Problems Yoga and Pilates

Oh - I’m about to start a proper yoga class tomorrow although I have been doing lots of stretches/planks & light weights for the last couple of years.

I might mention this to the instructor jeanie99.

I've stopped all my classes and gym work until I see the physio.
Most people seem to be alright but this was my experience.

I think there are a number of teachers of all sorts of excersise who have little or no knowledge of the harm they can potentially cause. You either need to know some basics before you start about what not to do or you need a class with a qualified physiotherapist in charge. When I injured my knee my physio told me never to allow my knees to extend beyond my toes when I did a squat. It's amazing how many people do that. Hope you are soon back to full health jeannie99 and you find a class to suit you.

trisher is correct. There are any good teachers out there and some who ought not to be let loose on the public.

Firstly any good teacher will always see who is new and get them to fill out a health check form.

They will keep an eye on the class and offer alternatives for more or less able people.

Beware the type of teacher who is more concerned with showing you how supple he/she is and not moving around the class to check you are doing the exercises correctly.

You ought to be warned not to push yourself too hard or too far.

Trisher Anja
I think you have hit the nail on the head.
Not enough instructors who are fully qualified to advice clients.
One of the problems as a novice is I had no idea the type of movement which could cause problems for me.
You go to a class and assume what you are doing is correct when it may not be.
I am very reluctant now to do any class.

jeannie99, yoga by tradition is a gentle activity, not designed to destroy the body or push it beyond its limits- it's designed to gently align the body, not torque it out of proportion- I'm repeating what a Yogi of 50 years in another forum repeats frequently when people complain of injury- unlike other activities, no pushing of the body is involved-

I have gone back to yoga after a gap of several years. The instructor is an older person who has been teaching for very many years, tells us not to do any movement we feel we do not want to or feel unable to do and takes extreme care to make sure every movement is done slowly. She ensures that we are extremely careful when doing any neck exercises.

I did not get on with Pilates although I tried it on two occasions for several lessons many years ago.
Callanetics also seemed to cause me hip problems years ago.

You go to a class and assume what you are doing is correct when it may not be
A good instructor should be watching the class carefully to ensure they do the movements correctly.

I took up reformer Pilates last year and have never looked back. Classes are 1 to 1 as I’ve had a Hip replacement and the other is bone on bone. My instructor watches me like a hawk. Even if I go to scratch my arm - she’s like what’s going on there ?
Get your check up with physio and once that’s done go back to a class it’s good to stretch and keep moving. Can you do 1 to 1 anywhere to get your confidence back?

There can be a lot of "cold" static stretches in yoga and pilates which pretty much all other trainers advise against.

Ironically, "gentle" beginners yoga classes are worst for this. Dynamic or hot yoga is okay.

Stretching without warming up is not good.

Following a cardio class with a yoga class is fine.

Getting out of your car and then straight into a static hold yoga class = gonna injure you.

Yoga types are VERY defensive of yoga as if there is no such thing as a bad yoga class, but of course there is!

"Flow" type dynamic yoga is less lkely to sprain if you are not going to significantly warm up before class (or in it like in a hot yoga class)

I am 75 and I have been doing pilates and Tai Chi for 2 years. I assume I have good teachers because I have had no problems, but I do think as we get older we can have hidden problems that do not reveal themselves until they are put under some stress.

DH started Tai Chi with me but had to give up after about six weeks because it made him feel dizzy and unwell. We knew he had some damage to his top neck vertebrae, but neither we, nor the tutor could not identify anything about the exercises we were doing that could cause dizziness. However the tutor told him, not to do some of the exercises, but it made no difference and he had to stop doing it.

Outside Tai Chi, his neck damage causes him no problems, no pain and doesn't limit his movements or what he does, he is still an enthusiastic DIY-er, stretching and bending when necessary without problem, yet Tai Chi for some reason affected him adversely.

Have an Epsom salts bath to ease your pain. People who do yoga tend to overstretch too soon before the muscles are warmed up sufficiently. I find that 50% of yoga teachers don't take into account a beginners needs. Hope you feel better soon

Thank you everyone for your kind comments and advice.

