At 85 years old, Anna Pesce of Orangeburg, NY, developed a hunched back due to osteoporosis, scoliosis, and a herniated disc. While visiting her kids in Wagener, SC, she nearly collapsed as she made her way up the stairs.
Her children had to carry her up the stairs – and she spent the rest of the trip on a wheelchair. Not wanting to be wheelchair-bound for life, Pesce tried to find treatment for her condition but nothing worked at first.
“I tried everything: acupuncture, a physical therapist and seeing a chiropractor. You feel good temporarily, but [I’d be] in pain again soon after,” she revealed.
Photo credit: Stephen Yang / NY Post
One of her grandkids introduced her to certified yoga instructor Rachel Jesien who began visiting her at home very week for yoga therapy. Yoga poses and stretches like the child’s pose and chair savasana worked so well on Pesce that within one month of yoga therapy, she was able to walk again!
As she continued with her yoga sessions, Pesce would soon learn what poses to make to deal with certain aches and pains in her body. After 4 months, Pesce amazed Jesien and her kids because she could now do a modified headstand! While that might not be so amazing for most yoga practitioners, remember that Pesce is 85 years old!
After months of doing yoga, not only did Pesce gain back her posture, she has also learned to become independent again and has a better outlook in life.
It would surely be wonderful if old people can have access to this kind of therapy but if yoga is not available in your locality, going to a physical therapist (PT) is still the best option. In fact, Mount Sinai Hospital director of integrative pain management Dr. Houman Danesh recommends that people should first go to a PT before trying out yoga.
He does admit, however, that yoga is effective and that individual care and attention are important for the patient’s well-being.
What is yoga therapy?
Yoga therapy is the type of healing approach that makes use of traditional and modified yoga techniques to treat the patient.