Slipped disc/Sciatica question

[Guest guest]

Hello group!

 

I have been practising Ashtanga Yoga for about 4 years now - I am pretty

stiff, and still only halfway through the primary series. One of the reasons

is that I periodically am unable to practise due to a back condition. This

year is the second time I had to stop practising alltogether for some months

due to intense sciatic pain. I have taken en MR-scan which shows a slipped

disc in my lower back, which would be consistent with the symptoms I

experience. I have been in doubt about how wise it is to continue practising

ashtanga - It seems hard to keep away, and I keep coming back to the

practice as soon as my symptoms fade; at the same time I wonder if I might

be doing more damage than good. I am sure some of you other ashtangis has

some experience with similar problems, and maybe some hints for my practise?

 

Namaste

D.

[Guest guest]

Hi D. I don't think that you should completely quit doing Yoga

during your times of pain.

 

When those times come focus on other limbs and work on transcending

your mind, creating unity and freeing yourself, then let it

translate into your asanas.

 

Namaste'

Lotusrae

 

 

 

 

ashtanga yoga, "Dimitrij Samoilow"

<samoilow wrote:

>

>

> Hello group!

>

> I have been practising Ashtanga Yoga for about 4 years now - I am

pretty

> stiff, and still only halfway through the primary series. One of

the reasons

> is that I periodically am unable to practise due to a back

condition. This

> year is the second time I had to stop practising alltogether for

some months

> due to intense sciatic pain. I have taken en MR-scan which shows a

slipped

> disc in my lower back, which would be consistent with the symptoms

I

> experience. I have been in doubt about how wise it is to continue

practising

> ashtanga - It seems hard to keep away, and I keep coming back to

the

> practice as soon as my symptoms fade; at the same time I wonder if

I might

> be doing more damage than good. I am sure some of you other

ashtangis has

> some experience with similar problems, and maybe some hints for my

practise?

>

> Namaste

> D.

>

[Guest guest]

Ashtanga yoga is very demanding and this should be understood.

 

The most important thing yoga teaches us is who and what we are.

There are times when it is important to stop and look at what is going

on sometimes there are obsticals that are too big to ever conquer

without help.

 

Mysore classes will help identify difficult areas and Iyengar classes

will allow for an even deeper look

 

Listen to your body not your ego

 

Namesta

[suthra 0]

i would advice you not to do any back bending yoga,

 

Best wishes.,

Sarathy.s

[Guest guest]

Hi D;

 

I have not specifically had your back problem, but I have an upper

back problem (around T6) that is reccurrent. I have found

acupuncture to really help. In fact, the only time I have a back

problem these days is when I don't go to acupuncture regularly.

 

Good luck,

Tracy

 

 

ashtanga yoga, "Dimitrij Samoilow"

<samoilow wrote:

>

>

> Hello group!

>

> I have been practising Ashtanga Yoga for about 4 years now - I am

pretty

> stiff, and still only halfway through the primary series. One of

the reasons

> is that I periodically am unable to practise due to a back

condition. This

> year is the second time I had to stop practising alltogether for

some months

> due to intense sciatic pain. I have taken en MR-scan which shows a

slipped

> disc in my lower back, which would be consistent with the symptoms I

> experience. I have been in doubt about how wise it is to continue

practising

> ashtanga - It seems hard to keep away, and I keep coming back to the

> practice as soon as my symptoms fade; at the same time I wonder if

I might

> be doing more damage than good. I am sure some of you other

ashtangis has

> some experience with similar problems, and maybe some hints for my

practise?

>

> Namaste

> D.

>

[Guest guest]

There is a lot you can do to avoid this reaccuring injury but the best is to

find a really good teacher and perhaps have one or two private lessons so

that the teacher can focus on you and your practice. Then he/she can give

you suggestions for avoiding this problem. It's not an easy thing to solve

and being in a large group, a teacher can't focus on giving you individual

suggestions. There are plenty of general alignment rules but it is a

loooonnnng email to write all that down :-) and it is easier to understand

when someone is there to show you. But one thing, be sure not to do

anything that hurts!!

 

Okay, got to go pick up my baby , good luck,

Linda

 

 

 

Linda Munro

Ashtanga Paris

www.ashtangayogaparis.fr

[Guest guest]

Hello there!

 

I thought I'd jump in (or through!) here...

 

Do you take classes with anyone or are you practising on your own?

