Will 21 days of yoga make a difference regarding range of motion (ROM), flexibility and strength if you have MS?

Who knows?

As much as I love certain modalities that I use to create wellness (Feldenkrais, myofascial work, walking, rowing machine, eliptical & yoga), it’s hard to find something that creates a large, holy shit, this-is-so-cool-you-should-write-a-book-about-it, long-term type of change. Instead, my health toolbox tends to only house tools that create small (sometimes infinitesimal) changes which although I appreciate, I find frustrating.

It’s been a long eight years.

For example, it’s taken me about 7 months to see a change in my arm and hand since getting my DBS brace.  Although my arm hangs more normally when I walk, stress, fatigue and sometimes just being pissed off can make it bend and throw my hand into contracture. Since it’s hot as hell and I’m stuck indoors in air conditioning most days I thought, Why not commit to a 21 day yoga challenge and see what happens?

Now, I don’t think 3 weeks of yoga will result in my suddenly being able to breakdance or play cats in the cradle with yarn, but maybe I will be able better lift my arm and use two hands to wash my hair after doing a daily asana for a couple weeks?

The plan is to attend as many classes as possible at Sol Yoga because being pushed by an instructor is always best. Plan B is to head to the studio on off hours and do my own thing where I’ll have access to props but am away from distractions like laundry. Plan C involves unrolling my mat or plopping on a meditation pillow at home.

Day 1 found me very frustrated by my left pinky toe.

Now before you roll your eyes understand that you use your feet and toes a lot in yoga. Not being able to move them independently is frustrating enough. Having your pinky toe bent the wrong way, hurts like hell. I’m constantly trying to use my good foot to position my bad foot all while keeping myself from face-planting.

I’m also a teacher at this studio and want to represent it well. So hopefully no one heard me when I said, “Mother fucker!” under my breath when I thought I was ripping a digit off my foot.

Oddly enough at the start of class when I got on my back, got out of my head, began to focus on my breathing and got more fully into my body, I noticed that it was my right side that hurt the most. Clearly I spend so much time focusing on my left side that often I neglect the rest of my body, which totally isn’t cool.

We begin where we are and how we are and whatever happens happens. ~ TKV Desikachar

But I really hope something happens.