I've had scoliosis since I was about 10, Spent my high school years in a back brace that went from my neck to my hips...not the best way to spend high school. When I was 17 1/2, I just stopped wearing it except on weekends to (please my mom.) My back is still curved and painful sometimes. What are the best yoga poses for this problem?
Always start with the corpse and breathe energy into the spine....work on the visual of the breathe bringing energy to the base and working it's way up the whole spine. You will need to modify these poses and also on the length that you can do them for and the amount of poses that you can incorporate all at one time. I will list them in the order that I would recommend that you start with....so start with a couple and work slowly with them and gradually increase the amount of time and the poses that you add. Any pose that moves one limb only needs to be countered by another round moving the other side for balance. In Yoga you never only work one side of the body. Cat--limbers spinal column Cobra--curvature, flexibility, lumbar, neck Triangle--tones nerves in the spine Shoulder stand--increase the suppleness of the spine (you need to do the fish right after this pose to counter balance it) Fish--strengthens neck and shoulders for alignment Bow--works the whole spine with massage and blood flow Spinal twist-- aligns the spine gently Forward standing bend--lengthens the spine, corrects curvature Plough--strengthens spinal muscles and ligaments, opens disc spatial, rejuvenates spine Swan--flexes spine and aligns it Pigeon--tones and stretches the spinal column Headstand or partial-- relieves pressure on the lumbar Sun Salutation is one of the most overall toners for the whole body and I would suggest that you start with some poses and work up to this and do at least one round at a time. A round is both sides so you do the left then the right. Aim to be able to work up to doing 6 rounds. After you do the rounds go to corpse and breathe energy back into your body until your breath comes back to normal rhythm. Good Luck and slow and easy as it should not hurt instead it should feel like your muscles are very warm but not burning. Pace it and you shall reach doing all of these with time. Here is a site that has these poses and shows how to do them http://www.hathayogalesson.com/index.htm
NAMASTE I have been wanting to do yoga but have scoliosis too.I have been told thogh that i should get some advice from a doctor first to go over what i would be doing.I would say you might do that too.Never hurts.Though i am not into doctors myself it makes sence to do so.Great link !!!!
NAMASTE I have herd heat is good too.Most yoga teachers can focus a plan that will fit for those with scoliosis. In Love and Light Eccofarmer
Okay, I can understand what you guys (and gals) have said about consulting a doctor. They are supposed to be experts in their fields, and in many ways they are. However, they are still working for money, and that must not be forgotten. I know I'm probably a lot younger than most people that post here, but I've had my share of spinal problems. My spine's curviture was extremely damaged when doctors failed to advise me to follow up a previous surgery w/ any form of physical therapy. Additionally, I had developed a small degree of scoliosis. Because of my curviture problems, doctors told me that I needed foot-long steel rods on either side of my spine, before my curving spine caused me breathing problems. However, my parents and I said no to this misleading "expert" opinion, and I began Iyengar yoga. The doctors all said "I can see how this would be helpful for the muscles, but there is no way that yoga can fix your spinal curviture problems." They had nothing to say when i came back a year later and my spine was greatly improved. That was two years ago, and my spine is now healthier than it's ever been, and is straightening out. A great majority of the people that go to my yoga studio have scoliosis, in varying degrees, so it is definetly not something to be seen as keeping one from doing yoga. Quite the contrary. My suggestion to you is to go to a certified Iyengar yoga teacher in your area before visiting a doctor. If you still feel it is necessary to visit a medical doctor (as you might), simply be aware of the extreme bias that almost all of these "experts" possess, and watch out for huge exaggerations and flat-out lies. The best of luck to you in your pursuit of a healthier back and overall well-being. Peace & Love.
NAMASTE Jimiman i agree to a point with you.My doctor years ago said the same as you and i felt it was not the true choice or best for me.But in some cases there word is gold.Though it has been over 12 years since i have seen one do to the holelistic path i live now.I meet a lady who years ago had rods taken from her back and could not walk or so they thought.Now she teaches other with scoliosis that there is a way.In fact if you seen her now you would never know that she has this.She has been in three yoga mags this year showing what can be done with yoga.For myself i first look at yoga at the spiritual aspects and the rest secondary.But just starting over this year has helped greatly. In Love and Light Eccofarmer
