Archive for the ‘yoga for back pain’ Category

By Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

So many myths surround Yoga and back pain that Hatha Yoga teachers should inform the public as to what they should realistically expect from a regular practice. Chronic back pain is a very real ailment, while some health professionals hold to the belief that many cases are psychosomatic.

There is room for debate here; as many of us know the possibility of psychosomatic pain does exist. One theory is that psychosomatic back pain is a result of repressed emotions. A medical professional may feel the combination of a patient’s personality type, and the lack of physical evidence in an MRI or X-ray, makes this person prone to have psychosomatic back pain.

On the other hand, fibromyalgia was misdiagnosed in the past, and many patients were sent home, after being told their pain was “all in their heads.” The wide variety of potential problems with the spine, and the fact that the spinal structure is so complex, make it possible for an expert to miss a visible cause of back pain.

It has been said that four out of five Americans will experience back pain at some point in their lives. The reasons are numerous. We have become a “chair sitting” society. At the same time, there are degenerative disc diseases, arthritis, muscular problems, spinal nerve disorders, and herniated discs to be considered.

Hatha Yoga cannot solve every problem, but asana practice can assure a student that muscular balance will be restored. Some medical experts are of the opinion that muscle imbalances are the source of most forms of “real” back pain and sciatica. In the case of a muscle imbalance, the stronger muscles will pull in one direction, while the weaker muscles on the opposite side, “give way.”

This structural imbalance of the spine, as a result of uneven pressure from opposing muscle groups, causes the bones and joints to become misaligned. To elaborate on this a little further – the spine is at the very center of the physical stress between opposing muscle groups, which cause this structural imbalance.

Hatha Yoga offers more to students than asana practice. For instance, pranayama (Yogic breathing) offers a method for establishing a mind/body connection. Some new practitioners do not see the long term value of pranayama. For example: Pranayama, alone, will calm the mind and make a person feel refreshed.

For those, who have difficulty in understanding this concept, my suggestion would be to try a supervised pranayama practice, with a competent Yoga teacher, guru, or swami. Within one hour, anyone who is new to the practice of pranayama should become a believer. 

In addition to pranayama and asana, we also have meditation. Once again, my suggestion would be to seek out a competent Yoga teacher for guidance in meditation.

All of the above benefits and techniques should be found within a single class. It may require some searching on the part of the person who is experiencing back pain. Yet, the time spent searching for a competent source of information, is small in comparison to the chronic physical back pain one is experiencing.

© Copyright 2010 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

FREE Yoga Report. FREE Yoga Newsletter. FREE Yoga Videos. Free Podcasts. Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”

FREE CONTENT: If you are a Yoga Teacher, Yoga studio, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles). Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste, Paul

By Amber Gilge

The spinal column is one of the most vital parts of our body and can also cause us the most pain and discomfort. It supports our body, protects the spinal cord and nerves, and plays a huge part in our posture and movements. Thus, back pain can greatly affect the quality of one’s life. Back injuries can be highly preventable through the proper exercise and posture.

The most common treatments for back pain include medication, physical therapy, exercise, a change in lifestyle, or surgery. Yoga provides a mild form of exercise that strengthens the back muscles and skeletal system. It can help in preventing the occurrence and re-occurrence of back injuries that could lead to chronic back pain. Asanas (yoga postures) tone your back muscles, which make it more flexible, alleviate pain, and improve posture.

There are many different reasons for back pain. According to Gary Kraftsow, author of Yoga for Wellness, tension and pain in the back are variable and are related to the condition of curves in your spine and the muscles supporting your spine. Examples of back pain are mild to severe pain in your upper back or thoracic region and mild to severe pain in your lower back or lumbar region. Some suffer from mild to severe rigidity and restricted movement in either or both upper and lower back.

With back conditions, it is important to assess the cause of the back pain. If there is serious damage to any of the discs in your back, it is very important that you seek a professional medical diagnosis. This damage usually causes numbness or tingling sensations in your legs and feet or sharp, immobilizing pain in your back. While yoga therapy can help in the healing process of damaged discs, the wrong practice could worsen the condition. The practice of yoga can be very beneficial to diagnosed disc problems after the acute pain has passed.

