Iyengar Yoga?

[figgy]

I have a 60 degree thoracic curve. I have resolved to improve my posture and relieve pain through a daily practice of Iyengar yoga, but after my first session I experienced quite a bit of pain around my curve. Im not sure whether this means I'm doing something wrong, or whether its to be expected from an excersise which demands alignment when i am so misaligned! Has anyone else tried yoga and does it make you feel better or worse directly aferwards?

[reneemarie]

Hi. I've been doing Bikram Yoga, which my former chiropractor recommended. I feel wonderful afterward and also experience what feels like increased lung capacity. I do think that the room being heated to over 100 degrees does help loosen the muscles and make it a less painful experience but each of us is different.

[LindaRacine]

Hi figgy...

Check out http://www.yogaforscoliosis.com. The DVD was created by someone with scoliosis, and I believe she uses Ivengar yoga.

Regards,
Linda

[Maureen Janson]

yoga for scoliosis

Hello,
If you are interested in Iyengar Yoga for Scoliosis, Elise Miller is the person to work with. She is based in San Francisco, but travels the US conducting workshops. She is extremely knowledgeable on how to adapt yoga poses for the different scoliotic curves. yogaforscoliosis.com I have found her work so beneficial, that I am working towards obtaining her teacher training certification. (I am based in the Midwest) If you are able to work with her somewhere near your home, I would highly recommend it!
-Maureen

[livingtwisted]

I prefer Iyengar to other schools because of the focus on proper alignment and the use of props and modifications for individual needs. Bikram is great too for loosening things up and getting your heart rate up, but I find the faster pace makes it hard to do things carefully and properly. It just depends what you want to get out of it.

For anyone in Los Angeles, there is an Iyengar trained woman with scoliosis who teaches a yoga for scoliosis class at the Iyengar Institute in LA.

[livingtwisted]

proceed with caution

I also want to mention that while I think yoga can have a lot of benefits, and swore by it for years, I'm starting to move away from it. One of the reasons is that Schroth recommends against a lot of the twisting poses: http://www.schrothmethod.com/about/y...scoliosis-menu. When you do these poses, you'll notice that it tends to exaggerate the hills and valleys of the rib cage.