Guest guest Posted October 29, 2003 Report Share Posted October 29, 2003 Hi Diane, I started really noticing my RA symptoms about 2 years ago and was diagnosed 6 months ago. I do yoga occasionally at the fitness center starting about 2 years ago. When my RA got worse and worse during this time period, it was really difficult to do yoga. A lot of the poses rested a lot of your weight on your joints. It felt like torture and I gave it up. As my new med started working to reduce inflammation, I went back again yesterday. It's still difficult to do. My joints are stiff and are in pain when I extend them to a certain degree. But, I was able to go through the 1 hour class. I had difficulty doing several poses, but I just did what I could comfortably without straining myself too much. I'm no yoga expert, but I guess it can help in flexibility, just getting your joints moving, and can help in stress reduction. Maybe it'll help in range of motion. It'll probably help strengthen some of your muscles. I also noticed that when my inflammation was high, that I had a lot of trouble with the balancing exercises. My feet were swollen so it was hard to stand on one leg. I guess if there are classes there that target people with pain in certain areas, it could be very helpful. If your pain isn't that bad and you can do these exercises, I'm sure it's of benefit. --- In Rheumatoid Arthritis , " mdkjev " <mdkjev@y...> wrote: > Just wandered how many of you use yoga as a means to maintain or > increase thier flexibility? A n ew yoga center opened near us and am > interested. I contacted them and of course got the 'sales pitch' > from the owner, but am real curious as to those with RA who have > noticed benefits from doing yoga. She offers several classes and > suggested Hatha, kundalini or a class targeted for back/muscle > pain. My pain is mostly shoulders, wrist, knees and bottoms of > feet. Hands and wrist have improved with MTX. > Any advice or suggestions greatly appreciated. > Diane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 31, 2003 Report Share Posted October 31, 2003 Hi Diane, I'm another yoga enthusiast. I find it really helps with the stiffness and has absolutely increased my flexibilty. I find too, it's strengthened my muscles, which takes some of the strain off my joints. I agree that you need to work with a good instructor who understands that you have pain, and where. A good teacher will help you modify postures to better suit your needs and abilities, and will also encourage you to listen to your body. Some days we just have to be a bit more gentle with ourselves. I also find it a great way to reduce stress! Good Luck - I hope you enjoy it! Lynn --- In Rheumatoid Arthritis , " mdkjev " <mdkjev@y...> wrote: > Just wandered how many of you use yoga as a means to maintain or > increase thier flexibility? A n ew yoga center opened near us and am > interested. I contacted them and of course got the 'sales pitch' > from the owner, but am real curious as to those with RA who have > noticed benefits from doing yoga. She offers several classes and > suggested Hatha, kundalini or a class targeted for back/muscle > pain. My pain is mostly shoulders, wrist, knees and bottoms of > feet. Hands and wrist have improved with MTX. > Any advice or suggestions greatly appreciated. > Diane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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