When you are working with tension, restricted movement, or chronic back pain, there are three main factors to take into consideration. These factors are musculoskeletal condition, neuromuscular patterns, and the biomechanical relationship between your spinal curves.

Your musculoskeletal condition is simply the state of your spine and the muscles surrounding it. One example of a musculoskeletal condition is excessive curvature of the upper back, which is called kyphosis. Excessive kyphosis can result in what is commonly referred to as hunchback and can result in an inward collapse of the chest. This can also affect the curvature of the lower spine resulting in a condition referred to as military spine, which is a flattening of the curvature of the lower spine. Lordosis is another condition considered musculoskeletal, and this is excessive curvature of the lower spine, which can lead to compression on the discs in your lower back. Scoliosis is a third condition, which is a curved lower spine, and this can flatten out your lower curvature and cause compression on the discs as well. According to Kraftsow, all of these conditions are related to corresponding muscular imbalances, chronic muscular contractions, and/or muscular weakness.

Back conditions can begin as a result of an injury or repetitive movement, or a person can be born with it. Often, a tendency toward a back condition or curvature of the spine begins early in the life while bones are still developing. These conditions can then be aggravated by repetitive behavior until it becomes a chronic condition. One example of this is that kyphosis can be exacerbated by long hours hunched forward at a desk.

Neuromuscular patterns are moves your muscles have been trained over time to make and do so automatically. Often these movements aggravate and worsen a back condition. An important aspect of yoga for back pain is that of retraining new and structurally beneficial movements to counteract the neuromuscular patterns you may have developed over a lifetime.

The biomechanical relationship between your spinal curves means that when one curve is out of balance, the other will overcompensate to make up for it. Your muscles contract to support any part of your body that is out of vertical alignment, and this can create muscle fatigue, soreness, and muscles strengthened and trained in a way that causes neuromuscular conditioning in a negative way. One example of this is a woman in the last part of a pregnancy. Her lower back becomes swayed, and weight is pulling her forward. To compensate for this, her upper curve becomes greater to pull some weight back and balance her body. Although she may feel more balanced, it is causing negative neuromuscular conditioning because of this biomechanical relationship.

According to a West Virginia University study funded by the National Institute of Health, people with lower-back pain who practiced yoga did much better at overcoming back pain as well as depression. The study lasted three years and showed lifted mood, less pain, and improved function in the group who did yoga postures compared to a group who received standard medical therapy. “The yoga group had less pain, less functional disability and less depression compared with the control group,” said Kimberly Williams, Ph.D., research assistant professor in the Department of Community Medicine. “These were statistically significant and clinically important changes that were maintained six months after the intervention.” Yoga participants took 90-minute classes twice a week for 24 weeks, doing postures targeted to relieve chronic low-back pain. Follow up continued for six months after the end of classes or therapy. Lower-back pain in the United States represents the largest category of medical reimbursements according to Williams.

There are many different yoga asanas that help alleviate back pain. One of these poses is the shoulderstand. To perform this pose, a person lies on the back with the legs extended together. Bend the legs and bring the knees back to above the chest. Use the elbows and the upper arms as a base and prop the body by placing the hands against the small of the back. Bring the trunk to vertical position and extend the legs straight up so that the legs and trunk form a straight line perpendicular to the floor. Breathe freely and deeply in the abdomen while performing this pose. This move plays a great role in strengthening the spine.

The fish posture is another great asana for maintaining a healthy back. It bends your back in the opposite way as the shoulderstand, so it is good to perform one and then the other. The fish pose relieves the stiffness of the neck and shoulders and helps correct rounding of the back. To perform this pose lie on your back with your legs extended. Place your hands palms down under your thighs. Pressing down on your elbows, inhale and arch your back. Drop your head so that you are resting on the top of your head with your weight on your elbows.

The cobra pose is an excellent pose for those with lower backaches. This posture decreases stiffness in the lower back, enlarges the chest, and strengthens the arms and shoulders. Lie flat on the abdomen, the legs stretched out together, the soles of the feet turned up and the toes flat. The arms are bent and the hands placed flat on the floor in front of shoulders. Inhale and slowly raise the head, neck, and upper back successively, straightening the arms. You should feel the spine bending vertebra by vertebra.

