Newbie question re exercise

[eurocat]

Hello all!

I'm having a lot of joint and muscle pain and I find it gets much worse in the evening and during the night. I do yoga in the mornings (adapted cos some of the moves are simply impossible) and it feels as if the yoga actually loosens up the painful muscles and joints, but I wonder if it's just a coincidence, because they would be loosening up anyway at that time of day.

Is it a good idea to try to force yourself (gently) to do (adapted) yoga in the evening to try to help the muscles and joints when they're at their most painful, or is that just going to make it worse?

I'm new to this so I'd be grateful for any advice!

[BukkyApampa]

Hi,

I’ve experienced some of what you described and the reality is you just won’t know until you try, my suggestion would be to try the evening yoga while listening to your body intently and stopping if anything feels uncomfortable. What I’ve also found is I may do something one day that worked and another day doesn’t work or makes it worse, this is what makes lupus so hard, the uncertainty of it all but exercises always helps and yoga definitely helps with relaxation which is what reduces the muscle and joint pains but all has to be done with caution and gradual progress.

I hope it goes well for you 💜

[CavendishCool]

As a yoga teacher with Lupus, yoga is the only thing that prevents me from becoming the tin man every day. Yoga is about rebalancing the mind, body and spirit and working within your own parameters not performing some weird and wonderful asanas just because that's one's perception of yoga. I had spinal surgery 8 years ago and was implied that I'd be better off with a wheelchair, just simply not an option for me. So returning to yoga was and is a slow process, every time a different presence on the mat, which I love. Please move through your body slowly with the breath and loving kindness always, no sudden jerking. I urge you to investigate an Italian woman, the late Vanda Scaravelli for her understanding on yoga. It is for everybody and for every body. With regards to the evening yoga, you could research Yoga Nidra, (you can do this when you're in bed) there's a lot of free stuff online and also Restorative Yoga also free stuff online. They are my go to evening practices. I have terrible connective tissue, joint and muscle pain in the evening. The yoga if you combine with breath work may help with relaxing and easing the pain messages. Yoga is an accumulative practice so it takes a while. I wish I could show you how to do it, but in the meantime I wish you peace, love and light and less pain and tightness. Namaste 🙏

[marypw]

I do yoga as well and my advice would be just experiment and try what works for you. But take it very gently - even with yoga you can get post-exertional malaise which basically means you’re completely wiped out next day.

Also I find the weather does impact joints and muscles - rain and pressure changes are not good. Rushing around, trying to do too much can also trigger symptoms so yoga can help you take life more slowly.

If pain is keeping you awake, you can also go down the medical route - I take low dose amitriptyline which really helps my sleep.

Hope that helps a bit.

[eurocat]

Thanks for all your responses. Last night I woke up in the night with everything sore and decided to try some improvised gentle movements right there in bed and I think it actually does help. I was worried it might make it worse but it seems to loosen up the painful joints and muscles. I'll bear in mind though that it might not always work and try to be gentle and see how it goes each time.