Scoliosis and Yoga: The Big Picture

by Nina

I was looking at my scoliosis in an X-ray the other day. Yep, it was definitely there! I could clearly see how some of my lumbar spinal bones were actually rotated, though there was not much of a lateral curve. (Scoliosis is a condition of the spine in which some portion of the spine is permanently rotated and there is commonly one or two lateral curves in the spine, in addition to the normal vertical ones. Depending on the severity, this can cause mild or serious asymmetry in the body.) This rotation in my lumbar spine has caused a whole host of problems for me, including arthritis in both my right hip and my spine and pain in both areas. 

Naturally, this physical problem has had a big influence on what I’m physically capable of these days and also on what and how I practice when I’m doing yoga poses or even just sitting. So, while I’m not glad I have scoliosis, I’m glad I know that’s what I have and I’m glad I have information about it that I can use to find the best ways to practice for my body. 

Is this something you’re dealing with? One thing I do know is it is pretty common for scoliosis to develop, as it did for me, later in life as well as in adolescents. So, you may have recently developed it. In my post Late Onset Scoliosis is Common in Older Adults, I quoted Jane Brody from the New York Times:

"Although scoliosis is generally thought of as a problem of adolescents, who often require bracing or surgery to correct the curvature, the condition is actually far more prevalent in older adults. In a study by orthopedists at Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn of 75 healthy volunteers older than age 60, fully 68 percent had spinal deformities that met the definition of scoliosis: a curvature deviating from the vertical by more than 10 degrees."

Today I started to wonder what percentage of the population has scoliosis, so I did some research. At first, I started seeing pretty low numbers, such as 2.5 percent of the adult population, which really surprised me because: a) that doesn’t jive with the numbers in the study cited in the New York Times article above and b) I personally know many people in the yoga community who have it. However, I then found this in Prevalence of Adult Scoliosis:

"The prevalence of adult spinal deformity and scoliosis is not well established, with estimates ranging from 2.5% to 25% of the population.1,2,3,4,5,6 A 2005 study reported mild to severe adult scoliosis prevalence as high as 68% in a healthy (no known scoliosis or spine surgery) population aged 60 years and older.7 Many cases of degenerative scoliosis are undiagnosed, but elderly patients often seek care because of back and leg pain that may be caused by scoliosis and associated spinal stenosis." —Lead Author, Adolfo Correa, MD, PhD, Supporting Author, Sylvia I. Watkins-Castillo, PhD

That made me think that the low number of 2.5 percent, which is so commonly referenced, including by us in the past, might very well be the incidence in children, as indicated by school testing, which would not only exclude the adult-onset population but may even exclude some of the children who were not properly diagnosed. (Some days I hate how there is so much out of date medical information circulating on the internet.) 

Not that I need an excuse to write about scoliosis, but after reading about those statistics I actually think it’s important to do so because there may be some of you out there who have it and don’t yet know it! I think it’s important for us all—students and teachers alike—to realize what a common problem this is. And if you (or a student of yours) are having mysterious back pain, hip pain, or leg pain, it’s worth being checked out to see if this is causing the problem. 

Because scoliosis is so common and can cause a whole host of side effects, we have been writing it about it on the blog for many years. One thing I’ve noticed is that we have several different articles on practicing Side Plank pose to improve your curve. This was based on a studies done by Dr. Loren Fishman (see Serial Case Reporting Yoga for Idiopathic and Degenerative Scoliosis). Here are links to the articles we have so far:

About Scoliosis

In Friday Q&A: Scoliosis Shari and Baxter describe what scoliosis is and provide some information about how to practice if you have it. (I see the statistics in there look at bit suspect—sorry about that). 

In More on Side Plank Pose and Scoliosis Baxter discusses double curves in scoliosis.

In Late Onset Scoliosis is Common in Older Adults I discuss how common late onset scoliosis is and recommend that people with unexplained back problems should get evaluated for this.

In Friday Q&A: One Leg Shorter Than the Other Baxter discusses how one reason for having one leg shorter than the other can be scoliosis and how you might practice if you have this condition.

Practicing for Scoliosis

In Friday Q&A: Yoga for Surgically Repaired Scoliosis Baxter answers a reader’s question about how to practice if you have had surgery for scoliosis.

In Side Plank Pose (Vastithasana) Could Reduce Spinal Curves in People with Scoliosis! I wrote about a study showing that practicing Side Plank pose on one side could help reduce the curve of your spine.

In Friday Q&A: How to Practice Side Plank Pose for Scoliosis Baxter wrote his recommendations for how to practice Side Plank pose if you want to use it to potentially reduce the curve of your spine.

In More on Side Plank Pose and Scoliosis Baxter discussed the problem of how to practice Side Plank pose if you have a double curve.

In Friday Q&A: Answers from Dr. Loren Fishman Baxter interviews Dr. Loren Fishman about the study he did on Side Plank pose and he clarifies why he chose that pose and why he recommended practicing it on one side only.

In Take the Side Plank Pose for Scoliosis I invited people to join me in practicing Side Plank pose according to Baxter’s recommendations. 

In Side Plank Pose for Scoliosis Challenge: Conclusions I announced the results of my experiment with practicing Side Plank pose for my scoliosis. 



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For information about Nina's upcoming book signings and other activities, see Nina's Workshops, Book Signings, and Books.

Video of the Week: Reclined One-Legged King Pigeon Pose

This reclined version of One-Legged King Pigeon Pose is similar to the forward bending variation of the classic pose, but doing the pose in a reclined position rather than upright reduces the stress on the bent knee. To learn more about why Baxter recommends doing the pose this way rather than the classic way, see Friday Q&A: Is Pigeon Pose Safe for Us?