The half spinal twist posture helps prevent backache and tones the spinal nerves and ligaments. To perform this move sit, bend the right knee and place the foot of the bent leg under your other leg and against your buttocks. Then place the sole of the left foot on the floor on the right side of the right knee. Reach out with the right arm and grasp the left foot or ankle – the arm is outside the left leg with the back of the arm against the left side of the left knee. Finally, twist the trunk to the left and gaze over the left shoulder.

An excellent pose to end every yoga practice is the corpse pose. This is a relaxation pose that helps you relax your entire body step-by-step. To perform this pose, follow these steps:

1. Lie flat on your back.

2. Observe your breathing without controlling it for several minutes.

3. Perform deep abdominal breathing.

4. Observe your breath again. Once it is quiet and controlled, continue to the next step.

5. Relax your body using a sequence that goes from left to right, bottom of the body to the top. You should feel drained of tension and limp.

6. Observe your breathing again and repeat the relaxation sequence for 15 to 30 minutes.

Yoga can be a relaxing and efficient way to help decrease or alleviate back pain. A simple routine of ten to fifteen minutes per day could keep back pain at bay. Many yoga postures gently strengthen the back muscles as well as the abdominal muscles. Back and abdominal muscles are essential components of the muscular network of the spine and help the body maintain proper posture and movement. When a person’s back and abdominal muscles are well-conditioned, back pain can be avoided or reduced.

Yoga also plays a huge roll in relieving tension in tight muscles by stretching and relaxing those stressed muscles. Stretching is very important as it allows blood to flow freely which allows nutrients to flow more easily and toxins to be eliminated efficiently. Yoga poses are intended to train the body to be healthy and supple. Consistent yoga practice results in improved posture and overall back health. Unlike many forms of exercise, yoga stretches both sides of the body equally resulting in better posture and alignment.

References:

The Complete Yoga Book. New York, NY: Schocken Books, Inc, 1977. Print.

Kraftsow, Gary. “Yoga for Back Pain.” Yoga for Wellness 1999: Web. 09 Jan 2010. <http://www.viniyoga.com/yogabackpain.html >.

“Yoga Benefits Back Pain Patients.” Medical News Today 02 Sep 2009: Web. 09 Jan 2010. <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/162628.php >.

“Yoga for the Back – How Can Yoga Help Deal with Common Back Injuries.” ABC of Yoga: Web. 09 Jan 2010. <http://www.abc-of-yoga.com/yoga-and-health/yoga-for-back.asp >.

Busch, Fred. “How Yoga Helps the Back.” Spine Health 27 Jan 2004: Web. 09 Jan 2010. http://www.spine-health.com/wellness/yoga-pilates-tai-chi/how-yoga-helps-back .

Amber Gilge teaches Yoga sessions in Havre, Montana.

By Paul Jerard, R-RYT 500

When should Yoga teachers consider specialist training? The answer lies within the needs of students with whom you work. Whether it is a specialized group, or an individual student, each Yoga instructor has his or her limits when considering helping students with special needs. Below is a case, where networking and continuing education are the keys to the therapeutic application of Yoga.

Q: I teach Hatha Yoga in a rural area. A few students have asked me for private lessons for back issues. One couple, in particular, both had back surgeries and their doctors recommend Yoga. I’ve got a Mayo Clinic back care Yoga DVD and a couple of older back care yoga books, but I was wondering if you have any advice or recommendations – or if I should say “no.”

From my location, it is a long way for my students to travel for any other Yoga instruction. I am the most experienced “local Yoga teacher” and would love to create a “private practice” or get more experience and exposure, but definitely want to do the right thing. Again, any ideas, advice, recommendations?

A: About working with students who have special needs: If you are the only Yoga teacher in town, research the ailment, and see if you feel comfortable with your knowledge. Consider networking with local doctors, physical therapists, and chiropractors. Be honest about what you know and what you do not know.

