Yoga with MS

[Redpriestandmozart]

I've been doing the Dedicate: 30 days of Yoga with Adriene some days with success and others have been a real challenge. This is what I have found that helps me;

1. Feet slightly wider apart for balance
2. Not closing my eyes, knocks me right of balance
3. Positioning mat arm's length from a wall, so I can balance better
4. Cat cow pose, doing it very slowly with my eyes open
5. Changing poses slowly

Since starting yoga (about 3 months, break over Christmas though) my balance has improved, my legs are stronger, my arms are stronger and I can close my eyes during tree pose if I do it very slowly with feet wider apart. Prior to starting yoga, I couldn't close my eyes while standing at all.

Please give me your tips, I'm very new to yoga but not to MS and I had heard it was very good for balance and strength. Can we use this thread to discuss how it has helped and any poses you find that are beneficial? I know we're all different and with good days and bad but this yoga thing is really intriguing me.

I don't have MS, but I know a man who does.

www.yogarth.com/ - Garth McLean is a senior Iyengar yoga teacher in the US, he also teaches internationally, and started yoga when he was diagnosed with MS.

He has written a practice guide - may be of interest?

I know a lot of people with MS who follow the MS gym. www.themsgym.com/

I was going to mention the MS Gym too. I've only been a member since New Year but I like it so far and hearing the success stories of other members is helping me feel positive and hopeful that improvement is possible.

I'm also following the Wahls paleo diet that I can't recommend enough. I've had MS for fifteen years and it's the only thing that's been able to alleviate my symptoms and reverse the damage.

I also more or less the Wahls diet. She had amazing results. I had HSCT a couple of years ago and my EDSS has gone down 1.5-2 points since. I do have some old damage though, so I like the MS gym balance exercises.

WOW thanks for that, I thought I wouldn't get any replies. I have thought about yoga for many years but never thought I could achieve enough balance. I've been on Tysabri for couple of years and while I still need to use a wheelchair for distance, or late in the day when I have no stamina left, I am so much better than I was a few years ago. Yoga was something I still had to try and over the last few months I have been doing it my way. I will definitely check out the links and maybe find poses better related to MS. I follow a plant based diet (nearly 7 years) which has helped considerably.

@GreyWales that is interesting about the HSCT, I am delighted that it has made such a difference for you, it couldn't have been easy.

I don't know much about MS I'm afraid but I have a disability which means that I can't support any weight on one of my arms so I use a variety of props/furniture to help me out in poses and take it slowly - the last thing you want to do is faceplant into the floor! I have found home yoga to be brilliant - I feel too self-conscious in a class setting as I need too many adjustments. I also have a knee problem which I have found is helped by wearing knee protectors!

@Redpriestandmozart The HSCT was actually really simple. I was lucky and didn't get sick at all. I did it in Mexico, you get an apartment, driver and excellent care. I would 100% do it again.

Another thing that is popular with friends that have MS are electric trikes for distance. Have a look at jorvik. jorviktricycles.com/

Another thing if you have a bad day then this is genius www.hurrycane.com/

@GreyWhales thanks for the links. I have had an electric bike for a few years and love it over the summer on trails and parks, though not so fussed on roads, it has a throttle so no leg work needed at all. I'm
enjoying this yoga, just doing it my way.

I followed a girl on FB who fundraised and went to Russia for her HSCT last year, it was really interesting following her but it looked tough at times.

It really depends on the person tbh. Some people are fine, some people will get a bit of bone pain/sickness.

Did you have a look at the MS Gym, what did you think?

I have downloaded all the MSGym exercises, some of them make so much sense now that I see them. I've also applied to join the FB group and subscribed to their Youtube channel. I'm slowing working my way through the videos. Thank you for recommending it to me. Do you follow Arron Bostner at all, his advice on YT is spot on.