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The Hot Yoga Doctor – Free Bikram and Hot Yoga Resources › Hot Yoga Doctor Forum › The Hot Yoga Poses › Savasana › Rheumatoid arthritis
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Hi Gabrielle,
Last November I was diagnosed with a form of rheumatoid arthritis. Luckily it is in a begin phase.I am being medicated with Sulfasalazine and just this week a fifteen day ‘Prednizone cure’ because some of my joints were very painful.I have been practicing various forms of Hatha Yoga for 20 years or so and I have been doing Hot Yoga for 3 years now, 2-3 times a week. Since I am some distance from a class I have been practicing my yoga at home for the past 1 1/2 years in a well-heated room with your wonderful DVD.
My question is: How do I practice my yoga which I know is helpful for the arthritis when some fingers are too painful to intertwine, or an ankle is too painful to balance on? When I began Hot Yoga, Fixed-Firm Pose was too easy; now due to pain in the backs of my knees, I can barely get my heels to touch my hips.
Should I always stop short of any pain? How far should I push myself? How often do you recommend I practise? I have gotten past the ‘this can’t be happening to me’ phase and have begun to practice carefully, rather than thinking I can push myself past my new restrictions.
I will have access to a Bikram class in California this summer for one month.
If anyone can give me some advice from their own experiences I would be grateful.
-Michael
Hi Michael
Thank you so much for your support. I am thrilled you are benefiting from a heated home practice (with DVDs :cheese:)
I have a few questions and ideas for you to answer and think about!
>> I am guessing that you had some kind of problems before you were diagnosed with arthritis. For how long did you have problems?
>> Since the diagnosis have your problems been worse or have they improved?
>> What affect does your practice have on your arthritis? Do you find that the heat is just what you need (like most arthritis sufferers report)?
>> What about the time that you practice? I have had students who feel really stiff in the mornings and this is when they feel the worst; as they get out of bed. Still they have found that getting to yoga was the thing that they could rely on to make it that much easier. Do you find practice easier in the morning or afternoon or does it not matter?
>> What happens to you if you only practice 1-2 times? And have you ever tried practicing 4 times per week?To answer your questions: What do you do when you have pain?
Only you can know how far to push to go beyond your normal physical discomfort and still not venture into excruciating pain. One of the problems with suffering from a decrease in mobility is that if you don’t push enough then you can incrementally reduce your own range of movement by yielding to your discomfort or pain.I know there are many forms of arthritis. How long ago was your first hint that you had this condition? It is unusual that you would practice for 3 years and experience these problems and what appears to be a deterioration.
My thought is that an increase in practice frequency would be the first thing to do. See if you can manage minimum 4 times per week. If you can manage 5-6 times a week for a month or 2 I am very confident that you will see and feel some incredible change. I really don’t think 2 times would do it and 3 is borderline.
I would really love to hear how you are feeling in your body when you can practice more regularly. I will be interested to learn of any changes in your mindset; specifically if you feel like a guy who has to be careful with many limitations or if you have become that guy who is jumping out of his skin with excitement with his renewed flexibility and strength, and behaving like a teenager again. I am lucky enough to have witnessed this transformation many times. My wish is to see that or at least hear of it with you!
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂Hi Gabrielle,
Thank you for your quick reply.
>> I am guessing that you had some kind of problems before you were diagnosed with arthritis. For how long did you have problems?
I would say the first symptoms appeared somewhere around 1995. Then I had every now and then a painful, inflamed finger. It was a bit annoying, but not a problem. About a year ago while doing a week-long hiking trip in England, suddenly it really hit; pain and restrictions in my knees, pain in my foot and ankle. I immediately saw a physical therapist, then a chiropractor. I thought it was a twisted ankle which produced pain in my knees through overcompensation or perhaps pushing myself too far in yoga. I also saw a podiatrist and got insoles for my shoes, as I thought it might be a postural problem. Finally, in November of last year I gave into the urging of my partner Lili (a psychiatrist) and saw a Rheumatologist. To be specific, I do not have Rheumatoid arthritis but ‘Undifferentiated Spondylarthritis’. I was told that this was actually not as serious as RA.
I am now experimenting with different medicines. I began with Sulfasalazine. Last week I began with a low dosage of prednizone and a higher dosage of Sulfasalazine because the inflammation (myalgia) was not going away completely. Just today I began a new medicine Methotrexaat, which is stronger than the Sulfasalazine. As my Rheumatologist described it she is trying to find the right cocktail which will reduce my inflammation and pain.
>>Since the diagnosis have your problems been worse or have they improved?
My problems have improved since the diagnosis.
>> What about the time that you practice? I have had students who feel really stiff in the mornings and this is when they feel the worst; as they get out of bed. Still they have found that getting to yoga was the thing that they could rely on to make it that much easier. Do you find practice easier in the morning or afternoon or does it not matter?
I always practice in the afternoon, around 4pm. The afternoon is more practical for me as it takes some time for my yoga room to heat up. Although mornings would probably set me up better for the day.
>> What happens to you if you only practice 1-2 times? And have you ever tried practicing 4 times per week?
I find I definitely feel better the more I practice. However, (and the reason I am writing to you) was that I was concerned if maybe I was doing more harm than good. I have a tendency to be a ‘pusher’. Learning to accept and be with what is happening is important to me.My Rheumatologist advised me to not push too hard as this could exacerbate the pain and swelling.
>> “or if you have become that guy who is jumping out of his skin with excitement with his renewed flexibility and strength, and behaving like a teenager again.”
This quote from your reply is exactly the reason why I was so impressed by Hot Yoga. This was initially how I felt. When the restrictions came, it was a hard blow and I have slowly become “a guy who has to be careful with many limitations” simply because I was not sure if pushing myself too hard was the right thing.
What do you think? My plan now is to attend the Bikram class in California for a month. I will take your advice and do it 4,5 or 6 times a week. It might be useful to have a ‘hands on’ teacher for a month to help me with details of my practice (?)
I am also seeing a homeopath and do my Zen-Buddhist walking meditation every morning, so I am covering all my bases!
Thank you so much for your interest and advice Gabrielle.
sincerely,
MichaelHi Michael
It is worth saying that pushing your yoga is not the same as practicing! I know you know that. If you have the opportunity to be at class for a month, then please go as often as you can.
Robert’s analogy of taking the butter out of the fridge (the more you take it out, the softer it stays) applies to you here in terms of your ease and healing.
This could be the month that changes your life! If it is a holiday and/or you have the ability to go 5-6 times per week then make a commitment. Promise yourself you will go x minimum number of times. And allow for yourself to augment that number by either not having a rest day (and postponing it) or doing 2 classes in one day. I don’t suggest forward planning anything beyond your minimum class number but taking each class in the moment. You may find that in the morning you do a class. And in the afternoon you feel like doing another one. Then go do it.
If you find yourself going everyday for an extended period of time, recognize that your body may need a rest and recovery day to integrate and repair.
Do yoga, don’t push hard, surrender to it and allow your body to heal. I have no idea of your eating habits but no doubt this is an area where improvements can be made for many people with conditions.
Wishing you courage, ease, loads of improvement and joy in your healing body
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂 -
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