I have a fair few medical problems, most of which involve aching joints and sensitive tendons and crappy lungs.  Of late, some combination thereof has left my right (and dominant) arm incapacitated.  By incapacitated, I mean I cannot grip a pen with my dominant hand.  I cannot type, I cannot sew, I cannot surprise my roommates with a freshly painted silver hallway.  I experience shooting pains that run along the inside and outside of my forearm.  My elbow, wrist and fingers ache.  My hands go numb when I grip a fork.  Sometimes I hear popping sounds. 

I also have a knee problem, also on my right side.  This has been getting progressively worse over the last five years since it was first noticed.  I used to lift weights and jog but now it feels like any activity makes it ache.  In fact, even inactivity makes it ache: if I sit still for the length of an average movie, I cannot bend my knee again for a good fifteen minutes after standing up.  I realize this is not healthy for a person of my tender years and I am seeing a physician to determine a cause and a cure.   In the meantime though, I would like to implore all of my spiritual, crunchy, hippie brethren to STOP TELLING ME I SHOULD DO YOGA! 

I realize that the prevalence of yoga as a form of exercise and a catalyst for awareness has skyrocketed in the last ten years and has helped many a stressed out, disillusioned churchgoer make piece with their privileged-white-American guilt, but if I can't use my right hand to feed myself, what makes you think my wrist/elbow/knee can support my fat ass in Downward Dog?