Joshua Stegeman
Second Wind St. Louis
Board Member
August, 2009
A little exercise provided the attraction for the Sunday Social on August 9, 2009. Terri Engelbart, a registered physical therapist discussed the bodily benefits of yoga, especially for the lungs.
Ms. Engelbart explained there are many types of yoga for individuals with varying abilities and medical conditions. Chair yoga, chair-assisted yoga, and mat yoga are some of the forms that Ms.Engelbart teaches. She conducts the yoga classes at St. Luke’s Hospital to different groups such as cardiac rehab, pulmonary rehab, and even congestive heart failure.
According to Ms. Engelbart, yoga has a profound impact on the body’s overall health. Yoga can improve breathing by opening and expanding the chest cavity and lungs. Yoga can increase flexibility, strengthen muscles, relax the mind, and flush out the toxins of stress.
Yoga is a lower impact and less stressful exercise on the body than other traditional forms of exercise. It can also be performed in nearly any space. Ms. Engelbart demonstrated her chair-assisted yoga routine in the restaurant. She advised that this yoga provides the same benefits as mat yoga, but allows someone who is restricted from mat yoga or other forms of exercise to achieve similar results.
Ms. Engelbart offered to conduct a class at St. Luke’s facility for any group interested in trying the yoga classes she offers. You can contact her through St. Luke’s hospital, or by emailing Second Wind for the information.