Adaptive Yoga: MS

“Yoga teaches us to cure what need not be endured and endure what cannot be cured.” - B.K.S. Iyengar

 https://www.evergreenhealth.com/ms-yoga-videos

• As you learn how to focus awareness on your breathing, you can observe how your mind can feel calmer and your body more relaxed.
• Each pose is designed to support the body’s joints, muscles, structure and function. Every pose can be modified to its simplest form (krama) and can be practiced in a variety of positions. You can be standing, sitting in a chair or wheelchair, or even lying on the floor or in bed –- wherever you are most comfortable at that point in time.
• Visualization, which involves combining a breathing practice while imagining performing the poses, may also be beneficial for people with MS, including those with reduced mobility.

A simple breathing practice

Get comfortable—sitting or lying down; Breathe in slowly through your nose and then breathe out slowly through your nose. Cool air in/warm air out. Close your eyes and continue to breathe in this way for a few moments. Concentrate on your breath. If your focus drifts, bring your concentration back to your breath.

Adaptive Yoga

Adaptive Yoga adapts the instruction and practice of yoga to each body in a safe, comfortable, 'makes sense' way. Yoga can be accessible to everyone no matter how your body is at any moment.

All the different styles of yoga ask you to 'start where you are'. Only you know how it feels to be in your body. Adaptive Yoga helps you identify where that starting point is without making any judgment about it. For example, if you can’t lift your toes or your arm right now, you can adapt the pose to accommodate your body’s needs and abilities. Your abilities may be different from day to day, even hour to hour. Awareness of the changes always allows you to adapt the poses to “where you are.”

The aim of practicing yoga is not to merely assume specific postures, but rather to combine breathing, posture, movement and awareness to achieve relaxation, body awareness and possibly other benefits.

How can yoga help manage multiple sclerosis?

Living in a body affected by MS may be uncomfortable or even painful. Everyday tasks can be difficult.

• Practicing yoga can give you tools to help manage everyday tasks that include balancing to stand or walk, strengthening and alignment for standing up and sitting down on a chair, toilet or bed, and core strength for everything you do. The relaxing benefits of yoga may also help manage the unique challenges of MS, such as lying in an MRI machine for extended periods of time, receiving injections or infusions, staying calm during an exacerbation and focusing when meeting with your health care professionals.

Dr. Allen Bowling, in Optimal Health with Multiple Sclerosis, 2014 summarizes the existing research on yoga and concludes:

•  “Yoga is relatively inexpensive, generally safe, and may potentially improve multiple sclerosis symptoms. One rigorous MS clinical trial found that yoga decreased fatigue. Other studies in MS and various other medical conditions have reported improvement in anxiety, depression, fatigue, bladder function, pain, spasticity, weakness and walking. There are anecdotal reports but minimal research on yoga and sexual function. For general health, yoga may improve arthritis pain, reduce blood pressure, and promote weight loss. The effects of yoga on these conditions may secondarily benefit those with MS because these conditions may worsen disability and lower quality of life in those with MS.”

A simple posture practice

Feel where your shoulder blades are on your back. Now, ‘slide’ the bottom points of your shoulder blades downwards toward your waist. Feel your shoulders lower and your chest open

Meditation

• The benefits of meditation address many of the issues faced by people diagnosed with MS. A research study published in 2011 that examined the effects of meditation on pain and quality of life in MS found that participants in the meditation group showed a significant improvement in pain scores and scores for overall physical health, mental health, vitality, and physical role.  
• Most studies tend to be small, however, and while they suggest a positive impact, the evidence is not always clear. More research is needed.    
• Dr. Alan Bowling’s review of the research on meditation and MS (Optimal Health with Multiple Sclerosis, 2014) concludes that:  
• “Meditation is a well-tolerated, low-cost therapy that may provide medical benefits without the use of medication. Limited studies indicate that meditation may be helpful for relieving stress, anxiety, depression, fatigue, insomnia, pain and cognitive problems. It also may improve self-esteem and feelings of control. For general health, meditation may reduce blood pressure and improve blood glucose control.”

http://www.nationalmssociety.org/Living-Well-With-MS/Health-Wellness/Exercise/Yoga

https://www.evergreenhealth.com/ms-yoga-videos