Tell your students what they should realistically expect from a private session with you. We know that a steady practice of Hatha Yoga sessions will help students, who need to take care of their backs. In fact, there is a need for back care basics for most adults. In areas where adults sit at home, in transit, and on the job, the need for back maintenance is compounded.

Regardless of where we live, the aging process is a reality. As we age, our muscles tighten, bones decrease in density, the range of motion within joints becomes shorter, muscle mass decreases, tendons and ligaments shorten, and articular cartilage degeneration occurs.

However, when practicing asanas, the movements within typical Hatha Yoga sessions lubricate the spine. The spinal discs begin to absorb nutrients. Many of us do not realize these discs are composed of a soft inner core and a tougher outer portion. The composition of discs may be figuratively comparable to a jelly doughnut or a pillow.

A gentle Yoga practice works as a maintenance program for the spine. With all that said – if you do not feel confident that you can meet their needs, you should recommend that they travel to a specialist for Yoga, chiropractor, or physical therapist.

If traveling is a hardship, continuing education, through online Yoga teacher courses, will help you and your students. If you need to learn more about therapeutic applications of Yoga, anatomy, or working with students, who have special needs, a correspondence course will enable you to help the public.

© Copyright 2010 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

FREE Yoga Report. FREE Yoga Newsletter. FREE Yoga Videos. Free Podcasts. Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”

FREE CONTENT: If you are a Yoga Teacher, Yoga studio, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles). Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste, Paul

By Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

Therapeutic forms of Yoga have been around for thousands of years. Among the many ailments of humankind is back pain. Long before the personal computer was invented, people suffered with pain in their backs. Albeit, the usual source of our ancestor’s pains and aches were often related to manual labor.

From within Hatha Yoga, many therapeutic styles have sprung up. One of the most common ailments Yoga teachers observe, in students today, is pain that originates from the spine or the muscles surrounding the spine. Therapeutic Yoga techniques can be practiced as a form of prevention or as a remedy to chronic pain.

A physically, active lifestyle is beneficial to anyone who spends excessive time sitting. When we spend time sitting – during our commute, at our desk, operating a laptop, and watching television when we get home, we then need to spend time on good posture all day long.

In fact, we have to sleep in good posture with the best possible alignment. This requires the use of pillows, a firm mattress, and knowledge of proper skeletal alignment. However, most people are advised, by their family doctor or chiropractor, to practice Yoga or adopt an exercise routine which is beneficial to skeletal alignment. This may involve any form of exercise, which stimulates your body and mind or by attending Yoga classes.

During work hours, it would be advisable to drink a fair amount of water. Sometimes, the act of hydrating can create more fluids throughout the body. As the body sits still, the vertebrae tend to squeeze moisture out of the discs. With that said, it may be wise to lower your coffee intake during working hours. This is not a mandate to give up coffee completely, but to be moderate in your consumption.

If your office permits, it might be good to sit on a stability ball while you are at your desk, part of the day. This gives relief to the lumbar region, sacrum, pelvis, and hips. It is only natural to gently rock in circular and linear movements, as you are doing your office work, while sitting on the stability ball. To receive proper instruction, on how to use a stability ball, you may want to attend a specialized Yoga or Pilates workshop.

If you spend an hour of constant sitting, you should get up for at least five minutes and walk or practice Yoga postures. You could easily practice lunges, balancing poses, forward bends, back bends, lateral bends, or twists from standing or seated positions.

If you add small five minute segments of Yoga movement to your daily routine, your back pain will be reduced or eliminated.

© Copyright 2009 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

FREE Yoga Report. FREE Yoga Newsletter. FREE Yoga Videos. Free Podcasts. Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”

Yoga Teacher Training Courses

FREE CONTENT: If you are a Yoga Teacher, Yoga studio, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles). Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste, Paul

By Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

When performing inversions, many students remark at how good their back feels after a Yoga session. When you consider performing an inverted posture, you should be aware this is any posture where the head is below heart level.

Usually, most people think of Head Stand (Shirshasana) or Shoulder Stand (Sarvangasana) as inversions, but Downward Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana), and Legs up the Wall Pose (Viparita Karani) are also inversions.

