and exhale deeply. When you exhale next, slowly, bring your leg down. Next, repeat with the other leg.
5. Side Stretch Or The Torso Stretch
This is a modification of the Parsva Urdhva Hastasana, and is also known as side tree bend.
We cannot stand, so we modify it by sitting and doing what we can. As a side-bend pose, the pose has a great impact on strengthening the abdomen and the neck.
We can use the props to our advantage, though. The armrest of the wheelchair is an important prop too. Place your left hand on the left thigh; Rest the elbow on the armrest, for bigger impact.
Now, bend towards the left side, by bringing the right arm above your head, over the ears, and see that you can feel the torso stretch.
The left upper shoulder feels the impact, and the upper biceps feel the stretch too. Inhale and exhale when you bend.
Then, slowly come back to the normal sitting position. From here, repeat for the other side.
Alternately, if you find that your shoulders are a little weak, then you can avoid the part where you purposely place the elbows over the armrest.
This will cause some pressure on the upper biceps and the shoulder. Then, like the image below, just keep your hand touching the seat of the chair and do the torso bends.
6. The Glute Stretches
One of the most important muscles of the body are the glutes.These muscles add the girth and the structure to the hip and the thigh area or the bone structure.
When we exercise the glutes and get a good stretch there, then we make the thigh and the hip joints also mobile and facilitate easy movement there.
To do this, slowly do a few inhalations and exhalations. Post this, sit straight on the wheelchair, with the feet. Try to repeat this sequence alone, as it it helps to strengthen our glutes.
7. The Spinal Twist or Modification of the Gomukhasana
This stretch is good for spinal health. It can be done by all, in any age group or category. The idea is to get an excellent twist for the spine, without putting too much pressure on it.
When we do this on both sides, to get the twisting stretch, it helps the spine, and all issues and ailments connected with it get sorted.
Sit straight, then inhale and exhale deeply. After this, just turn the torso to the right side, getting a slight twist. Likewise repeat for the left side. Given below are two images, to highlight the following; Anyone can do it.
You can do it either sitting on the wheelchair, in case you are recuperating from some ailment, surgery or medical treatment, or you can do it from your chair at work. B.K.S.Iyengar has revolutionized the application and the practice of yoga, with props.
8. Hands At Work…
The reason why we do these simple, yet effective asanas even if we are going through some tough times, physically, is to ensure that we are easy with movement. We should never experience stiffness anywhere in the body.
That will lead to more pain if ignored. It is the body’s intelligent way to tell us: “Hey, do some movements like simple yoga asanas, even if you are in a wheelchair!!!”
The limbs are the main pillars for anyone. So, to initiate the exercise to keep our body in slow and steady shape, we need to commence somewhere That starts with the hands.
9. Upper Torso Twist With Namaskar
This is an upper torso twist which is like the seated Trikonasana. First inhale and then keep your hands in the Anjali Mudra and the Namaskar Mudra. Inhale deeply, and then exhale.
When your hands are in the Anjali Mudra and then turn towards the right When you turn towards the right, place your elbow on the right thigh and make sure the spine has the twist.
Stay here for an inhalation and an exhalation. Come back to the centre.
10. Bending Back With The Clasped Hands At The Back
This is a very useful stretch where you should clasp the hands and place them at the neck by bending behind, and then staying there. This is very important for the flexibility of the spine and the upper torso.
This helps with the ease of movement of the upper part of the body and the shoulder.
11. Mind-Body Benefits
These lengthening and deepening respiratory rhythms, are the crux of every stretch. These poses help improve circulation and stretch your spinal nerves by releasing compression between the vertebrae and the muscles.
Sidebends also bring greater elasticity and range of motion to the spine, which brings a feeling of lightness and buoyancy to the chest, neck, and skull, often translating to feelings of serenity and happiness.
12. Key Focal Points
By sitting on the chair and wheelchair, we actually root and ground ourselves. When we sit firmly on the wheelchair, we are giving ourselves the steady step.
This helps us to align ourselves better throughout the body. Root through your legs to better align muscles throughout your body, thereby accessing your core, which connects and supports other musculature.
Every pose that you do, make sure, that you do it, after sufficiently grounding yourself more, by inhalations and exhalations.
Extend your front body, try to expand the ribs when you inhale. Also, if you can, try to visualize a beautiful golden yellow light that surrounds you.
Focus o visualizing to send your breath to parts of your body where you have the greatest resistance to doing these stretches.
Above all, while we combine yoga and make it an integral part of our life, we realize that we become more empathetc towards everyone.
Our entire psyche and the mental and emotional state undergo a change and we become more humane.
The adoption of yoga asanas makes amazing changes occur at the deepest level of the personality. This happens very beautifully and naturally, as an incidental occurrence, once yoga starts to dictate our everyday patterns in life. Wheelchair stretches and yoga are easy on the person practicing it.
References:
Shanti Arunkumar, Senior Contributor At L’Aquila Active
Learn more about Shanti by reading her bio below.
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