I am a complete newbie to this so first Hi everyone!
I was diagnosed 3 months ago and still coming to terms with this wretched condition. I love any kind of sport, I used to run and do triathlons so have found it difficult to accept I can no longer train as I used to. But I am struggling to find things that don't hurt! I decided to try Bikram Yoga and have done a total of three classes. I really enjoy it but am worried the heat aggravates the inflammation in my joints - my ankle in particular and am scared to go back. The teaches are convinced this is in my head and that Bikram can do no harm and is good for arthritis - but frankly I don't believe they really know what Psoriatic arthritis is!
Does anyone else have any experience of this type of yoga? Good or bad I'd love to hear views.
The style of Yoga is fine (in fact prolly feels pretty good).... HOWEVER if you ar immunosupressed at ALL be Very careful About the studio it pretty easy to get an infection.... (folks sweat A LOT) The other issue is if you are inflammed in some joints its pretty easy to over bend hypermobile joints....
I did yoga the first few decades of having PsA. My rule of thumb was if it does not hurt go for it. I do not have any experience with Bikram Yoga. The only yoga I am able to do now is in a heated pool, 88-92 degrees. It feels wonderful. I agree with Lamb (as usual!) watch out for infection, hand washes, wiping mats with wipes, etc. Good luck!
Hi Aimee, welcome to the group! Have found yoga to feel good and be beneficial most of the time, but never tried Bikram. I have problems with heat, and if temp goes above 75 start feeling severe fatigue. Don't know if anyone else has that problem... I would guess that the teachers don't understand PsA. I used to be very holistic minded and was a massage therapist. It was difficult for me to wrap my mind around a disease that forces you to take terrible drugs. Took awhile to understand and come to terms with PsA...but pain has a way of changing one's mind. I would say, listen to your body. It will tell you what you need to know. Pay attention to how it feels for a couple of days after. And if you're taking biologics, stay away from other people's ick :-)
The main issue with hot yoga, for anyone but especially for people with musculoskeletal issues, is that it is easy to overdo it in the heat. That can lead to flares and more problems.
My sister was a yoga teacher for years, and she does not recommend hot yoga in general. She saw too many people coming into "regular" yoga with injuries or just soreness from overdoing it in hot yoga. Room temp yoga may be a little more difficult, but you probably will feel more easily when you are overdoing it, and stop before you wreck something.
Thanks all for your replies. I have a lot of inflammation in my ankle - synovitis and tenosynovitis of the tendons, and joint effusions on the toe joints. I am also hypermobile which probably doesn't help. When i first went to Bikram I had only just been diagnosed and not yet started Methotrexate, the heat seemed to send the inflammation into overdrive - my foot was burning up, it felt like it was on fire, and the skin visible reddened. I had to put in in cold water to calm it down.
I went back a couple of times since being on the methotraxte and the foot has not reacted so bably but I do ice it afterwars as that seems to help the foot generally. Its a shame as the heat and stretches help my hips and shoulders that are also affected by PsA. I think I will leave it a few weeks and let the drugs calm down my inflammatory ankle then try again. I wonder if this type of Yoga helps when the arthritis is not so scute, as definetely helps keep joint mobile and strong, but during acute flares when there is active inflammation the heat doesn't seem to do my ankle any favours - thats my theory at the moment anyway..
The problem with "heat" and stretching (my opinion anyway) is it relaxes he muscles gauring that joint. probably not a problem and even a good thing. Its si ilar to water stuff. But a hypermobile joint means you are either a cheerleader/gymnast or if you are arthritic have just enough inflammation in the synovium to push the joint out of the "socket". It could be pretty damaging. Maybe a brace on the hypermobile joint? I'd talk to a GOOD trainer amiliar with arthritis..... I gotta tell you, my wifes company does business with one of these studios and the times have been there, I have felt pretty good just being in the room. My wife says its not the heat, music, cucumber water or lighting, but rather the female participants, but what does she know???
Hi Aimee, just saw your post. I have been doing Bikram Yoga since September (5 months) 3 - 4 times a week. I love it and it helps my joints and pain. I have 2 small children and couldn't get through the week without it. I felt very weak before, but since I started it has helped me relieve pain and gain some much needed energy, even during a flare. I will say this however, I am very careful not to overdo it and sit down many times throughout the class sometimes only doing the first set. I never push myself too much and I do not go when I have a cold or cough coming on. My instructors are aware of my condition and just let me do as much as comfortable and don't push me.