There are a number of health benefits related to practicing yoga. This exercise can be a great way to help patients improve their breathing while working travel therapy jobs. One popular version is pranayama yoga, which focuses on deep relaxation through specific breathing exercises. If you would like to incorporate this practice into your therapeutic sessions, you will want to help your patients master these two techniques:
Victorious breath
Also known as ujjayi pranayama, victorious breath is practiced by one of two positions: hook lying or quadruped. Eventually patients should be able to complete it in seated and then standing positions.
Instruct your patients to place both of their hands on their lower rib cage to start. As they inhale, they should be able to feel their rib cage move laterally. It's important that they are able to keep their neck and shoulder muscles relaxed. Upon exhaling, the rib cage should return to the initial position.
When the lungs are filled from the bottom up, your patients should feel an abdominal tension. When exhaling, they should push the breath out aggressively. Tell your patients that they should try to imitate the sound of the ocean in the distance while letting out their breath.
Belly breath
In the supine or prone position, your patients will be able to support themselves with blankets. Once mastered, encourage your patients to complete belly breaths throughout the day in any position – like sitting at their desks at work.
Start by having your patients inhale through their noses, which will cause their bellies to expand. When exhaling, they may do so through the nose or the mouth. Seamlessly, their naval will draw back towards their spines. This should repeated over the course of three breaths, and will help provide relaxation. If they need to do it for several minutes, that is OK.
Returning to yoga
It's always important for people to practice breathing exercises when you are working with them on travel PT jobs. If one of your patients is interested in returning to their regular yoga classes, make sure that you talk to him or her about their well-being. It's important that he or she considers the following before getting back into the swing of things:
- What is their overall condition? When out of practice, a beginner class may suit his or her physical needs best.
- Range of motion should be painless for the patient to ensure his or her injured joint(s) are not aggravated.
- Classes call for competition, so warn your patient not to exceed his or her abilities, and he or she should not compare their progress to another classmate's.