Yoga help/advice...

[trcylynn]

I've heard so many good things about Yoga that I am ready to give it a committed try. I bought the book Structural Yoga therapy and found the poses that are supposed to help with my scoliosis and Lodorsis.

My problem/question: How do I sequence the poses? I've heard that if you do one you should do the opposite pose after it. Is there a way I'm supposed to start and end? Or can I just do the poses as if they were stretches where order does not matter?

If anyone can help me or give me advice on how to develop my Yoga "routine" I would greatly appreciate it.

Thank you,
Tracy

[BETall]

I've heard so many good things about Yoga that I am ready to give it a committed try. I bought the book Structural Yoga therapy and found the poses that are supposed to help with my scoliosis and Lodorsis.

My problem/question: How do I sequence the poses? I've heard that if you do one you should do the opposite pose after it. Is there a way I'm supposed to start and end? Or can I just do the poses as if they were stretches where order does not matter?

If anyone can help me or give me advice on how to develop my Yoga "routine" I would greatly appreciate it.

Thank you,
Tracy

Hi Tracy : is the yoga book showing you where your large curve beguins and which vertebraes are rotating ?

[structural75]

Hey folks,
I would recommend having a professional of some kind... Doctor, PT, etc examine your spine and write down for you the direction of the curves, the location of each and the subsequent rotations associated with each of them. Unfortunately a book won't be able to tell you which direction these are in your spine... it can be a type I curvature/rotation or type II... the only way to know this about your spine is through individual examination.

Then you can proceed with the yoga poses... I'm familiar with the Structural Yoga book by Mukunda Stiles... Sequencing is is good but not necessary for positive effect. It is generally a good practice to counter all of your poses but with scoliosis you'll want to 'double' your efforts on the specific areas that require greater lengthening/opening/countering to the scoliotic curvature. (Start with a rotation that counters the scoliotic rotation, do one in the direction of the scoliotic rotation and then finish with a rotation countering it again.)

I often recommend yoga to clients with scoliosis and will show them which poses are going to be most important for their body/spine and which directions, etc... Then you can take that info and knowledge of your body onto the mat with you and know that you're addressing your specific needs.

It's fine to also use the poses as 'individual' stretches... just be sure your targeting the right areas.

all the best,
structural

[trcylynn]

Structural:

Do I need someone to tell me my curves? I know I have a left lumbar curve and I have rotation to the left (my right ribs stick out further than the left). Is that enough information to help me determine yoga poses or do I need more?

Also- last night I tried a sequence and I think that I need to stretch my right side more because that feels tighter- is that correct or do I need to stretch the side the curve goes toward more?

For the rotation/twist poses I did twist to the right to counteract my rotation in my spine. Is that correct?

Thank you for the help,
Tracy

[structural75]

Tracy,

You said you had left lumbar curve.. is that left convex? Which side is the curve bending towards, or in other words which side is the concavity on (concavity is the shorter side - i.e. - if you wrote the letter "C" the concavity of the "C" is on the right side.

It is the concave side that you want to stretch/open/lengthen. You may very well feel "tight" on the convex, or longer, side but do not go by "tightness" alone, it can be very misleading. That convex side is probably going to feel "tight" because it has a higher tonus in the musculature in an effort to keep your spine upright as the scoliosis bends your center of gravity off to the other side.

[trcylynn]

Structural,

My curve goes to the left so if I were to write the letter "C" on my back it would literally be a "C." So that means I would want to stretch the right side correct?

Thanks again,
Tracy

[structural75]

Tracy,
Yes, you do want to open/stretch/lengthen the right side (the concave side), particularly in that lower portion, just above the pelvis.

And yes, the left rotation would require a counter to the right.

Sounds like you've got enough to work with... Go for it.

p.s. - For the greatest effect try and remain in some of these stretches/poses for a couple of minutes or so to impact the fascia itself, not just the neuromuscular relaxation of the muscle fibers. And incorporate deep breathin into to facilitate the opening and new neurologic input to that lower right region of the lumbars... Some of those structures (the Quadratus Lumborum muscles/fascia) are continuous with the diaphragm. So utilizing the breath will greatly help to create effect in this region. Of course, it will be easier to 'hold' the stretch in the poses that don't require as much strength... the more passive and restorative types.

Also, have you taken a yoga class before? If not I'd recommend taking a beginner class, or restorative class, just to get an idea of how you can develop some type of "routine" from start to finish... It might make it more enjoyable for you if there was a process involved. Just a thought.

