Yoga helping with Scoliosis.

9th September, 2008.
Working with Scoliosis.

While I was having my morning coffee. I noticed an aching in my ribs from the scoliosis. I had had a restless night, and I had been moving about a lot during my sleep. That my have contributed to the discomfort. To help combat the aching in my ribs, I did Surya Namaskar and that helped.

Later on in the day I had a much longer session of Hatha Yoga. I started out with Pranayama and Meditation. During this portion of the Yoga the scoliosis played up. I noticed it particularly when I was meditating, but not so much when I was doing Valoma. There really is a connection (for me) with the deeper breath, and the mitigation of the effects of the scoliosis. When I meditate I do not try to control my breath, and so my breathing is shallow (not as full) as when I work on Pranayama. Speaking (rather writing) of breathing, I was talking to my teacher Deborah about breathing the other day. She reminded me to be sure to breath into my back as well as my front. It is quite amazing how much more of a deeper breath you can get if you do that!

At the beginning of the Hatha Yoga there was a slight 'c' in my lower spine. I had a two plus hour session, and I made a point of breathing deeply into each asana as well as adjusting my ribs (mentally) for the scoliosis. Though I did have problems doing this during some of the balancing poses. During Dhanurasana I felt a little nausea, but that passed.

By the end of the Hatha Yoga my curve was much reduced.