Introduction:
Yoga is an effective way to strengthen the body, but it is also about unwinding and calming the mind, boosting energy, and uplifting the spirit. This holistic approach to health and spiritual development first appeared more than 5,000 years ago in India. The idea is that illnesses, including the missing leg, can also affect the soul and emotions.
Yoga practitioners combine postures, breathing exercises, and meditation to harmonize and unite their minds, bodies, and spirits. Yoga does, after all, mean union. Yoga comes in many variations. Hatha yoga is the type that is most popular in the West; it teaches you how to unwind and let go of tension, as well as how to strengthen and stretch tight muscles.
What Are the Benefits of Yoga for a Prosthetic Leg Person?
The following are several potential health benefits of yoga. These would be based on the observations of other amputees who have made yoga a part of their daily routine.
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Reduces pain and stress by practicing yoga. There are different breathing techniques in yoga. Certain breathing techniques can be very helpful in reducing the pain. They could aid in your de-stressing and healthy pain management. Even without the leg, one will probably notice each part of the body more. Yoga can help with back pain.
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Yoga can assist in increasing strength and flexibility. Yoga may aid in muscle growth and flexibility.
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Yoga can help maintain the health of the joints. Yoga helps prevent further damage by exercising frequently. The alignment of the body can be improved through yoga. Some prosthetic users prefer one leg over the other. The alignment of the body is disturbed by doing so. Yoga can increase awareness and make one feel more at ease in the body.
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Yoga can help maintain a positive outlook. As an amputee, it can be easy to fall into the pity trap. Yoga will help to relax and be at peace with the condition. The different poses promote awareness of positive feelings in the body and allow one to observe pain with a neutral mind.
What Are the Tips to Be Followed?
Several tips should be followed while practicing yoga with a prosthetic leg.
Use of Straps:
Most asanas are made possible with yoga straps, which are also incredibly helpful for poses like Utthita Hasta Padangustasana, Natarajasana, and Dhanurasana, which call for holding on to another body part. Secure the strap around the foot or ankle instead of holding onto the foot to give a more stable base for the pose.
Use of a Mirror:
This is helpful advice for prosthetic users. They may need help finding the right alignment if they feel isolated. If a limb on one side of the body is missing, they prefer the other side more, making it feel natural to carry more weight there.
Alternate Pose:
A few poses, such as Parivrtta Adho Mukha Svanasana, simply do not work with the prosthesis (For example, Downward Dog). Maintaining balance while doing the downward dog with just the right hand on the mat is impossible. To build endurance, stay in Adho Mukha Svanasana or move into Jathara Parivartanasana (supine twist), which is a different twist. Work on the body and find a way to do it rather than making getting into the asana the main goal of yoga practice.
Stop Thinking as Failed:
This is an effective way to stop developing negative thoughts and practice further. The desire to use a missing limb (or any other medical condition) as an excuse to avoid attempting a pose can be high, and it can even happen unconsciously. Only strike a pose if the body is properly suited for it or if pushing it would be risky.
What Is the Yoga Sequence for Amputees With a Prosthetic Leg?
According to the extent of the injury and the surgery, students with an amputation typically recover with medical assistance in 4 to 6 weeks. But dealing with the discomfort of losing a limb and adjusting to it can be a lifelong struggle that necessitates long-term rehabilitation.
Yoga (asanas and meditation) can be a component of the healing process at this stage, shortening the recovery time and assisting in the healing process. Yoga might encourage them to love and accept themselves, show and spread affection, reclaim their personalities and confidence, respect where they are right now, and be grateful, among many other things. The sequence's structure, which can be practiced to see steady improvement over the weeks, is provided below.
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First Week: This week's emphasis is on performing standing positions with the prosthetic leg. Students will rediscover their connection to themselves with the aid of these poses. Do this every day for a week for a total of 30 minutes.
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Second Week: Switching to prone positions that aid in providing deep leg muscle stretches and performing this sequence without the prosthetic leg. Do this every day for a week, for 30 minutes.
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Third Week: To reclaim confidence, practice grounding poses this week while strengthening the core. Use a prop ball to assist with developing endurance. Do this every day for a week for a total of 30 minutes.
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Fourth Week: Here are some adjustments, including poses done with a partner and some aerial poses, to feel valued and attached while obtaining confidence and control over the body and mind. Do this sequence every day for a week for 30 minutes.
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Fifth Week: The first-week sequence is repeated during this week to observe a significant improvement in strength, endurance, confidence, and acceptance. Do this every day for a week, for 30 minutes.
Conclusion:
It is hoped that both physical strength and stability, as well as mental stability, will gradually improve with yoga. Students may avoid any posture they must prepare, particularly if it causes pain. Always move slowly and steadily with the flow, ensuring the goal is to be strong, flexible, loving, and accepting of oneself.