Your teacher(s) should have something to say about this if you have

one. I was just at a training with David Swenson and I remember him

mentioning something about being careful about (meaning not to do

them) backbends with slipped discs. Every time you do upward dog you

are doing a backbend, and if you let your abs and butt sag and your

legs disengaged you will injur your low back. The key to avoid low

back pain in general in up dog is to lift from your chest out the top

of your head, legs engaged, knees lifted and abs strong. You can do

this on your knees to avoid collapsing in the low back, or do a cobra

instead (body on the floor, lifting the chest and head only).

Remember a backbend is really about the chest lifting.

 

Hope this helps. I started having lower back pain awhile back and a

pilates instructor friend of mine saw my up dog and made me realize I

wasn't engaging my core muscles and poof, problem solved!

 

Hope this helps,

DeAnna

[Guest guest]

Hi Dimitrij and group,

 

I am having a very similar problem, I have a very intense sciatica

pain, and just yesterday at the locker´s room I asked a medical

friend to translate the word sciatica from portuguese to english so

I could post something here about what I´m going though.

 

I´m dealing with this pain for 4 months now, every single day. My

instructor (he´s the only authorized teacher in Brazil) once told me

that the name of the first series (yoga chikitsa) means yoga

theraphy, which is by practicing everyday you can heal any problems

you have. As Pattabi Jois say: practice, practice, practice. He told

me to keep practicing, respecting my limitations, imposed by the

pain, but alawys "feeling" it and understanding in what ways I fell

the asana less painful. If I can´t make the posture, that´s ok, at

least I tried. By trying, we are learning to hear our bodies.

 

Yesterday I had to stop 4 times to catch my breath. The pain was so

intense, that I thought of giving up. But as I breathed, I felt

better and get back to where I was. But I decided to go one step

backwards so I can go 2 forward soon. Since this morning my practice

goes to purvatanasana, and straight to the finals. I felt a little

upset with this idea at the beginning (it was my idea), but I

realized how attached I was to bujapindasana (I can almost do it

now), and that I have to un-attach. This way I don´t stop practicing

during this crisis, and, at the same time, I can give the sciatica a

little rest.

 

The other thing he told me was that the pain is on my mind, I

created it and I sustain it. He advised me to attend a 10 day

residential course in Vipassana meditation (www.dhamma.org).

 

I hope my testemonial was useful, and if you have any thoughts on my

situation, feel free to say it.

 

Peace,

 

Anis

 

ashtanga yoga, "Dimitrij Samoilow"

<samoilow wrote:

>

>

> Hello group!

>

> I have been practising Ashtanga Yoga for about 4 years now - I am

pretty

> stiff, and still only halfway through the primary series. One of

the reasons

> is that I periodically am unable to practise due to a back

condition. This

> year is the second time I had to stop practising alltogether for

some months

> due to intense sciatic pain. I have taken en MR-scan which shows a

slipped

> disc in my lower back, which would be consistent with the symptoms

I

> experience. I have been in doubt about how wise it is to continue

practising

> ashtanga - It seems hard to keep away, and I keep coming back to

the

> practice as soon as my symptoms fade; at the same time I wonder if

I might

> be doing more damage than good. I am sure some of you other

ashtangis has

> some experience with similar problems, and maybe some hints for my

practise?

>

> Namaste

> D.

>

[Guest guest]

Dear Ashtanga pals,

 

I suffered from similar pain 2 years ago & now no more!

 

I went for a whole series of acupuncture (a good & expensive one) which did

help lessen the pain by a whole lot. I do not think it is wise to ignore

the pain & keep doing what you have done. The pain is telling us something

is wrong & that we have to change.

I stopped practice for 2 weeks the longest as far as I can remember.

 

Fortunately I had two great teachers Ken & Paul who advised me to:

1. instead of a longer exhale, breathe equal time in both inhale & exhale.

Think about breathing into the pain area hence healing it.

2. with every asana, Œelongate & lengthen¹ from your pelvis & core. Focus

on the thigh but not to bend with arm muscle.

 

Hope it helps! I know how painful it is...

Amy

[Guest guest]

Hi Anis

 

Sorry to hear about your pain. Yes, your teacher is correct - "practice, practice, practice..."

but this SHOULD be accompanied by some helpful corrrective advice aimed at alleviating

your pain. Its is NOT enough to just say "practice", this is easier said than done. Also, the

bit about pain being in the 'mind' I also agree with to a certain degree. However, this

often doesn't help the sufferer!!! Nobody in pain wants to hear this!

