The Hot Yoga Doctor – Free Bikram and Hot Yoga Resources › Hot Yoga Doctor Forum › Injuries, Restrictions, Ailments, Pose Modifications › Lower back › Poses to loosen up my lower back during the day at work
The Hot Yoga Doctor – Free Bikram and Hot Yoga Resources › Hot Yoga Doctor Forum › Injuries, Restrictions, Ailments, Pose Modifications › Lower back › Poses to loosen up my lower back during the day at work
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Hi. I’ve been practicing Bikram since December 24 and generally have been attending classes 5-6 times a week. I am absolutely obsessed. I have a herniated disc in my back and in my neck. For the first 4 weeks, my back was fine and I had no pain. The past few weeks have been more problematic. I’ve eliminated Rabbit and Separate Leg Head to Knee poses and the sit-ups. I will generally have a few good days and then a bad day. I practiced 8 days in a row and it seemed to really flare up.
During the day, I sit at a desk all say. I have been trying to do backwards bends every hour to loosen my back.
How long should I hold the pose and is it better to do more for shorter amounts of time or fewer for longer. Thanks so much. Your site and your book are truly wonderful.
Namaste,
SharonI have L4-L5 compression (lower back disks) and what I found to work for me is to build in some time off in my practice. Kind of counter-productive at first but I think you’re doing too much. An example of my schedule is to practice Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and be off the mat or the studio on Wednesday and Sunday. You have to give your body time to recover. Your obsession should serve you in your dedication but not to the extent that it disables you, IMHO …
Hi Sharon and Paul
Paul makes a good point. Everyday is great if your body can handle it. The process of yoga is also about recognising what your body is saying.
Sometimes with herniated discs however, there are times where the pain can be quite bad through practice. As I mention in the book, it is not always the actual herniation but it can be the body’s reaction to it, ie the chemicals of inflammation.
Rest is good. I like Paul’s suggested schedule.
A word about the ‘addiction’. There are many who have had it. Part of my ‘prescription’ :cheese: is to force yourself to stay away one or 2 days. I did this when I first started. I found myself feeling disappointed because I couldn’t make class (if that happened) or worried about not making class. A teacher I had suggested this ‘cure’. It helped me let go of the attachment and the self-torment (if I could name it although that sounds way too harsh).
Oh, you both have my book! Thank you so much! :coolsmile: Go to page 184-185 for the alternative Savasana which will give you enormous relief between many of the floor poses. Obviously you won’t use it for the belly down but from fixed firm onward generally works!
Taking this savasana also gives you an alternative to the sit-up. Seems you need one at the moment.
Right now at my desk I am sitting on a balance disc. It is an air-filled disc 35 cm in diameter. It allows me to sit more actively (I already sit actively) by allowing MOVEMENT in my back.
They are inexpensive. I have used mine almost everyday since June last year when I bought it. I could tell it was nice to sit on and provided movement but couldn’t tell how much it was doing for me … until, on occasion the disc is not on the chair. THEN it’s patently clear that sitting in chairs is just not good for your health.
Have you been receiving my emails? If you have, check for a series about sitting. They don’t mention the disc. They are about angles of legs, spine position and other helpful information etc. I get a lot of email feedback (positive 😉 ) about them.
Sharon if you want to ask about Rabbit and Sep Leg Head to Knee, then can we do that in their sections, please? I think that it will be better so these threads don’t go off track.
Phew! I hope that gets us started.
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂Thanks Gabrielle,
I am taking your advice and taking off tonight and tomorrow night. And then I will try to keep it to 5 days a week.I must tell you that I used the shoulder rotation last night at practice and it was terrific. Made so much more sense to me. I have to say that my back is much looser today and some of it is just not to sit too long.
Now to get my disc.
Your site is the most wonderful site for me. My neice is a Bikram instructor but she is fairly new and it is great to have all your experience at my fingertips.
I also have your iPad app and use it when I travel.
Best,
SharonHey Sharon
How are you feeling after your 5 days off? Did you go back to yoga?
Let me know!
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂Hi gabrielle,
I took the 2 days off and now my back feels great. I also do the steetches and poses you gave me to do and they have helped to much. I’m now back to doing most of the sit-up and hopefully will add rabbit back in soon. Additionally, I told my friend about the exercises after he had a fall and they really saved him. You are amazing. Thanks so much for all your great insight and information.Namaste.
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