Gentle exercise — like Dru yoga — is best for fibromyalgia

“It was a dark and stormy night…”

Truly it was dark and stormy, that night several years ago, as I stood outside the locked door of the Sunshine Coast Arts Centre, waiting for the doors to open for my first yoga class since moving to the Coast. Alas, the doors never opened. But I’ve since found many other yoga classes here to choose from.

While many people with chronic conditions report that exercise makes them feel worse, instead of better, they’re usually referring to intense aerobics or gym workouts.

Instead, consider kinder, gentler forms of exercise, like yoga, qigong and tai chi. Keep in mind, though, that there are many forms of each of these disciplines.

Three years ago, for instance, I took a wonderful class in Dru Yoga. Although some of the poses are a little tough for someone with fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue, the Dru Yoga philosophy is to happily teach simpler versions of any “difficult” pose.

Dru uses what is called a “soft body” approach, and is often spoken of as “the yoga of the heart.”

No Dru Yoga near you? Look for classes with titles like:

• Restorative Yoga
• Transformational Yoga
• Gentle Yoga