One of the purposes of practicing Downward Dog is to give your spine a break. Yet, some the benefits of this one posture are many. You can reduce back pain, provide needed care for spinal discs, train core muscles without stressing the spine, strengthen ligaments, and enhance circulation.

There are also many claims that inversions reduce depression, but let’s focus on the physical benefits to all areas of the spine. Unlike Head Stand, Downward Dog does not compress any area of the spine, and almost everyone can perform this posture. Many people fear falling over in a Head Stand and worry about the risk of neck injury. 

Downward Dog is very safe and can be modified, with a chair or blocks, for anyone who can walk on two feet. The twenty-three discs of your spine are allowed to recover from compressions and re-absorb moisture while holding this pose.

Legs up the Wall Pose is also called “inverted lake posture.” This Yoga posture is a passive inversion, related to the Shoulder Stand. In comparison to Shoulder Stand, Legs up the Wall Pose is easier much to hold for extended periods of time.

Although there are many internal benefits one receives from practicing this particular asana, we want to be aware of the relief one feels while the sacrum, lumbar, and thoracic regions of the spine are allowed to straighten. The feeling of relaxation one receives from performing this pose is priceless.

Legs up the Wall Pose can be modified with pillows, blankets, or bolsters of various sizes. The basic guidelines are to align the spine so that it becomes as flat as possible on the floor. A competent Yoga teacher will be able to modify and adjust the body for the best possible alignment.

Please consult with your physician first, before practicing inversions for back pain relief. In some cases, back pain can be a symptom of a serious medical condition. When considering any form of inversion for relief of chronic back pain, it should be noted that some inverted postures are not safe for specific medical conditions. Anyone with a history of high blood pressure, heart problems, eye problems, and epilepsy should avoid inversions.

© Copyright 2009 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

FREE Yoga Report. FREE Yoga Newsletter. FREE Yoga Videos. Free Podcasts. Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”

Yoga Teacher Certification

FREE CONTENT: If you are a Yoga Teacher, Yoga studio, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles). Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste, Paul

By Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

There are hundreds of Yoga postures to choose from, but what should a person, who is in constant pain, do for relief? Below are four of my favorite Yoga postures (asanas) for helping clients who experience back pain.

In some cases, these postures should be modified with the use of props, such as a bed, block, wall, mat, chair, fixture, blanket, or strap. These asanas were chosen for balance between strength and flexibility in the muscles surrounding the spine.

1. Triangle Pose (Trikonasana): With the use of a chair, stool, or block, almost anyone can perform this posture. Start in a good Warrior Two posture and straighten your front leg. Reach with your forward hand toward a chair, block, your shin, or the floor.

Rotate your shoulders and hips to stack over each other. With the upper arm, reach upward so that your arms line up directly over each other.  The variation in the photo above has the upper arm parallel to the floor.  Your neck should only be rotated as far as you are comfortable with.

2. Standing Back Bend (Anuvittasana): Use extreme caution when practicing any form of a back bend. Stand tall, point your fingers toward your sacrum, with your palms on the back of your hips, and the thumbs wrapped around the side and front of your hips. This forms a support for the lower back.

Begin to gradually arch your back as a complete unit. Do not force, push, or jam the low back, or hyper-extend the neck. This can be a rewarding posture, when approached slowly, with moderation.

3. Half Forward Bend (Ardha Uttansana): The use of a chair, and shutting the ego out, will help you find the therapeutic benefits of this under-rated posture. Gently fold at the hips and allow your knees to bend if necessary. Keep your spine straight; especially if you have chronic back pain. This means your descent may be limited, but your form will be perfect.

Begin by standing tall with your feet together. Fold your upper body forward to bring your spine (from the sacrum to your neck) parallel to the floor. You can extend your arms forward toward a wall, counter top, or chair. Your knees should never be locked.

4. Supine Spinal Twist – (Supta Matsyendrasana): This posture can be performed on a bed, mat, or floor. Lye on your back, with your arms out sideways, bend your knees, and place the bottoms of your feet on the floor. Draw your knees toward your chest and rotate your knees to one side of your body.

