Yoga

crystalphm

I have had a double mastectomy and have just began yoga, I am a complete beginner. I do have occasional lymphedema in my left arm, and I do wear a compression sleeve and gauntlet for my lesson and practice.

We did one "exercise" where I was flat on my back, then had to lay on my right side and slide my palms across each other...then lay on my left side. This was on a yoga mat, but wow, I knew right away my lymph edema side didn't like this and I spent 3 days MLD to get it calmed down again. I don't even lay well on my sides in a bed.

 Is there anything else I should be aware of? Is it trial and error for what is best for me? Is this even a good idea?

cooka

Hi Crystal,

I love yoga, but with LE I have moved away from "Vinyasa flow" type yoga and now I just do a Bikram style where I hold poses longer. Basically, I found a studio that does a Bikram-like series without the heat (heat is too high for my LE).  There are no planks, down dogs or any of that.  My personal trial and error proved to me that i just can't do down dogs or planks safely.   I think everyone is different, but I credit praticing yoga with keeping me calm and healthy through tx (it is also how I found my lump!).

Even if you skip poses that are a problem for you and just lay there deep breathing, I think it is worth taking the time to go. 

Anonymous

I have no experience with yoga, but others here besides Cooka have also said the downward dog move is not good. The PAL trainer who worked with me last year said I needed to be very careful about planks, would have to slowly progress in strength doing modified positions before actual plank, if I ever might be able to do. I think others here have said plank is issue for them as well.




Cooka, thanks for the info about types of yoga and why one would be preferable to others.

hrf

For the past 4 months I've been going to a Therapeutic Yoga class which is amazing. Its a small class - usually only a few people and everyone has different issues. The instructor knows us well and she never does things like downward dog ..... she works on flexibility as well as strength and balance but she never allows anyone to aggravate an issue -- and instead of lying there doing deep breathing while everyone else is doing poses, she modifies any pose and uses lots of props. It's NOT Restorative Yoga which is what I initially was looking for. After 4 months of Therapeutic Yoga, I do feel better - more flexible and stronger - although I guess that's relative considering where I started. I also wear my compression sleeve and the instructor is very knowledge about what I can and can't do and what I should be working on. I highly recommend this type of yoga.

Moderators

Hi CrystalPHM,

You may find it helpful to check out the main Breastcancer.org site and the new Lymphedema section, which has lots of good info on Lymphedema and Exercise, Reducing Risk of Lymphedema and Lymphedema Flare-Ups, Exercise as Treatment for Lymphedema, and much, much more.

Hope this helps!

--The Mods

NatsFan

I take a Gentle Yoga class that sounds much like HRF's Therapeutic Class.  We use a lot of props like blocks and straps, and do a lot of stretching moves.  We also take longer to get into the poses and hold them longer - not so much the flowing from one pose to the other.  I also wear my compression sleeve and gauntlet, and the instructor is aware of my LE and that I won't do poses like downward dog, cobra, and other poses that put too much stress on my arms.  My instructor has worked with me and gives me alternate poses I can do while the rest of the class is doing "real" poses.  Any good instructor should be able to give you some alternate moves you can do during class.  Yes, my sun salutation is pretty ugly, but who cares? 

I find that many of the stretches and breathing exercises mimic many of the Lebed moves.  I've been taking this yoga class for almost 4 years and it definitely helps improve my truncal LE.  I can always tell when we have a few weeks off between sessions - my truncal often starts to flare a bit.

kira66715

I haven't done yoga in a while, but just spoke to a friend who returned from a weekend at Kripalu (?sp) retreat, and she said she spoke to a woman there who strongly recommended restorative yoga, and felt that much of the modern yoga had evolved from a different philospophy.

I would love to do yoga again, but only with an instructor who would understand.

I have an inner ear problem, a vestibulopathy, from a virus I got in college, and the last yoga class I ever did, I did a Tibetan move, and it kicked the vertigo into high gear, and I literally fell to the floor, and the instructor admitted that it sent her to the ER once(???) and I sure haven't tried yoga since.

But, I think standing poses, twists, restorative poses, with caution about head movements and my arm, would all be good and the breathing and relaxation were great.

Kira

Leah_S

I started yoga in Feb. It's a beginner's class, very small, and the instructor is very good at adjusting poses, etc to different difficulties - one woman has a bad knee, another is pregnant, and there's me with the LE. I do downward dog against a wall, and other poses that would strain my arm are also adusted.

It's been the best thing I could have done. I was having a lot of difficulty with the stiffness from Femara - unlike other SEs from it, it was getting worse instead of better but since I've been doing yoga it's so much better. I also still had ROM problems in my surgery-side arm that has improved immensely.

One of the first questions I asked the PS recently was how soon after surgery I can go back to yoga!

Leah

crystalphm

I really appreciate all of the feedback...I return on Tuesday and this time have the idea that I should not be laying on my sides on the floor, that hurt too much and caused a little but of Lymphedema...It so much helps me to feel informed!

Thanks...I will let you know how it goes.

kira66715

bump