🪑 Gentle Chair Yoga Poses to Relieve Arthritis Pain
Living with arthritis can make it difficult to stay active — yet gentle movement is one of the best ways to reduce stiffness, improve mobility, and ease discomfort. Chair yoga provides a safe and accessible way for seniors with arthritis to stretch, strengthen, and relax the body without putting stress on sensitive joints.
In this post, we’ll cover a few gentle chair yoga poses you can try today. Each move can be done at home with just a sturdy chair, and no previous yoga experience is needed.
🌿 Benefits of Chair Yoga for Arthritis
Improves flexibility and joint mobility.
Reduces stiffness and supports circulation.
Builds balance and stability to prevent falls.
Promotes relaxation, reducing stress-related tension.
✅ Gentle Chair Yoga Poses for Arthritis Relief
1. Seated Cat-Cow Stretch
Sit tall, feet flat on the ground, hands on your knees.
Inhale: arch your back, lift your chest, and look slightly upward (Cow).
Exhale: round your spine, tuck your chin toward your chest (Cat).
👉 This stretch gently mobilizes the spine and eases stiffness.
2. Seated Side Stretch
Sit comfortably with feet flat.
Raise your right arm overhead and lean gently to the left.
Hold for 3–5 breaths, then switch sides.
👉 This movement lengthens tight muscles around the ribs and spine, easing tension.
3. Seated Knee-to-Chest Hug
Sit tall and hold the sides of your chair for support.
Gently bring your right knee toward your chest, holding it with your hands.
Keep your back straight and shoulders relaxed.
Hold 20–30 seconds, then switch legs.
👉 This pose helps loosen hip joints and ease lower back pressure.
4. Seated Spinal Twist
Sit tall, feet flat, and place your right hand on the chair’s side or armrest.
Inhale: lengthen your spine.
Exhale: twist gently to the right, keeping your shoulders relaxed.
Hold for 3–5 breaths, then repeat on the other side.
👉 Twists support digestion and ease stiffness through the back and waist.
📝 Tips for Practicing with Arthritis
Move slowly and listen to your body.
Never force a stretch — stop if you feel pain.
Use a sturdy chair without wheels for safety.
Practice daily, even if only for 5–10 minutes. Consistency matters more than intensity.
📖 Want More Gentle Routines?
These are just a few of the arthritis-friendly poses you can try at home. In Chair Yoga for Seniors Over 60, you’ll find:
Step-by-step instructions for full chair yoga sequences.
Modifications for arthritis, limited mobility, or balance issues.
A Tracking Journal to follow your progress.
A Feel-Good Warm-Up Guide to prepare your body.
