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Healthwatch 16: Chair Yoga

TUNKHANNOCK — Yoga takes on many forms. It can be an all-over intense workout, a relaxing few moments of calm, or anything in between. A group of faithful...

TUNKHANNOCK -- Yoga takes on many forms. It can be an all-over intense workout, a relaxing few moments of calm, or anything in between.

A group of faithful yogis meets once a week to do yoga in a chair, and not just any chair, but in the seats of the Dietrich Theater in Wyoming County.

No dimmed lights and popcorn in this movie theater, at least not on this morning.

There's a whole lotta oommmm happening at the Dietrich Theater in Tunkhannock, at a special chair yoga class.

Yoga instructor Donna Fetzko leads the class on Monday mornings. She quickly found that there was a large audience for chair yoga.

"It's for anybody, any age, but it especially helps senior people needing help getting up and down off the floor," Fetzko explained.

Several women practicing told us they never thought they'd be into yoga, but this class has changed their mind, not to mention increased their muscle tone.

"Just to be able to be peaceful, and strengthening some of the muscles that I lost, it's wonderful," said Sharon Whitney.

"I can't get up and down off the floor. I have issues with my knees and hips. And I find that this exercises every joint, every muscle. It's just phenomenal," added Lura Trossello.

Fetzko says older people do often benefit from chair yoga, but so do those with arthritis or people who have issues with range of motion. And aside from the physical benefits, she says it helps to keep depression at bay.

It's also great, she points out, for workplaces wherever people sit for long periods of time.

"There's that image people have of being able to move like pretzels, all flexible, and the whole point is that you start not flexible and gain that flexibility, in a safe way."

If you'd like to join in, the classes are free, sponsored by the Wyoming County Health Care Foundation.

Ruthie O'Dell says she's come to many movies at the Dietrich and now doesn't miss a yoga class in the same theater.

"I'm going to be 76 and I feel like a young springer! Ready to take the world apart!"

Chair yoga has grown in popularity but Donna also offers a traditional yoga class at the Dietrich Theater. Those classes are Wednesday mornings.

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