Yoga and exercise

[Darrow112]

Hi All!

My mother has MND and wants to do some form of exercise. Her condition means that her balance isn't very good but she wont allow that to deter her. For this I was wondering about yoga specifically for the upper body, and Im looking for general recommendations since the Physios haven't really dealt with MND patients where I live. And on another note - has anyone tried a mini exercise for exercising the legs?

 

[lgelb]

We recommend exercise for all PALS. When the ability to initiate movement is reduced or gone, "passive range of motion" where someone else massages/bends/raises/lowers the limbs and extremities, while protecting fragile joints, is of value in maintaining circulation and reducing the pain of immobility, pretty much to the end.

Not knowing what your mom's musculature and abilities are like, it is hard to specify possible regimens but if she is still walking, which it sounds like she is, perhaps some of the regimens that are chair-based as you can find on YouTube, would be appropriate, with someone with her when she bends her trunk, or an exercise band around her torso, to ensure safety given her compromised balance. That kind of a regimen would have her moving her arms and legs as well, e.g. kicking out, as much as she is able.

She could do similar exercises in bed, both on her back and seated.

The keys in any exercise in MND are not to exercise to exhaustion, not to try what can't be done, to protect the joints and obviously to be safe. Perhaps if you suggested to the physio that the limitations in MND are fairly similar to those in muscular dystrophy in terms of progression and SCI in terms of tetraplegia, you might get more understanding.

 

[KarenNWendyn]

I can tell you something about yoga and ALS. I started doing a form of yoga called Iyengar yoga prior to my diagnosis. This type of yoga makes use of props such as blankets, belts, blocks, chairs and bolsters to help people achieve the poses. So if someone has difficulty doing the full pose, the instructor will suggest a prop to make the pose easier or allow the student to do a partial version of the pose. Teachers have to go through rigorous certification.

My instructor has me positioned between a wall and a tressle (looks a little like a balance beam) for the standing poses so I don’t fall. I can stand, but my balance is terrible. A lot of the poses are done sitting or lying down.

This form of yoga is excellent for people with orthopedic issues. For someone with ALS, it will be ok as long as the PALS can get up off the ground (I can do this with assistance). It also helps if you can stand unassisted and if you can sit on the ground.

Many Iyengar studios have classes designated as gentle or adaptive or level 1, and those are the ones to seek out.

I love this form of yoga but can see there will be a time when I will no longer be able to continue it.

 

[Nikki J]

Exercise can be a good thing as long as she follows a few guidelines. You can’t strengthen dying muscles and as Laurie says don’t overexert. My clinic says if it takes more than an hour to recover fully it was too much. Of course whatever she does stay safe and don’t risk a fall.

When you say mini exercise for the legs are you by chance asking about a mini cycle / pedal machine? Those are used by quite a few I think. They were used in an exercise study ( see below). I have one.

Stretching is good too It feels good and helps maintain flexibility. Yoga is wonderful if she finds a form that works for her abilities

The exercise study will be discussed in a webinar coming soon. If you can’t listen live it will be archived very soon after. NEALS has a lot of webinars so you might want to browse the site
https://www.neals.org/for-people-wi...of-resistance-and-endurance-exercise-in-amyot

One thing to remember about the study is that these patients were carefully monitored and the amount and intensity of the exercise prescribed and adjusted. In particular in the resistance training arm they determined amount of weight by a percentage of max. When they increased the percentage they retested the people first. If the muscle was weakening they could end up lifting LESS even though the percentage of max increased.

It was a really interesting and well done study.

 

[chally]

I placed a video for light exercise on here but not sure how to get it back.

Title was " Jane Fonda" workout video maybe this help.

Go slowly,gentle
Chaly

 

[Nikki J]

Here it is https://www.alsforums.com/forum/general-discussion-about-als-mnd/40737-j-ne-f-nda-workout-video.html

One way to find a thread if you know the author is to look at their profile, choose statistics, then see all threads by. It will show in descending order the threads started by that person. You can also use the search function though jane fonda would not have yielded this thread as Chally did not spell out the name

 

[KimT]

I found the best exercise for me is to go in a very warm swimming pool and walk while moving my arms. Sometimes I use a noodle.

I met a lady at my condo who is a yoga instructor. She invited me to try something called restorative yoga. Apparently she has some people with MS and Parkinson's in her class. She said it was done mostly on the ground (thick mat) on your back. She said there would be people to assist me, if necessary, during the class. She said I could go for free! Now, all I have to do to try it out is wake up early enough to get there (about 20 minute drive) by 9:30.

The only thing I've done during the Winter is walk 10 minutes on the treadmill about 6 times a week. I hang on and go at a pretty fast pace (3.2mph.) I have no trouble with this exercise because the treadmill is flat. When I tried going out walking I had trouble with navigating over bumps and even beach sand. The other thing I do is warm up with a heating pad and gently stretch my arms and legs. I have a lot of pain so I have to be very careful. I have a good range of motion but not without pain so I stop when the pain hits.

Our Winter was pretty cold here so they haven't turned on the outdoor pool heat yet. It was on for a few weeks in February. Hopefully, I can get back in the warm pool water in April. By then they will leave the heat on until the Summer heat takes over.

I was doing the treadmill on an incline and it felt good while doing it but it hurt my back and knees after so I stopped.