Physiological Mechanisms

Participants reported a number of changes that pertained to their biology, whether it was to their structural body, physiological arousal or endocrine systems. They noted an expanded awareness that extended from an internal knowledge of their stress response to a structural awareness of how their bodies, including affected joints, may be misaligned. One young woman described that she had "never been that in tune with my body that I could feel the physical reaction of my stress" but over the course of the yoga intervention, was increasingly able to note her arousal levels and associated spikes in pain. Others noted a new awareness of long-term tension in their bodies and the development of a misaligned stance or body posture in an attempt to accommodate painful joints. (Subhadra Evans, Now I see a brighter day of expectations and perceived benefits of an Iyengar yoga intervention for young patients with rheumatoid arthritis)

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Last date updated on September, 2024