"J'ai steef"

I was at a track meet in Quebec City some 20 years ago, and I heard a young female athlete moan to her friends, "J'ai steef" (I am pretty sure she meant "stiff").  Frenglish? or is "steef" part of the French-Canadian language now?

But I digress.  Pour moi, je suis raide (or maybe "rigide".  I am not sure which is correct.)

Yup, I am"raide" all over.  Perhaps you are too, especially if you have PD. I have read that stiffness is another curse sent to us by our pesky condition.

Getting out of bed after a night's sleep, or what slightly resembles a sleep, is a chore.  Legs don't bend that easily.  From the bed to the toilet, I am a perfect Frankenstein.  You know, stiff arms, stiff legs.  After less than a minute, I reach the point where I can bend my limbs.  So what now?  I do some stretching, followed by 30 - 60 minute workout.  Et voila!  Movement becomes easier - an easier stiffness.

Foxfeed did an article with recommendations to help ease PD stiffness.  The following is a summation:

1.  Move - don't stay in one place too long.  I ignore this because I am at my computer for hours on end and guess what?  J'ai steef!

2.  Develop and maintain an exercise regime.  I did and do.  I credit it with slowing the advancement of my PD.

3.  Have a hot bath to relax your muscles.  I do this almost daily and almost daily, I fall asleep in the tub.  It does help relieve some stiffness; but, one caution.  Don't try to read a book.  You may never learn what happens in the end.  I speak from experience.

4.  Try weight lifting - not sure if that doesn't add to the stiffness, but I do it anyway as part of my exercise plan.

5.  Try Yoga - I will do so as soon as it has been reliably ascertained that hell has frozen over.  Those yoga contortions are impossible.  I am sure yoga is beneficial, but I can't do it.  Just not in the ballpark.

Maybe if I could do yoga, my circumstances would change but until then, or until I do at least 4 of the 5 regularly, the following will be my history and my future:

 I was steef, I still am steef and I will be steef until I am a steef.