Chair yoga is gentle stretching, movement and slow breathing done sitting on, or holding, a sturdy chair, so you never need to get down to the floor. Many people with arthritis find it a kind way to ease stiffness. Use a solid chair without wheels, move only as far as is comfortable, keep breathing and stop if you get sharp pain. Chair yoga mostly helps flexibility and relaxation, so pair it with some strength and balance work. If you have had a hip replacement, have osteoporosis, or have rheumatoid arthritis affecting your neck, ask your physiotherapist or rheumatology team which movements suit you.
This guide is a gentle seated start for stiff joints. If you want a fuller seated strength routine, use our chair exercises for older adults. If you can get up and down from the floor, see yoga for arthritis beginners. For flowing seated movement, try seated tai chi.
What chair yoga can and cannot do
Gentle movement keeps joints moving and can make stiffness easier to live with. Exercise is a core part of osteoarthritis care in NICE guidance, and the NHS recommends that adults aged 65 and over do activities that improve strength, balance and flexibility on at least 2 days a week, and break up long periods of sitting.
Chair yoga covers the flexibility part well, and slow breathing can help you relax when pain makes you tense. It does less for strength and balance, which are what protect you from falls. So treat it as one piece: add sit-to-stand practice and some balance training on other days. Chair yoga is not a cure for arthritis and does not replace your medicines or physiotherapy plan.
Before you start
- The chair: the NHS suggests a solid, stable chair without wheels, where you can sit with your feet flat on the floor and knees bent at right angles. A chair without arms gives you more room to move
- Clothes and kit: loose, comfortable clothing, supportive shoes or bare feet on a non-slip floor, and some water nearby
- Timing: many people find joints loosen later in the morning or after a warm shower. Pick the time of day your joints feel least stiff
- Check first if unsure: the NHS says to check with a GP or a health professional involved in your care if you are not sure the exercises are suitable for you
A gentle 10-minute seated routine
These moves come from the NHS sitting exercises, done slowly with steady breathing. Move only as far as is comfortable and never force a stretch.
- Settle and breathe (1 minute). Sit tall, away from the back of the chair, feet flat. Breathe in slowly through your nose and out a little longer than you breathed in. Let your shoulders drop
- Chest stretch. Pull your shoulders back and down, extend your arms out to the side and gently push your chest forward and up until you feel a stretch. The NHS suggests holding for 5 to 10 seconds and repeating 5 times
- Upper-body twist. Cross your arms and reach for your shoulders. Without moving your hips, turn your upper body to one side as far as is comfortable, hold for 5 seconds, then turn to the other side. Do 5 on each side
- Hip marching. Hold the sides of the chair and lift one knee as far as is comfortable, then place the foot down with control. Do 5 lifts with each leg
- Ankle stretch. Straighten one leg with the foot off the floor, point your toes away, then back towards you. The NHS suggests 2 sets of 5 with each foot. This also helps circulation if you sit a lot
- Neck turn. Look straight ahead with your shoulders down, then slowly turn your head towards one shoulder as far as is comfortable, hold for 5 seconds and return. Do 3 on each side. Turn only — no full neck circles
- Hands and wrists. Gently open and close your hands and circle your wrists. Do not press your body weight through sore wrists or fingers
- Finish with breathing (1 minute). Rest your hands on your thighs and breathe slowly before you stand up
Build up slowly. Add a few more repetitions over the weeks rather than pushing harder on one day. On a flare day, do a shorter, gentler version instead of nothing — see what to do in a flare.
Take extra care if this applies to you
- Hip replacement: follow your surgical team's advice about how far to bend at the hip and whether you can cross your legs. Skip deep forward bends and ankle-over-knee stretches unless they have said these are fine
- Rheumatoid arthritis or ankylosing spondylitis affecting the neck: keep neck movements small and slow, and ask your rheumatology team or physiotherapist which neck stretches are safe for you
- Osteoporosis or a past spinal fracture: ask a physiotherapist which bends and twists suit you before trying deep forward folds or strong twists. See our bone density guide
- Dizziness when you stand: stay seated for a minute after the routine and stand up slowly. If dizziness keeps happening, tell your GP — some medicines can cause it, so ask about a medication review
Finding a chair yoga class
A class can help with motivation and company. Ask at your local leisure centre, library, community centre or local Age UK, or ask your GP surgery or physiotherapist about local gentle exercise or social prescribing options. Before you join:
- tell the instructor about your arthritis, any joint replacements and anything you have been told to avoid
- check they offer seated options for every part of the class
- go at your own pace — it is fine to skip a move or make it smaller
If getting out is hard, choose an online class that shows seated versions, or follow the NHS sitting exercises at home.
When to stop and get help
- Stop if you feel sharp or shooting pain, dizziness, or new numbness or tingling, and rest
- Call 999 for chest pain, severe breathlessness, or signs of a stroke such as a drooping face, arm weakness or slurred speech
- Contact NHS 111 or your rheumatology advice line for a hot, swollen joint, especially with a high temperature or feeling unwell
- See a GP if stiffness is getting steadily worse, lasts much of the morning or comes with joint swelling, as this may need a review
Frequently asked questions
How often should I do chair yoga?
Little and often works well. The NHS suggests doing its sitting exercises at least twice a week, and many people enjoy a short routine most days. Combine it with strength and balance work across the week.
Is chair yoga enough exercise on its own?
Usually not. It is a good start for flexibility and relaxation, but strength and balance exercises and some everyday activity, such as short walks, matter for staying steady and independent.
Should chair yoga hurt?
You may feel a gentle stretch or mild discomfort, but it should not cause sharp pain. If a joint feels worse the next day, do a smaller, gentler version next time.
Sources and further reading
- NHS: Sitting exercises
- NHS: Flexibility exercises
- NHS: Physical activity guidelines for older adults
- NHS: A guide to yoga
- NICE NG226: Osteoarthritis in over 16s — diagnosis and management
- Versus Arthritis (now Arthritis UK): Exercising with arthritis
- Age UK: Exercise and staying active
Educational information for people in the United Kingdom — not a diagnosis or personal medical advice. Charity no. 1218461. Everyone's situation is different, so always follow the advice of your own GP, pharmacist, physiotherapist or rheumatology team. If you feel very unwell, call 999 or go to A&E. For urgent advice, contact NHS 111.
Continue with related help
- Chair exercises for older adults — seated strength routine
- Yoga for arthritis beginners — if you can use a mat
- Seated tai chi — slow flowing movement
- Sit-to-stand practice — strength for getting up
- Balance training — stay steady on your feet
- Flare-ups — what to do on bad days
- Exercise guide — safe ways to keep moving
- Exercise library — more gentle exercises
Living With Arthritis is independent of Arthritis UK, formerly Versus Arthritis.