The Hot Yoga Doctor – Free Bikram and Hot Yoga Resources › Hot Yoga Doctor Forum › Injuries, Restrictions, Ailments, Pose Modifications › Injuries › Numbness in foot
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Hi Gabrielle
I’ve looked for some answers in the forum but haven’t come up with anything that quite answers my questions. I’ve looked at the opening hamstrings section for instance which was great but I’m still unsure whether my problem is back or leg/glute muscle related
I’ve been practicing bikram yoga for a little over 6 months 4-5 week. I love it and it has helped my body in every way.
The other day though during Standing head separate stretching pose I thought I felt a twinge and then felt numbness in my right foot that lasted for a few postures and then was on and off during class. I had 2 days break and on my return I got the same sensation though not as bad. I’m not getting pain – besides the bit of ache you can get from lots of yoga. The numbness comes and goes though and is worse during forward bends though it does crop up a bit after the two glute heavy standing bow and bow pose. My teacher assured me she gets the same thing and said it was from overly tight glute muscles. I’m worried though that it is spinal related.
Is occasional numbness concerning in the absence of pain? Should I see a doctor and/or physio for a more rigorous diagnosis?
In the mean time what can I do in my forward bends to help reduce the occurance – besides holding tummy in/bracing core and activating quads in separate stretching poses which im already doing
Much thanks
MyfThe good news is I think it is resolving itself and that the sciatic nerve was being pinched by glutes.
I’ve been doing some serious glute deactivation with tennis balls etc and the numbness is getting less during class. I do have a history of my right side glute getting stupidly tense and lately I’ve been a bit lazy with holding my core in. I’ve also been taking it easy in forward bends and holding my core in more rigorously
fingers crossed ehcheck out these videos, they might give you some information or an idea of how to treat…
Thanks Tb
The verdict from the physio iissss: Spinal Sprain
Lumbar (Low back)
Pain; mild to intense
Pain that spreads (radiates) into the buttocks, legs
Lower body stiffness
Sciatica(just a note to anyone overseas. Physios in Australia are very highly trained)
sooo I’m allowed to do yoga but I have to take it easy with forward and back bends. The reason is – if anyone gets the same – once an area in the spine is strained or sprained it locks up so movements with your back will not use that area and therefore overly rely on other parts thereby injuring them. Also the physio recommended: anti inflammatories and icing. Bracing the core more during practice should help because the injury occurred because I had more mobility then strength (at least on that day)
So whilst holding back sounds easy but when I get in that room it is sooo hard to hold back – especially when particularly those forward bends feels so good at the time.
Hi Myf
May I point you in the direction of a very useful blog? Much of the problem of which you write is exacerbated by locking the legs in certain inverted poses when the legs would be better bent. Now, I don’t know if you do this but most people do 😉 before they learn a better way! Please see Opening Up The Hamstrings With Hot Yoga. Those forward bends will be even more delicious when you know you’ll be creating a better functioning system without straining or spraining. It’s very nurturing.
I am going on what you have said and it seems this would be the best technique to take note of.
Please let me know how it goes
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂 -
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