Eventually, you may be able to drop both of your shoulders toward the bed, mat, or floor. Gently rotate your neck in the opposite direction your knees are pointing to. It is important to avoid force and pain at all times.

© Copyright 2008 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

——————————————–
FREE Yoga Report. FREE Yoga Newsletter. FREE Yoga Videos.
Free Podcasts. Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”
——————————————–

Yoga Teacher Training

On-Site Yoga Training: http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com
——————————————–
FREE CONTENT: If you are a Yoga Teacher, Yoga studio, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles) – Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste, Paul
——————————————–

By Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

Yoga has hundreds of postures for relief of back pain. It should be noted that learning from videos is advisable for Yoga teachers, Yoga therapists, Ayurvedic doctors, physical therapists, and medical doctors.

However, if you have limited Yoga experience, please consult with your physician before going to a class or session. At that point, you should seek the advice of a competent Yoga teacher or Yoga therapist. Each step is important, so please do some research in order to make the best possible choice.

Mountain Pose (Tadasana) with emphasis on the pelvic tilt.

Tadasana is considered by some to be the starting position of all standing poses, but it is also performed at the end of many standing poses. Tadasana can be commonly seen in Vinyasa sequences and Sun Salutations.

This is an indication of the value of an advanced posture, which many of us take for granted. Tadasana is considered to be an advanced posture, due to the number of subtleties and the number of muscles used. The subtleties, within Mountain Pose, make complete awareness difficult for every level of Yoga practitioner.

Therefore, never underestimate the value of standing erect. Ideally, your feet should be as close as possible. If you have difficulty with balance, keeping your feet hip width, will be fine. If you are in a wheel chair, you can still practice Tadasana by sitting up tall. While sitting, your ankles should be directly under your knees.

A simple definition of the pelvic tilt is a position in which your buttocks are tucked under the spine; while your abdominal muscles are contracted. Some teachers will tell you to “roll your hips forward,” while others tell you to “tuck your sacrum under the heart center.” This is easier said than done, but you can practice the pelvic tilt on the floor or in your bed.

Eventually, you can do this standing. A wall behind you makes a wonderful prop. The back of your heels, sacrum, and shoulder blades, should be relatively close to the wall. Do not over tuck the pelvis forward, and observe if you have a natural backward tilt of the pelvis.

The backward tilt of the pelvis, and lower spine, is a factor in developing excessive tension within the lower back and weak posterior muscles. The back of your head should not be touching the wall. Keeping your gaze at eye level will improve the alignment of your upper spine.

The above-mentioned points can serve as general guidelines, but this barely scratches the surface. To learn Tadasana, correctly, will require proper instruction and dedicated practice. For the Yoga practitioner, Tadasana should be practiced every time one stands.

Please remember that your skeletal body is unique. Your skeleton is different because of a lifetime of demands from work and activities. It will not conform to the strict demands of a “cookie cutter” philosophy. Do your personal best. Remain aware of your own journey toward better alignment and ultimately less, or no, back pain.

© Copyright 2008 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

——————————————–
Yoga Teacher Training Certification Courses
FREE Yoga Report. FREE Yoga Newsletter. FREE Yoga Videos.
Free Podcasts. Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”
——————————————–
On-Site Yoga Training: http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com
——————————————–
FREE CONTENT: If you are a Yoga Teacher, Yoga studio, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles) – Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste, Paul
——————————————–

Physical Assisting in Hatha Yoga

By Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

Once you have received the “go ahead” from your physician, you can begin to explore options for private Yoga therapy sessions or a class that suits your needs. After you have found the right Yoga teacher or therapist, there are important aspects to be considered.

1. Are any of your prescriptions producing side effects that may interact with your Yoga practice? For example: Some prescription drugs affect your balance. This may require the use of a chair, pole, wall, or solid fixture, to use as a support, when performing balancing postures.

2. This leads to the use of props and modifications during practice. Your teacher should be completely comfortable with instructing you about the use of props and how to modify any Yoga posture, to suit your needs. It helps if your teacher has extensive training, in the use of props, to modify them for special needs.

3. In some cases, particular Yoga postures may be deleted from your lesson plan (asana prescription). Some postures may create a spinal imbalance, which will bring about more pain; while other postures are too risky for your particular needs.

