Phil,

Thanks for the post. I've seen other posts about drummers with pain of different sorts, and while its always good to go to a doctor, many times, especially guys, we try to self diagnose ourselves, especially, if the pain isn't that bad.
Anyway, I can relate, my wife and I do yoga or pilates together at times, and it is very beneficial to my body and drummer. The streching alone does wonders.
I also have wrist and forearm pain from typing which is why my posts usually are not very long. 
I also find that if I have not done any yoga or streching that the pain from typing is greater. So if I keep the practicing regular and also a workout, everything feels great. Its just that life, work and family make my schedule of workouts and practicing unregular.
While we may use it to keep our arms loose and pain free, I think that yoga and other workouts are a great preventative medicine for other drummers .

I just started pilates a month or so ago and have been doing yoga for a few years. I definitely notice a difference in my body pain issues. I have disc problems in my back and neck and arthritis in my knees and shoulders and staying in shape with these exercises along with some pool tim really makes a difference. Pilates is really a great workout and something I wished I had known about 20 years ago!

Pilates is an amazing workout. Max Wineburg is a more famous drummer who has talked about pilates in some interviews. It's kind of expensive to do 1 o 1 sessions with an instructor but well worth it. You can do a group mat class at most gyms on the cheap. My wife is an instructor and we have worked out a plan that focuses on drummer problems; back, calves, and shoulders.