THE FITNESS PRIORITY BY KRISTIN MCNEALUS, PT, DPT
Yoga can help children manage stress and anxiety, which can reduce panic attacks in those prone to them. Yoga can also decrease anger, and improve focus.
I am sure that you have heard about yoga, but have you tried it? Are you aware of all of the benefits it can have for the whole family? Quite simply, yoga consists of moving the body through various postures, and coordinating the movement and poses with breathing. This does sound simple, right? And yet it can help the body and mind in so many ways. Yoga’s goal is to provide a guide for wholeness, happiness and well-being. It does not need to be a religious practice, which is sometimes a reason people have not tried it. Yoga can be practiced for health, and does not need to be a spiritual practice.
Yoga is a gentle way to introduce movement and mindfulness in our busy lives. It not only is a great tool to develop physical wellness, but can also help us develop the capacity to better manage daily stressors. This is very important for parents. Stress alone can lead to many physical and mental health complications. Countless research studies have demonstrated effectiveness of yoga as an adjunct treatment for the management of high blood pressure, diabetes, stress and depression.
The beauty of yoga is that it is accessible to every individual, requires minimal equipment needs, and can be practiced in the comfort of your own home when you can fit it into your busy schedule. Yoga should not hurt! By listening to your body, you can practice within your own limits. Let’s try one simple exercise before moving onto the benefit of yoga for your children.
Sitting right where you are, we’re going to do a spinal twist to help increase the circulation and flexibility in the spine. Face forward, and sit tall. Place your left hand on the outside of your right knee, and your right arm over the back of the chair. Breathe in through your nose, and as you twist to the right, breathe out slowly through your mouth. Turn your head as well. Push against your right knee. Keep your posture tall, but also be sure those shoulders are relaxed and away from your ears. Breathe normally and hold that position for three full breaths. Release slowly and come back to facing forward and repeat on the opposite side.
How did that feel? Did you feel any of your tension dissipate?
Yoga has also shown to have many benefits for children. Children now grow up in a world with constant stimulation, and yoga helps to calm the mind. It provides time away from digital interaction, which is continuing to increase. By moving through the postures, the body increases in strength and flexibility. The breathing practice improves oxygen uptake. More schools are starting to incorporate the practice, but it is also an option to look into as an extracurricular activity. Yoga may even be an activity you can do together!
Although the studies are limited, the results have been positive in research of yoga for children with various special needs. Yoga can be a great complement to formal physical, speech and occupational therapies. It is not curative, but certainly can contribute to the management of many conditions. Yoga can help children manage stress and anxiety, which can reduce panic attacks in those prone to them. Yoga can also decrease anger, and improve focus. This carries over into other aspects of the child’s day. If your child starts to amp up while out at a restaurant, cuing them back to their yoga breathing can help to calm him.
There is even anecdotal evidence for increased creativity in children with the regular practice. There are many physical benefits as well, including reduced obesity, which was outlined as a growing epidemic in the October issue. Yoga has been reported to contribute to people having fewer headaches and stomach aches, it improved constipation, decreased back pain, and reduced sinus problems. Yoga can improve sleep, as well as digestion. These benefits are also present with the adults who practice regularly.
The practice of yoga has been linked to improved performance with cognitive tests, which can help overall performance at school. By learning to calm the mind and focus, children are better able to study and learn while in class.
For children with autism spectrum disorder, yoga has been shown to increase skills in eye contact, sitting tolerance, non-verbal communication and receptive skills to verbal commands related to spatial relationship. It also increased imitation, cognitive skills and social-communicative behavior.
A positive aspect of practicing yoga is that it focuses on what the body can do without an element of competition that comes with many sports. Children should be told to do what they can without concern for what other kids in the room are doing. They can focus on what their body is doing and learn to listen to it.
Working to meet the sensory integration needs of your child can help regulate the nervous system. Children have different needs, and you may have to pick up on some of the physical cues they are displaying to find the amount of sound or light that works best for the environment in which the sessions take place. This will take time, and there will likely be a good deal of trial and error to find the environment that is ideal for your child, but it will then provide him/her with that peaceful place to achieve the goals of yoga. It is a good idea to use a yoga mat so that the child has an understanding of where the body should be; this helps provide limits.
If yoga is not practiced within your child’s school, and you are interested in finding a local instructor, you can do an online search. However, in order to find a skilled yoga instructor who can work with your child who has special needs, the greatest resource is asking around your community. Ask other parents who have had success with their children. Some pertinent questions you may want to ask include how many years of experience the person has with teaching children. Ask if s/he has any certifications, and special needs training. Ask how big the classes are, and the age range of the students. Do you have to stay for the class? Are there assistants?
It’s good to know if there are cancellation fees. Also, be sure to mention your child’s relevant medical history to any instructor, especially heart conditions or seizures. This may impact the positions that the instructor chooses to put your child into.
Ideally, yoga would be practiced four to six days per week. But this could certainly be a challenge, so getting at least one session per week is recommended. The duration depends on your child’s attention span. Even 15 minutes would be beneficial. With practice, you may get your child’s practice up to 45 or even 60 minutes.
You can have your child try the spinal twist exercise that we went through earlier. They can sit on a chair, or sit on the floor. You may want to try the movement without coordinating it to the breath to start, and then repeat the exercise a second time and tell your child when to breathe in and out.
Every Body Fitness does offer a yoga service that you can access at home. It is designed for the adult population, and led by a physical therapist. These classes are designed to meet you where you are in your practice and your mobility. Classes are categorized based on positional demands so you can select ones that work for your individual needs; we do have adapted yoga that is practiced in a seated position. Remember that you are the expert in your own body. Nourish it with mindful movement and feel great at the end of the session. No experience required and everyone is welcome! •
THE FITNESS PRIORITY
Kristin McNealus, PT, DPT, ATP received her Masters in Physical Therapy from Boston University then went on to earn her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from MGH Institute of Health Professions. She has been a staff physical therapist on inpatient rehabilitation for people with spinal cord injuries at a number of hospitals in Southern California, as well as Director of a community adaptive gym for people with neurological injuries. She is a member of the International Network Spinal Cord Injury Physiotherapists, and has contributed to the APTA Guidelines for Exercising with a SCI. She has completed 3 marathons, and 25 triathlons, including the Ironman! SCI Total Fitness is designed to promote health and wellness for people with physical disabilities.