4. You and your teacher should communicate clearly, when you receive a physical adjustment or an assist. If you are experiencing pain before, after, or during your session, do not keep it a secret. Honest feedback should be a “two way street.”

5. The level of physical challenge should be appropriate for you. In many ways, each of us is different physically. This should be taken into account from the very start of your Yoga therapy sessions. Even in a room full of people with lower back pain, each person has a different spine, skeletal structure, musculature, and pain threshold.

You should not feel like a tiger jumping through a flaming hoop. Yoga therapy is not a “one size fits all” process. Your asana prescription should meet your needs, exactly. Physical rehabilitation, of any kind, is a process designed around the individual, and not the other way around.

6. You will be given some Yoga therapy “homework.” You should be able to practice part, or all, of your session at home. If your sessions meet once per week, your therapist or teacher will advise you to develop a home practice.

When you receive instructions for home practice, please follow them. This one step could be the difference between the pain you normally experience and having no pain at all.

© Copyright 2008 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

——————————————–
Yoga Teacher Training Courses
FREE Yoga Report. FREE Yoga Newsletter. FREE Yoga Videos.
Free Podcasts. Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”
——————————————–
On-Site Yoga Training: http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com
——————————————–
FREE CONTENT: If you are a Yoga Teacher, Yoga studio, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles) – Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste, Paul
——————————————–

By Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500

When considering Yoga therapy for chronic back pain, you should have the endorsement of your physician or medical specialist. Reducing the back pain in your life can be a team effort. It is important to realize that many forms of therapy work well in harmony with medicine and each other.

In the case of Yoga therapy for back pain, one should feel a reduction in pain, but this does not mean you should discard your prescriptions, or the advice of your doctors. Most people, who constantly suffer from back pain, try medical or chiropractic solutions, prescriptions, and a variety of physical or alternative therapies.

After trying a variety of solutions, most people tend to continue with anything that helps them manage, or eliminate, pain. With that said, Yoga therapy sessions, or Yoga classes, are often part of a larger solution for pain management; and in some cases, the complete elimination of back pain.

Does this mean that every Yoga teacher has solutions for backaches and serious back pain? No, because there are a variety of Yoga styles, and many of them address mental, emotional, and spiritual health. Mental, emotional, and spiritual health are important in any healing process, but you want to be sure treatment of the physical body is included in your Yoga therapy.

A smaller, but very popular, group of Yoga styles are off shoots of Hatha Yoga (union by physical mastery). Does this mean that Hatha Yoga is purely physical in nature? No, because depending on the teacher and the sub-style, Hatha also covers mental, emotional, and spiritual health, in various degrees. The variation among Hatha Yoga’s sub-styles covers a wide spectrum of knowledge and approaches toward health.

From the Hatha style, modern Yoga therapy has sprung. Among the therapeutic Yoga systems are: Viniyoga, Iyengar Yoga, Restorative Yoga, and other forms of Yoga therapy. This short list is where a person in chronic pain should begin to seek pain management solutions.

This will also require an extensive search for the right teacher, school, or Yoga therapist. The right teacher, or therapist, is knowledgeable, competent, gentle, understanding, and has time for you. You can easily make an assessment in one consultation, private session, or over the phone.

Generally speaking, Yoga schools do not have group therapy sessions for the same ailment. There may be a specialized workshop for back pain, but these are rare. Therefore, it would be wise to schedule a private Yoga session with the most qualified teacher or therapist you can find.

© Copyright 2008 – Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

——————————————–
Introduction to Yoga Therapy
FREE Yoga Report. FREE Yoga Newsletter. FREE Yoga Videos.
Free Podcasts. Bonus: Free Yoga e-Book, “Yoga in Practice.”
——————————————–
On-Site Yoga Training: http://www.aurawellnesscenter.com
——————————————–
FREE CONTENT: If you are a Yoga Teacher, Yoga studio, blogger, e-zine, or website publisher, and are in need of quality content, please feel free to use my blog entries (articles) – Please be sure to reprint each article, as is, including the resource box above. Namaste, Paul
——————————————–