AT WARNER ORTHOPEDICS & WELLNESS, OUR GOAL IS TO HELP YOU RECOVER AND MAINTAIN YOUR MOBILITY WHILE REDUCING PAIN
Pain in one area may be caused by something going on in a completely separate part of the body.
The feet act as the foundation for all motion and function. So if you’re suffering from foot or ankle pain, this can impact things like your posture, your knee, and more.
For example, someone with ankle pain may also be found to have a dysfunctional hip that is causing them to walk and run poorly.
In this circumstance, their hip issue is the root cause of their ankle pain. If the leg and hip are ignored, this will not be discovered and the foot will remain painful.
Yoga is one of the best ways to hone in on problem areas that are causing discomfort, and naturally improve strength and flexibility to reduce pain.
When you take on balancing poses in yoga, like Tree Pose, this can highlight areas that need work. If you stand on one foot and feel wobbling in your ankle, you know that you need to use targeted strengthening exercises to avoid future sprains.
As with any exercise, yoga releases endorphins. These “feel good” chemicals help reduce pain, promote relaxation, and relieve inflammation. Mental stress can lead to physiological symptoms, so the mind-body connection of yoga is especially helpful!
Many forms of exercise, such as running, are difficult to modify based on pain. Many runners, for example, use a knee or ankle brace and don’t change their routine much. With yoga, however, modifications are easy – and encouraged!
A skilled instructor watching as you flow through yoga poses (asanas) can pinpoint areas of tension that may throw you off-balance. If there is tightness in your hip or knee, this can create future foot & ankle issues. Your instructor will help you work on improving flexibility.
AT WARNER ORTHOPEDICS & WELLNESS, OUR GOAL IS TO HELP YOU RECOVER AND MAINTAIN YOUR MOBILITY WHILE REDUCING PAIN
While it’s always good to have an instructor guiding you through the asanas, you can always start practicing at home. Even just taking the time to breathe mindfully for a few minutes a day “counts” as yoga!
Only attempt home practice if you don’t have issues with balance, and can easily sit on the floor and get back up unassisted.
It’s called “practicing” yoga for a reason. Like all good things, it will take time to build your skill level!
When you go into your first yoga class, or sit on your mat at home, make sure you are practicing with the mindset that you’re doing the best you can. Listen to your body and respect all of its limitations. You’ll become stronger and more flexible as time goes on!
On average, it takes about 30 days to create a new habit.
It’s important to make yoga part of your daily life, so make sure you work it into your schedule in a realistic way. If you don’t normally get up before the sun rises – don’t. Practice yoga in the evenings instead.
Yoga can easily be modified for any skill level – but it can also be challenging, especially if you’re working to improve flexibility and strength. It’s common to feel muscle soreness afterwards.
Instead of reaching for a pharmaceutical pain reliever that can have harmful side effects, make a natural NSAID alternative, like Tart Cherry Extract, a part of your daily yoga routine.
Dr. Meredith Warner founded her private practice according to her beliefs that functional medicine, or functional wellness, should be blended with conventional Orthopedic medicine.
At Warner Orthopedics & Wellness, we believe that good medicine should be proactive and encompass the whole of you and your body’s systems.
How We Support You On Your Wellness Journey:
Functional healing focuses more on supporting an already healthy lifestyle – or adapting routines to create a healthier way of living – instead of merely responding to illness and injury with treatments designed to only address symptoms.
At our clinic, we believe that you are ultimately in charge of accomplishing your health goals. We just give you the tools and resources you need to get started towards a path to better overall wellness.
We believe that you should be empowered in your health journey.
If surgery is required, we will give you the tools you need to recover faster and better than prior to the injury.