Some people with arthritis may feel limited by exercise options, wondering if a workout will increase their joint pain. But many types of yoga are a great choice for people with both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Research has found yoga may help relieve symptoms of arthritis, along with reducing stress. If you're ready to improve your physical and mental health with yoga for arthritis, get started with these easy tips.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends people with arthritis strive for at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise weekly. While walking, swimming, and biking are all great, yoga has the benefit of increasing flexibility, strengthening muscles, and improving balance. Although research on yoga for arthritis is limited, multiple small studies have found that even a few weeks of yoga have reduced joint pain and stiffness for the participants. Additionally, participants in several studies reported increased mental well-being, and others reported a reduction in medication use for pain.

If you want to find out if aspects of yoga, including deep stretches and meditation, may help your arthritis, here's how to get started:

1. Talk to your doctor. Before starting any new exercise program, it's a good idea to check in with your doctor. They know the details of your medical health and can always tell you if yoga might not be right for you.
2. Look for arthritis-friendly yoga classes. Not all types of yoga are the same. Some forms of yoga involve a faster pace that may be difficult for stiff joints. Look for classes such as Gentle, Hatha, Iyengar, or Restorative Yoga. Skip (at least for now) classes such as Ashtanga, Bikram, Kundalini, or Power Yoga.
3. Practice regularly. Establishing a routine will ensure you benefit the most from your yoga poses. Yoga is gentle enough to practice daily, although you may want to ease into it with one or two classes a week.
4. Don't be intimidated. Yoga isn't just for athletic types. A good yoga instructor will help people at any fitness level adjust to the class.
5. Modify poses. Props are in yoga studios for a reason. Don't be afraid to use a block, a blanket, or another prop to make certain poses easier. Your instructor can also suggest modifications or substitutions for poses that could aggravate your arthritis.
6. Don't give up. If your first few classes are too confusing or move at too fast a pace, don't write off yoga for good. Try a different class, a different instructor, or a different studio and see if you find something you like better.

Whatever type of yoga you try, the most important thing to remember is that every person's body is different. Your strength and flexibility may be very different from the person next to you. If the pose hurts, don't push yourself to do it. And if you feel that yoga isn't helping your arthritis, or if you need more exercise advice, ask your Union Health Orthopedics specialist about your next steps.