I am a yoga instructor and I would to make sure I offer challenging and appropriate sessions to a new student with KDA. Anyone has any experience with the poses that work well with an individual diagnosed with KDA. The student I worked with had excellent flexibility. Any recommendations??

I practiced Tai Chi and Qigong for many years and felt the postures were very helpful. I also incorporated a little yoga into my sessions. I still practice a form of Qigong today that is very user friendly and helpful.

The key is to not over-extend/exert the person to a point where they are causing greater muscle wasting/damage. We published a "Smart Exercise Guide" (it can be found on our website) and in it we give certain warnings as to over-doing.

Stretching is extremely good for the muscles. Make certain the student does not over-do especially at first and monitor their level of strength/weakness/energy for signs of increased muscle damage. When the student has a doctor's visit, have him ask for a blood test to measure the CPK count. This is an excellent reference point over-time of whether their is increased muscle wasting. It will always be high, but if it has increased substantially than a flag should go up.

I hope this helps.

Naomi, My husband has KD but still manages to do some limited physical activity. His level of activity changes from day to day depending on how his body feels. I just wanted to say thank you for taking the time to inquire about needs and limitations for your student that has KD. Your willingness to learn about this disease not only shows your compassion but your level of professionalism. I'm sure that both of you will greatly benefit from your knowledge. BRAVO!! Thanks for what you do!