Let’s Do Yoga — Poses for Wheelchair Users

by Carmen Zajicek

It’s commonly known that yoga has multiple physical and mental health benefits. It improves cardio and circulatory health, helps you lose weight, reduces inflammation, relieves stress, and strengthens your muscles. However, doing the common cobra and downward dog yoga poses is challenging for disabled people—but this doesn’t mean they should miss out on all the benefits this exercise has to offer.

Here are some yoga poses that you can do while sitting in a lightweight wheelchair.

Disabled person doing yoga in a lightweight wheelchair

The Cow Yoga Pose

This yoga pose allows you to open up your body and feel the world around you. Practicing this yoga pose will help you get better focus and clarity.

Here’s how you can do the cow yoga pose.

  • Grip the handles of your chair tightly or hold onto your thighs.
  • Lift your head toward the ceiling, arch your back, and inhale deeply.
  • Continue inhaling and exhaling in this position for a few minutes before returning to your original resting position.

The Cat Yoga Pose

The purpose of the cat yoga pose is to stretch your back and make it more flexible and strong.

Follow these steps to start doing the cat yoga pose.

  • Start by placing your hands on your thighs or the handles of the wheelchair.
  • Bend your upper body forward while inhaling and exhaling.
  • Arch your back like a cat and drop your chin on your chest.
  • Hold the position for some minutes before relaxing.

The Side Stretch Yoga Pose

As the name suggests, this yoga pose stretches your sides while focusing on the oblique muscles. Through this pose, you can make your arms and shoulders more flexible. However, we recommend getting a physician’s advice before trying the side stretch yoga pose. People who have rods should refrain from doing this pose often.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to doing the side stretch yoga pose.

  • Lift one arm over your head and keep it straight while keeping the other hand on the armrest for support.
  • Slowly stretch your lifted arm over your head to the other side as far as possible.
  • Breathe deeply as you stay in the position for 3-5 breaths.
  • Relax and repeat with the other arm.

Person in a lightweight wheelchair trying yoga 

A lightweight transport wheelchair will allow you to maintain your balance while doing yoga. At Fatima Mobility, we have a vast collection of foldable lightweight power wheelchairs to help you master all the yoga positions you want. Therefore, hop onto our online store, buy a wheelchair online, and start practicing yoga.

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