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Iyengar Certified
Only the world's most knowledgeable, rigorously-trained teachers earn the
Iyengar Yoga Certification Mark.
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By Bonnie Allan
Spring
2007 - Number 12
Yoga Therapeutics for Lower Backs |
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Bad Back? Not Yet? Well,
if you sit at a desk most of the day, drive a car, work in the garden, etc.
chances are very high that you are a candidate for some kind of pain in the
lower back. Many people "slump" while engaged in everyday activities.
"Slumping", or bending slightly forward while the (Thoracic) spine is
curved, is the beginning of a painful journey that can be avoided with a few
modest adjustments.
Picture yourself standing in line at the market or waiting for some show
tickets, or a flight some where. Is your weight balanced on both feet?
Are your hips level? Are your arms by your sides? Are your neck
and shoulders directly in line? If you answered "no" to several or all
of the above, you are allowing yourself to develop a "bad back". As
you look around you most likely will see that a vast percentage of people
are engaged in the very same habits (Unless , of course, you happen to
be in a yoga class).
As pointed out above, there are many causes of back pain which seem pretty
innocent, and yet can become quite insidious maladies: It's easier to type
while slumping forward. Cars are all designed so that a person's
posterior is resting comfortably curved into the upholstery of the seat.
Practicing yoga in a studio with an experienced teacher can be a big help to
correct habits and patterns which have been well formed over the years.
Yoga tapes can be healthy supplements, but a teacher must be present to make
adjustments, or the problem will only be exacerbated before you know it.
Some people look at yoga tapes as a cost saving measure. There are
certainly many fine ones out there. Unless there is a teacher present
however, it is easy to misinterpret a posture (asana); and continuously do
it incorrectly, only to add more harm than good.
Be Cautious:
"Choose a yoga teacher with care. Before participating, observe a class and
ask yourself- Is the class small enough that everyone can move comfortably
and get individual attention? Does the teacher make individual adjustments
and corrections? Are the poses modified for the limitations and special
needs of students? Do you like the way the teacher presents the material and
leads the class? Does it look fun and enjoyable?" Mary Schatz, p. 6
There are lots of things that can be done to prevent having a "bad back".
Yoga postures are very simple, and yet, complex when one goes over the
details. At first, it is necessary to study the self in preparation
for the awareness which is taught in yoga and which can be effective in
countless ways.
So, for simplicity sake, I will go over just one asana which will initiate
insight into the importance of standing tall as a means for preventing lower
back pain; as well as improving the condition should it ever become a
bother.
Tadasana (Mountain Pose)
- Stand with feet together.
- Make sure that the feet are in line
with each other.
(Big toes and Heels touching)
- Place equal pressure on inner and
outer edges of feet.
- Rest your weight on the center of the
arches of the feet.
- Stretch out your toes and keep them
spread apart.
- With feet firmly down, draw legs up.
- Legs are perpendicular to the floor,
in line with each other.
- Tighten kneecaps and quadriceps and
pull them up.
- Draw hips in by squeezing them and
tightening buttocks.
- Shoulders back and down with arms
extending down.
- Palms of hands face inward, fingers
pointing down.
- Head and spine are in a straight line.
- Pull lower abdomen in and up.
- Lift sternum and broaden chest.
- Be sure to breathe normally during all
of these steps.
- Hold the posture for 20 to 30 seconds.
- Practice anytime, any place.
- Simple, yet complex when done in
earnest with a strong back as the goal!
One final tip for those of you who would like to avoid back pain:
If you are wearing high-waisted trousers or skirt all day; see how you feel
when you go home to relax. As you remove your belt or sash which has
been pressurizing your lumbar, see if you notice any undue tension there. It
may be an additional aggravation. If so, go out and buy yourself a
pair of "low-riders" and make the same comparison. Becoming aware of
things your body is trying to communicate, rather than just living with
them, can make your future even brighter.
SOURCES:
Back Care Basics: A Doctor's Gentle Yoga Program for Back and Neck Pain
Relief by Mary Pullig Schatz, M.D.
Yoga: The Path to Holistic Health by B. K. S. Iyengar
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Archive of Yoga Therapeutics Articles:
Summer 2000: Number 1- Introduction to Yoga Therapeutics
Spring 2006: Number 9 - Women’s Health: A Sequence for a Healthy Menstruation
Summer 2006: Number 10 - It is Too Late
Spring 2007: Number 12 - Yoga Therapeutics for Lower Backs
Stress - Helpful Tips
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