Yoga and Scoliosis.

19th August, 2008.
Yoga for Scoliosis.

- I felt some pain in my lower latissims dorsi (the left side.) This is the pain that I associate with the scoliosis. It is not actually in the latissimus dorsi, but in that region of the ribcage. I normally experience that when I doing dishes, or something that involves having my elbows beside my ribcage, and arms from the elbows out in front of me.
- There is only a slight 'wiggle' in my lower spine.

A short while into the yoga asana I felt nauseous, and my ribs are feeling a little achy, or perhaps it is that they feel 'tight.' Later on I also note that I am feeling a little nackerd. Perhaps I am spending to long in each yoga asana? During the yoga asana I worked on deep breathing from the tummy to the top of the ribcage.

I feel like I have had a hard workout, and I can't say that I feel invigorated at all. The only new things that I did to the 'set' was to add the Sarvangasana cycle which I have done with other sets.

How much is too much? Though this session went by without any sense of it being long, it still took two and a half hours. In terms of my regular yoga asana practice, this is the longer session of the lot (there are seven 'sessions'.) Given that though, it is still getting lengthy.

I know that as a yoga teacher I am 'sharpening' my knowledge of my discipline. That I need to work to keep my vocation fresh. I do worry that by doing to much, I may find that I have to stop for a while (due to 'burnout'.) Were that to happen that would neither good for my yoga discipline nor for my scoliosis. The trick is finding the nice medium. As the time spent in each asana gets longer the whole session gets longer.

As a rule my yoga asana practice runs from one and a half to two hours per session. When I add pranayama it is longer.

My Yoga today.

Today in my yoga asana I worked on Surya Namaskar, twists and balances. The balances are getting better, but still there is a long way to go.

One of the things that I spent the whole day working on is my breath. I was/am trying to take whole breaths. Ones that go from the tummy all the way up to the top of the ribcage. It is as if I am doing Valoma, but instead of pausing during the inhalation and exhalation I breath in a normal fashion. Though if I feel restricted during this I return to 'normal' inhalation and exhalation. I am hoping to work the intercostal muscles this way, and maybe help my scoliosis.

Yoga observations.

This covers several Yoga sessions.

12th August, 2008. Yoga and Scoliosis.

The lower curve in my spine is quite evident today. I wonder why. Could it be the way that I sleep sometimes?

Lolasana using blocks and a strap :). It was hard to do while trying to adjust my ribcage.

Astavakrasana went pretty well, but I had some issues trying to do the asana and working on my ribs.

Three quarters of the way through the curve is mostly gone. Though I do feel a little nauseous, and my ribs are aching a bit.

13th August, 2008. Daily practice.

I worked on Astavakrasana as a part of my practice today. I mostly sucked (on the right side.) I think that I left it too long before working on it. I was most of the way through an hour and three quarter work out. Just to tired for it. I should do it earlier on in the session.

When I was half way though Eliz awoke from her nap. Just in time for the 'twist' portion of the session. She made it quite a few of them, before she got bored and started jumping of one of the beds. Not bad for a 3.8 year old.

My left side ribcage is not aching from the scoliosis session yesterday.

14th August, 2008. Yoga and Scoliosis.

The lower curve in my spine is just a little bit of a wiggle. Not the 'c' is sometimes is.

Remember to extend your spine during any of the "Parivrtta" as well as remembering to adjust the ribcage.

I have also found that adjusting the ribcage before doing the 'Twits' has helped me quite a bit. I note that I get a better twist on my left side then on my right side.

I felt a little nauseous a round 3/4 the way through this session.

When working on Parivrtta Janu Sirasana I felt as if my left side had 'caught' (seemingly) on my left hip. Odd.

Working with my Scoliosis.

8th August, 2008.

Yoga and Scoliosis.

There is still a slight 'jog' in my spine in the lower thoracic.

I notice that I have to work to keep my shoulders from moving along with my ribcage. I only want my ribs to move, but this is not as easy as it seems. It takes a lot of concentration I find.

During my practice today I found that I was feeling rather emotional. At other times while I have been using yoga to work on my scoliosis I found that I have felt agitated, but not 'emotional.' It was quite different. I should mention that I was also listening to the opening ceremony of the Olympics. That may be why, but I think it was due to the focus I was putting on my spine.

A yoga session and a yoga for scoliosis session.

The 7th of August, 2008.

I started out this session with plans not to work on my scoliosis today.
In my practice today I have added Bakasana (which was a little wobble, but successful) and Astavakrasana (which was a right mess, though I have done it successfully before.) :) Hah!

Generally my practice went well, but some asana still elude me (see above ;) .) I shall keep on at them.

I noted while practising that there is only a very slight curve (a bump really) in the lower part of my spinal column to show where the scoliosis lurks. Not to long ago the curve was a very nice 'bracket' which is all but gone. Using yoga to help with the scoliosis is really helping me.

Another thing that I noticed during practice today, and it is odd that I did not pick up on 'it' earlier, is that my ribcage/muscles is/are not aching, which up until recently it had done after a day or so after my scoliosis yoga practice. I hope this is a good thing. :)

The 5th of August, 2008.

Working on my scoliosis today.

When I started out this morning my left ribcage just below my shoulder blade was 'burning.' That was quite unpleasant, but not unusual. After doing a few asanam the burning went away. It still marvels me, even after thirty years of doing yoga, just how much there is to Yoga, and how it effects your body and mind.

Surya Namaskar (thoughts along the way.)

Firstly, I am not setting myself up as some type of expert on this subject, just a yogi looking for some answers. :)

I practice Surya Namaskar almost every morning now. I find that my body enjoys it, and that it is invigorating. On that level it is very good and serves a satisfies purpose.

However I do not find that I get the spiritual (if you will) nourishment that I do with traditional non-flow Hatha Yoga. Where you may hold each asana for several minuets. There are yogis and yoginies [spl?.] I know who love practising Surya Namaskar. I am not there yet. I suppose in part it is that I have been doing traditional non-flow Hatha Yoga for almost thirty years. Where as I have only been doing Surya Namaskar for just over a year.

Surya Namaskar has a long and well establish tradition. I would like to learn more about it as I journey along. It is not something which I am going to let go of now that it is a part of my practice.

One thing that does worry me is the increased risk of injury. As one transitions from one asana to another there is a much greater risk of injuring oneself. I know that it is posable to injure oneself getting in and out of an asana in traditional non-flow yoga. There is a difference though. In the traditional method (as I have been taught, and practice) after the completion of an asana one returns to Tadasana, pausing for a moment then moving on to the next asana.

The important point being that you pause. It is at the point of the pause that your nervous system takes in what has just happened to 'it', and what is now going on with your body. The body and mind store the information for the next time you practice the posture. Then you move on to the next asana. If you are constantly moving from one asana to another, does that process happen? I don't know?

If during a 'flow' (because of the nature of flow, you may hold the asana for only a breath of two before moving on) you have place yourself structurally incorrectly and you move then onto another asana don't you run a greater chance of hurting yourself?

If any one who reads this has any thoughts, please let me know.

Using yoga to help with scoliosis.

1st August, 2008.

One of the things that I notices is that my spine seems to be a lot more agile these days. During the practice I find that I can get much more out of my asana if I pause between sides (do right, pause, and then the left side.)


In Parivrtta Parsvakonanasa I can get much more space in my torso if I adjust my ribcage for the scoliosis.

Three quarters away through the practice I felt a little nauseous, but after a short while it passed.


While doing Urdhva Dhanurasana I had a hard time holding the asana while shifting my ribs.
You have to be very careful when moving your spine in backbends.