Table A1.

Yoga Protocol

Types of techniques
Chanting	Aum chanting 5 times
Breathing exercises	Neck in normal position Neck in extended position Neck in flexed position	Inhale and exhale forcefully with sound 5 times each in the mentioned positions
Warming/loosening exercises
Neck movement	1. Up (backwards) 2. Down (forwards)	Stretch your neck backwards as much as possible
	1. Centre to right 2. Centre to left	Move your neck towards right shoulder then to centre and vice versa
	Rotation of neck  1. Clockwise  2. Anti-clockwise	Rotate your neck first in clockwise, then in counter clockwise direction five times
Shoulder joint movements	1. Clockwise 2. Anti-clockwise	Bend your elbow, place your fingers over your shoulders, then rotate your elbow in clockwise and counter clockwise directions
Finger strengthening exercise (to increase the power of fingers)		Keep your upper limbs straight forward at shoulder level, slightly flex your finger now with inhalation and use your whole internal muscular power to pull your hands towards your shoulders
Knee joint exercise	Knee joint movements Up and down	Place both the hands over your knees and slightly bend them. Now move down and get up repeatedly
	Rotation clockwise and anti-clockwise	Place both the hands over your knees and slightly bend them. Now rotate your knees in clockwise and anti-clockwise direction
Standing postures	Kati chakrasan	Stand erect, stretch your arms forward at shoulder level and twist your spine right and left
	Tadasan	Stand erect, stretch your arms upward, palms facing sideways now stand over toes
	Trikonasan	Stand erect, stretch your arms sideways at shoulder level, parallel to ground. Now bend your spine sideways right and left
Supine lying postures	Savasana	Lie down in supine lying posture keep your legs apart at about one to one and half foot distance, in the same way keep your hands apart, palms facing upwards, keep your head in a comfortable position, and relax
	Uttanpadasan	Lie down over your back, keep your legs together and arms by the side of your body with palms facing downwards. Now as you inhale lift both the legs up by 90°
	Naukasan	In supine lying position, lift your upper and lower part of the body up till 30° while inhaling, maintain your body weight on lower back
	Pawanmuktasan (ardha and poorna)	In supine lying position fold your legs at knee joint, then press both the knees against chest with both the hands. Now touch your chin or forehead with your knees
Prone lying postures	Makarasan	Lie down in prone position, with legs apart and heels facing each other, place your palms over each other just under the forehead and rest your forehead on palms
	Bhujangasan	Lie down on abdomen in prone position with legs together, place your palms beside your chest then slowly sift your forehead, shoulder, chest and abdomen till naval region
	Shalabhasan	Lie down in prone position with legs together, place your chin firmly over the ground then place your hands underneath of your thighs. Now as you inhale, lift both your legs up
	Dhanurasan	Lie down in prone position, bend your knees and catch hold of lower legs with hands, with inhalation lift your upper & lower body up, maintain whole body weight over abdomen
Sitting postures	Pashimottanasan	In straight leg sitting posture keep your back straight and legs together, inhale and lift your hands up, now with exhalation bend forward at lower back so that you can catch hold your toes and touch your forehead with knees
	Ushtrasan	Stand in a kneeing position keep your knees and feet 4 inches apart, arc your back backward, keep your palms over your heels
	Gomukhasan	Sit in long stretch sitting pose, bend your one leg at knee joint and cross it under the other leg and try to sit on heel. Repeat the same with the other leg. Take one of your hand back(same hand on which side knee is up), up from the shoulder and other hand back from the down, now catch hold your both hand behind your back
	Aradh matsyendrasan	Sit in long stretch sitting pose, bend your one leg at knee joint from underneath of other leg and keep its heel by the side of hip joint on opposite side. Same way bend your another leg at knee joint keep its heel beside the knee joint of other leg. Now, take opposite hand (opposite from the leg which is standing) encircle it against the leg which is standing, catch hold its foot and twist your spine back and keep your another hand on middle back
	Vajrasana	Sitting in long stretch sitting pose bend your one leg at knee joint and try to sit on its heel and same way bend your another leg at knee joint and sit on its heels
Pranayamas	Nadhishuddhi	Sit in a comfortable position either crossed legs 7 vajrasana and padmasana. Keep your back and neck erect, make pranayam mudra from right hand. Now inhale from both nostril exhale from left inhale from left nostril, exhale from right and then inhale from right exhale from left and continue
	Shitali	Sit in any comfortable position as before now protrude your tongue out and fold it from side to make a tube, inhale through this tube then take your tongue in and close your mouth, exhale from nose
	Bhramari	Sit in any comfortable position as before now inhale deeply, plug your ears with thumbs, place rest of the fingers softly on eyes. Now exhale from nose by producing honey bee sound
Jalneti	Cleaning process of nostrils (once a week)	Stand with legs apart, lean forward at the angle of 60°s turn your neck on one side, place the nasal of neti pot filled with warm saline water on upper nostril, open your mouth and start inhalation and exhalation so that water comes out from the other nostril automatically. Perform kapalbhati after this
Prayer	After all the practices sit in sukhasan and then shanti mantra (sarve bhavantu sukhinah)