Tension first accumulates in the middle of the shoulders at the base of the neck. The second place it builds up is the back. Due to poor posture, the muscles and ligaments in the lumbar region can easily strain. However, low back pain for which there is no physical cause is often a symptom of stress. Backward bends are energizing, whereas forward bends quiet the mind and body.
Yoga is probably of greater potential benefit to elderly people than to any other group.
For maximum health, all the joints should be put through their full range of movement regularly or they will start to stiffen. Muscles need regular work or they will waste and become weakened. As people age, they tend to give up the forms of exercise, which they enjoyed in their youth and become prey to stiffness, muscle weakness and general physical unfitness. Yoga postures and sequences work the muscles, which respond by becoming stronger. By practicing yoga daily, joints will retain their suppleness and it will be easier to manage osteoarthritis.