 

I teach ashstanga and have studied intensively with Nancy Gilgoff regarding adjustments

and have touched upon the subject of sciatica also. One thing that is common among

pretty much ALL sciatica sufferers is that they have a tendency to place too much pressure

on the HEEL and not enough on the pads of the feet and the toes. Sciatica sufferers in

class have a tendency to lean backwards, and during everyday life also. Try this: in class

for the next 2 weeks make a STRONG attempt to lean forward more on all the standing

postures, especially:

 

During Surya Namaskara -> Samasthiti, Urdhva Vrikasana, Uttanasana A, Uttanasana B

 

Primary series:

Padangusthasana

Pada Hastasana

Prasarita Padottanasana A/B/C/D

Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana

Ardha Baddha Padmottanasana

 

Make an attempt to activate the toes and place more emphasis on the pad of the foot.

 

Practice 6 days a week and see what results you get after 2 weeks of this. Tell your

teacher about this and ask him/her to observe your posture and help you out with. During

the day, be conscious of whereabouts you are placing pressure on your feet. Be vigilant

and make sure you are NOT leaning too far back.

 

Also, you would DEFINITELY benefit from getting a pair of these shoes:

 

http://www.swissmasai.com/

 

Currently they are only sold in the US, Asia, Europe and Australia, but if you get a chance

to check them out grab a pair. I have just bought some myself and they are nothing short

of a miracle! And no, I don't work for them! I actually think every yoga student and yoga

teacher should own a pair.

 

Good luck Anis, and to every other sciatica sufferer. I have suffered from sciatica myself

and know how harsh it can be. But believe this: it WILL go away. Keep practicing, take

responsibilty for yourself (ie. follow the guidelines above) and keep believing.

 

Best wishes - dj

[Guest guest]

Hey guys,

 

This is my first contribution but I think it will be helpful.

 

I run a Complementary Health and Yoga centre in the UK. I deal with

sciatic pain all the time. It's all to do with a muscle called the

Piriformis.

 

The Piriformis runs from the edge of the sacrum (base of the spine) to

the out side edge of the upper leg (greater trochanter of the Femur).

 

Now a tight Piriformis will press directly on the sciatic nerve, which

will give you symptoms of sciatica. Some physio's call this

Piriformis syndrome. It is due to our sedentary lifestyle, tight

medial hamstrings, and poor evolutional design.

 

A fantastic posture to practice is raja kappotanasana (pigeon posture)

as well as forward bending over your legs in half lotus position.

 

Now as some of you may be aware, primary series and second series

don't have a pigeon posture, so even though teachers, who say practice

have a very valid point, it may be that you need to insert some

specific rehabilative postures into your practice.

 

The art of yoga is listening to you body.

 

I teach my students the three E's:

 

Exploring your Envelope of Elasticity.

 

Study the restrictions of your body and challenge them. Soften your

practice while you rehabilitate your injury.

 

Yours in yoga,

 

 

Rob

 

www.plumb-blossom.com

 

 

ashtanga yoga, Gary & Amy <leeyip88 wrote:

>

> Dear Ashtanga pals,

>

> I suffered from similar pain 2 years ago & now no more!

>

> I went for a whole series of acupuncture (a good & expensive one)

which did

> help lessen the pain by a whole lot. I do not think it is wise to

ignore

> the pain & keep doing what you have done. The pain is telling us

something

> is wrong & that we have to change.

> I stopped practice for 2 weeks the longest as far as I can remember.

>

> Fortunately I had two great teachers Ken & Paul who advised me to:

> 1. instead of a longer exhale, breathe equal time in both inhale &

exhale.

> Think about breathing into the pain area hence healing it.

> 2. with every asana, Œelongate & lengthen¹ from your pelvis & core.

Focus

> on the thigh but not to bend with arm muscle.

>

> Hope it helps! I know how painful it is...

> Amy

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Dj,

 

Thanks a lot for your advices and tips. I've printed the e-mail to

make sure that I won´t forget anything on it. I´ll try to do what

you suggested and I´ll write telling the results.

 

Thank you again. Namaste,

 

Anis

[Guest guest]

Hi Rob,

 

Great info you gave us. Thanks. I´ll look for this posture and I´ll

practice it. This e-mails are very helpful.

 

Anis