[dsal]

Yoga

I am by far no expert on this, but I have the _Yoga for Scoliosis book and dvd set by Elise Brown-Miller. I love it! It has paid for itself over and over again. It is a nice yoga routine that uses traditional yoga poses, and she suggests certain revisions on doing the poses to best help a person's particular type of Scoliosis.

As Structural mentioned, (even when doing Elise's dvd) it's important to know which way your curves go and where, and if/how your spine is rotated. I was going to a chiropractor at the time I was beginning this yoga and brought the book in with me. He sketched out my Scoliosis curves right in the book to help me better understand how my curves go. And, when I had some questions about certain maneuvers ("Are my ribs becoming compressed on the left or right side?"), he helped me understand.

A physician discusses Scoliosis in the beginning of the dvd,, and there's a computer-graphic picture showing a normal spine and what happens to it as it curves/rotates. It helps me better picture what is going on with my back.

The only think I'd change: I think she should mention what is "needed" to correctly do the dvd. Her yoga routine involves the usage of 1-2 yoga blocks, a folding chair, a non-slip floor mat, blanket to rest your head on, a yoga bolster, and two yoga straps: a short one and a long one. This sounds like a lot of stuff, but surprisingly it isn't. I'm using stuff from around the house to serve all those purposes (a rug-lining pad as my yoga mat, etc.), but I wasn't prepared ahead of time. Perhaps this is mentioned somewhere and I missed it, but I found that having those items are important to do this routine effectively. In other words, it's not worth it to spend money on the dvd and begin it without having the necessary props on hand.

Her routine has helped me IMMENSELY! I feel like a different woman now that I've been doing this for awhile.

I'm not affiliated with Elise Brown-Miller in any way; just a very pleased dvd-student of hers.

HTH,
dsal

Editting to add: I've been off the forum for awhile. After I wrote this post, I began reading the latest posts on the Shoulder thread. I forgot/didn't realize that you already had the Yoga for Scoliosis dvd.

I'm confused by what you said about Elise on that thread. I'll post my question about that thread on that thread instead of on this one. Thanks!

[Ginamarie]

Hi,
I just wanted to add that yoga has been the only saving grace for me as far as pain relief from scoliosis is concerned. I have been practicing it for about 4 years. I was taking a class twice a week and that alone kept my back flexible enough and my ab muscles strong enough to combat the pain. I was even able to stop taking my Ultram for the whole time I was pregnant and while breastfeeding which was altogether over a year. I have recently moved from Virginia to South Carolina and have been too busy to do my yoga lately and boy can I feel the stiffness coming back on with a vengeance! I need to find a class here asap.
So, I would say go to a class if you are a beginner just to learn the basics and then you'll know enough to do it alone at home with or without a dvd to guide you. Plus, the class is so much more relaxing (at least for me with 3 kids at home) LOL!

[KleinJ]

Does Elise Brown Miller's book/DVD address the needs/modifications of those with spinal fusions? I am interested in getting back to practicing yoga but I wonder what it would be like now that I cannot really bend/twist anymore.

Jody

[dsal]

Yoga for scoliosis

Jody, as far as I know, I don't think this is addressed.

My advice would be to buy the book and dvd set. (The "book" is more like a booklet--spiral bound, not too many pages.) I would bring the set with me to my orthopedic surgeon's office app't, and have him glance at the book to see if the poses would be acceptable for you. (The book shows Elise in many different yoga poses with detailed text next to the poses explaining what she's doing.) If your orthopedic surgeon is particularly nice, perhaps he would be willing to sit and watch the dvd "on his own time" and return it to you afterwards. Who knows? Maybe he will want to recommend the dvd to other patients as well.


Hope you're feeling better from your surgery, and that you're enjoying your new, straighter spine!

dsal

[KleinJ]

Thanks. I will buy the book/DVD. I can show it to the Physician's Assistant and see what she thinks. My doctor seems a bit removed from the healing process - although he did a fabulous job "correcting" me.

[sitoutturn]

find a gym with a steam room or sauna it will relax your muscles and you can stretch in there.

[BETall]

find a gym with a steam room or sauna it will relax your muscles and you can stretch in there.

Please go to : www. scoliosistreatment-schroth.com
Sosort.org
Last May in Boston there was a mayor International Scoliosis Conference for another options for your scoliosis rehabilitation specially by trainned Schroth Physical Therapists.