Because of the problems I've had my GP sent me for a bone density scan and I have been diagnosed with osteoporosis.
I am now on treatment for the disease. I am trying to think positive and the one good thing to come out of this is at least I know I have osteoporosis so am getting the treatment I need.
Having worked out at the gym for many years before retirement and at least twice a week for the first few years into retirement I am at a total loss to understand how I have got this dreadful disease.
I have been for my first appointment with the Physio. He was unable to provide me with an exercises program because he said he would not be there to check I was doing it correctly.
I have other health issues and even the GP believed the Physio would be able to advice.
I think the only thing to do is try and find a one to one Physio class or small class for stretching and body alignment.
I am starting my walking group next week and may add a couple more days to try and keep as active as possible.

You've got a diagnosis and I'm sure your doctor will put you on the right medication. Be sure to take calcium and vit d. Get out in the sunshine and enjoy your gentle exercise. Some personal trainers are very good and can help and coach you to do specific mobility exercises which you will find helpful. Keep going, there's no other choice really, don't let the condition get the better of you. Enjoy your life x

Some personal trainers are actually qualified physiotherapists. Thats probably who you need

I went to an introductory yoga session in a new @Wellness Centre' in town. It was billed as 30 mins and when we got there the person leading the session (didn't tell us her name) said it was an hour. The door was locked! The room was unbearably hot - 'yes this is hot yoga' she said. She didn't check for any problems or issues- she did say go at you own pace. Most people there seemed to be very experienced and easily completed the very fast moves. About hald way through I felt faint with heat and as I was at the back of the class I couldn't move. I lay down with my water bottle on my head for the next half hour - she didn't check on me. At the end of the session she went round the room accepting the congratulations of the others and when she eventually got to me I managed to stand up by holding on to the wall and trying not to be sick. 'Well she said your t shirt is rather thick'. I haven't gone back.

Hot yoga is very hot. You do need to be in pretty much underware to be comfortable.

Our local hot yoga does ask for pre existing conditions and there are some which are banned from our hot yoga classes.

I have noticed, and I have tried a LOT of different pilates and yoga classes over the years, that when a yoga/pilates teacher does go around the room before hand, and if anyone does say "actually yes, I have X condition or Y injury or am pregnant etc"...... the response is always "okay well go at your own pace"

Why do they bother asking if they dont actually know anything about injuries or illnessss? (Other than to cover themselves legally..)

My advice would be to always check qualifications. My Pilates has a maximum of 6 in the class. We all fill in health forms and inform the instructor of any changes so the exercises can be re-adapted to particular needs. Every person does a version of exercises according to their ability to strengthen weak spots - there's no opting out or waiting whilst others carry on. We work at our own pace . Also on site is a trained injury / illness practitioner who is also a Pilates instructor and before you even join a class you have to attend a one to one detailed session.

hello Jeannie99. (sorry rather late reply as just found this thread). I too have just been diagnosed with osteoporosis, a blow as I have been active for most of my life. However, a friend who is three years older than me had the same diagnosis and with the medication, which you take weekly now has a bone density out of the osteoporosis zone which has encouraged me greatly. And 800mg vit D daily. Good luck. x

Having done yoga for 18 years in the Netherlands I started a class here. Within a few months I had bursitis in my hip and on on occasion it gave me severe vertigo. You have to be very careful to find a good instructor who knows what they are doing.

The yoga class I go to is run by a lady who, in addition to full yoga teacher training, studied therapeutic yoga. Each week she works on a different topic, body part or system. She adapts all the positions to suit our various capabilities and it works very well. We use the walls, straps, blocks and bolsters as required to support us. I'm terrible at it but I try. Getting down to the floor and back up is a problem for me but there's no rush.
It's worth finding the right teacher and class. There are a max of 5 of us in a class btw.

It's all about finding the right class for you. I have a great yoga teacher and go to her gentle class for older people. I have practised yoga since the 1970s off and on with at least 6 teachers. One excellent person who moved away but I'm not sure I could manage the discipline of iyengar yoga anymore. I'm over 70.

Pilates was recommended by my doctor to help with problems of ageing, arthritis and giving birth 4 times, so I went and felt the benefits until that class folded.

I wouldn't blame the exercise itself but no good teacher would make you do anything to cause damage.

I remember saying I needed WD40 for my joints but my teacher said "but yoga is the WD40!"