[Khan]

Anyone in this group who does yoga to help TOS. I would like to learn, share about yoga for TOS. Yoga helps me overall a lot and keeps me fit but I wonder whether some poses are harmful.

Thanks

Khan

[Peg24]

I tried it once, but it seemed to cause flare ups. Of course, I was not going to a class and learning it properly. I just bought a tape and tried to do it at home. I probably wasn't doing it correctly.

So who knows, it may help the TOS if done right.

Peggy

[Jomar]

I have a set of yoga CDs - but many of the poses have too many arm extended out or up uses -or the leaning over with arms on floor.

arms out or up = stops blood flow in my arms
and leaning over = the head weight pulls on my neck & C & T spine

some of them I can do & should start again

Maybe for us {as beginner/injured persons} we need a geriatric yoga or therapeutic yoga.

[Wittesea]

I have a "yoga for beginners" DVD that I bought to try to help. I have fibromyalgia, connective tissue disease, and a shoulder problem that may or may not be TOS.

I discovered that the actual Yoga was causing flares and pain -- but the pre-Yoga stretches and warm-up exercises do not cause a flare, and they are helpful.

So, I do the warm-up and the stretches, but I avoid the actual yoga.

[annhere]

Hello,

I'm trying a YOGA HOT CLASS this week I'll you know how it goes...they say just the simple strecthing alone it great for our bodies.....and at least it will be warm in there...

[Nolina]

Hi Khan. My experience mirrors Wittsea's exactly - the stretching and warmup, and even some of the stretching-oriented beginning poses are very helpful (and calming) to me but the majority of the actual yoga poses I have to severely modify or skip entirely, as they flare me up. My Pain Mgmt PT from a long time ago actually is the one who got me into Yoga, showed me correct form, and helped me modify some of the poses to work around my arm problems. Any thing with weight-bearing on the arms, wrists, or neck of course is a no-brainer for me to skip. Holding arms out for extended periods is another one that flares so i just don't hold them up that long- but a little bit sometimes gives a good stretch. I'm also working on a Pilates tape - silimlar issues. TOSers just have to be VERY Careful and start VERY slowly & ease into things. Sounds like you are already well into it though - good for you, Khan! Please do be careful, though. I don't remember who it is but there is at least one gal on the board who did get injured while practicing yoga.

Thanks for starting this thread - please keep us posted!

-Nolina