Excercise

[essexgirl]

Anyone do yoga or tai chi

[Boxerlady]

I do Tai Chi for arthritis - very good 👌

[essexgirl in reply to Boxerlady]

I’m going to try it I’ve heard it’s great for Ra

[Piwacket]

Hi I did vinyasa yoga for over 20 years very good for you. Strength, muscles and suppleness etc.

Unfortunately my RA has stopped me at the moment (hopefully) I am in touch with my teacher who has advised on some chair exercise yoga so that fingers crossed in future I can get back to class.

[essexgirl in reply to Piwacket]

Never heard of that one or chair yoga

[Piwacket in reply to essexgirl]

Vinyasa is a dynamic flow yoga - so you keep moving all the time - I loved it because I was very fit and active but there are other more gentle yogas such as Hatha - ironically I couldn’t get on my mat at the moment so chair yoga great for me as it is what it’s says on the tin- sitting on chair - I am finding it useful for upper body and hands

[essexgirl in reply to Piwacket]

Ok I’ll try that one

[bubblyalex]

My physical rehab team is doing tai chi with me ... and Pilates. Only just started last week

[essexgirl in reply to bubblyalex]

I need it in my life

[Caza]

I did all forms of exercise before RD & an awful accident stopped all that ☹️ I did take up yoga which I loved & helped but then I had a problem with my shoulder joint & you really can’t do one-sided yoga I tried! Anyway now I do my own form of exercise every morning aquafit (when not in lockdown 😡) swimming & walking.

[essexgirl in reply to Caza]

That’s awful , yeah I think it’s probably best to try things & then combine your own version to suit yourself , I know swimming is suppose to be good too

[Lolabridge]

I did Pilates for many years but the RA has made it difficult so switched to aqua fitness classes. Sadly not since mid-March though.

Hope to get back to Pilates as well when RA will allow it. I tried Tai Chi but found it put too much strain on my dodgy knees and ankles.

[Fruitandnutcase in reply to Lolabridge]

Same here - I’ve done Pilates for many years. I tried yoga but I never really got on with it, couldn’t get the breathing and got cramp a lot. I tried tai chi because I’d heard it was really good for bad backs - alas the next day my sciatica was so bad I could barely get off the bed so I’ve stuck with Pilates which seems to be the perfect exercise for me. I’m interested in trying tai chi again though.

[Boxerlady]

Aquafit was my favourite - really missing it 😢

[Blueskysunshine]

I did tai chi for about 10 years but found it too stressful on my joints so I switched to yoga. My teacher combines kundalini yoga with tai chi and Alexander technique and it has been so good for me.

Your choice of teacher can make so much difference. Try some different teachers and see which one fits for you.

Good luck!

[Lolabridge in reply to Blueskysunshine]

I agree that you do need a good teacher who looks at your body when you are moving, understands your difficulties and modifies programmes to suit you.

[HappykindaGal]

I tried chair yoga for six weeks during lockdown. Bored rigid. I do short Pilates sessions daily and I’m definitely noticing a difference with those. There’s zero chance of me getting down on a mat. These are all chair or standing exercises.

[Gilliancheche]

I love yoga, have also done tai chi. Any exercise you do will probably involve making adjustments when you have certain physical limitations. I think for me the main difference that these particular forms offer is that they also relax the mind too, and definitely improve my mental well being.

[oldtimer]

I've done yoga since 1984. Sometimes I can't do much more than the breathing exercises. I had an excellent teacher about fifteen years ago who saw me individually and designed some practice routines for me. Four types for varying stages of flare! So I'm able to do it daily.

Our Gwent group had a session on seated yoga and there is a yoga teacher locally who incorporated it into her classes (suspended currently).

[Lolabridge in reply to oldtimer]

Yes I’m intending to contact my Pilates teacher and have her devise some programs for me in my various states of mobility. I still do the special breathing and some simple exercises but hope I will be able to do more after my next infusion 🤞🏻

[Kalimers65]

Hello again. I also did tai chi and a friend who is 62 ( he had RA from 19 ) said when I was diagnosed 30 years ago that tai chi was the thing that really helped him.

[essexgirl in reply to Kalimers65]

Thankyou I’m definitely going to try tai chi I’d like to go to classes but there doesn’t seem to be any about atm

[Boxerlady in reply to essexgirl]

There's a good DVD which you can use; I had some individual lessons (was keen to get started last summer while worked was quiet but there were no classes on) but also used the dvd that she had given me and it was really helpful.

[Ros23]

I teach yoga, and meditation via zoom, luckily I hv been pain free on combination of methotrexate and biologicals Imraldi . I definitely recommend yoga as u will learn how to modify if needed and the mental benefits are the best, also improved sleep 🙏

[DeeSending]

Hello Essexgirl

I practise Chi Gong. This is a lower impact more meditative form of exercise and doesn't cause flare ups with arthritis. I have had to modify it over the years due to Meniere's Disease (balance problems) but can still do the forward and sideways movements. It is very calming. I always select beautiful music to accompany me through the movements. Just wonderful. We all need this in our crazy world now.