Subscribe to Yoga for Healthy Aging by Email ° Follow Yoga for Healthy Aging on Facebook and Twitter ° To order Yoga for Healthy Aging: A Guide to Lifelong Well-Being, go to Amazon, Shambhala, Indie Bound or your local bookstore.

Follow Baxter Bell, MD on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. For upcoming workshops and retreats see Baxter's Workshops and for info on Baxter see baxterbell.com.  

What is an Advanced Yoga Practice? (Rerun)

by Nina

Year-Old Snow and New Snow by Philip Amdal

A number of years ago, I encouraged a close friend of mine, M, to join me in taking Rodney Yee’s advanced class. Even though she had a muscular, athletic, and stiff body that made doing super bendy poses difficult, if not impossible, I knew that she understood how to take care of herself in class, that she would adapt the poses for her particular body type, and keep herself safe. So I wasn’t worried about the class being too hard for her. She was interested, however, she expressed some concerns about not being “advanced” enough for the class. I decided to discuss the matter with our teacher himself, feeling fairly sure of what he was going to say. But what he told me when I asked him if she was “advanced” not only took me by surprise but has stuck with me all these years, transforming my thinking about the asana practice in general. What he said was this:

“Of course, she’s advanced enough. M does yoga more mindfully than any student I’ve ever seen.”

And here I’d been thinking that being advanced meant being capable of doing difficult poses, like 10 minute headstands or extreme backbends, at some level or another! But doing yoga “mindfully”—now, there was goal we could pursue for our lifetimes. No matter our level of physical capacity was, we would always have the the ability to go deeper and deeper into the practice.

I’m thinking about this today because I’m helping a new friend adapt her practice to allow her to heal from an ongoing injury. It’s taken her a long time to even be ready to temporarily give up certain poses and ways of practicing, because she felt such regrets about excluding poses from her practice that she used to be able to do with such great enjoyment. But as Baxter mentioned in his post on Wristful Wrists: How to Keep Your Wrists Safe, sometimes rest is the best way to heal from an injury. So being willing to adopt mindfulness as a goal in the practice rather than achievement is a necessary element in being able to heal from an injury.

People who are aging may find themselves in a similar position, not necessarily due to injury but simply due to the physical changes that come along with aging. To be honest, I used to have what I sometimes call a “semi-fancy” yoga practice. But in the last few years, I developed arthritis in my right hip that makes it impossible to do seated poses that involve a lot of external rotation. Lotus and half lotus are now impossible for me, and seated forward bends and twists that require certain leg positions are painful and difficult. And I need props in many of the standing poses now. Still there is no question I consider my practice more advanced these days than it was in the years when I regularly took the East Bay’s most “advanced” yoga class.


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For information about Nina's upcoming book signings and other activities, see Nina's Workshops, Book Signings, and Books.

All About the Sanskrit Names of Yoga Poses

by Nina

I’ve heard so many complaints over the years from both yoga teachers and yoga practitioners that learning the Sanskrit names of poses is just too difficult! I understand how at first it can all just sound confusing and overwhelming. But I actually think if you have the right mindset, learning the pose names is not as hard as you might think. This is because the pose names are all compound words that combine a rather limited little number of Sanskrit words (for example, the word “supta,” which means supine, or lying on your back, is in many of the pose names for the reclined poses). And once you understand the logic behind the Sanskrit naming system, it becomes much easier to learn the names. For this reason, last year I did a short series on my personal tips for learning the Sanskrit names of poses. And to my surprise, that series was very popular! So today I thought I’d provide an overview post with links to the posts in that series for those who are ready to take on the challenge. 

Need some more motivation to take on this challenge? Here are four reasons why I think you should open your mind to Sanskrit:

1. Sanskrit is the universal language of yoga! You can go anywhere in the world and understand it or be understood. I once helped a French yoga teacher attend an English-speaking teacher’s class who was using English for pose names by quietly whispering to her the Sanskrit names of the poses. She knew them all and so was able to follow!

2. English names are inconsistent. For example, I’ve heard Uttanasana be called “Standing Forward Bend,” “Intense Forward Fold,” and “Ragdoll pose.” And, wow, I just saw Triang Mukhaikapada Paschimottanasana being called “Three Faced pose”—not sure where the three faces are in that pose—as well as “Three-Limbed Forward Bend.” The Sanskrit names typically aren’t inconsistent (though in a few cases, there is more than one Sanskrit name for the same pose). And the Sanskrit names do describe the pose pretty accurately once you learn to understand what they mean.

3. One day you may need your Sanskrit. Some English-speaking yoga teachers use a mishmash of English and Sanskrit, like they say “Triangle pose” but then “Paschimottanasana.” And other teachers teach entirely in Sanskrit. I’m guessing you don’t want to keep sneaking looks at the others in the class to figure out which pose the teacher is talking about. 

4. It’s good for your brain! Learning a new language is one of the best brain aerobics you can do for brain health.

The Sanskrit Pose Name Series

In My Tips for Learning the Sanskrit Names of Poses, Part 1 I introduces a basic set of words that frequently appear in pose names and show how they are commonly used.

In My Tips for Learning the Sanskrit Names of Poses, Part 2 I list the words for body parts that frequently appear in pose names and show how they are commonly used. 

In My Tips for Learning the Sanskrit Names of Poses, Part 3 I list common modifiers that begin or end pose names and show how they are commonly used.

In Why English Pose Names Aren't Always Literal Translations of Sanskrit I discuss why the English names of yoga poses are often not direct translations of the Sanskrit and one way to tell an ancient yoga pose from a modern one.


Subscribe to Yoga for Healthy Aging by Email ° Follow Yoga for Healthy Aging on Facebook and Twitter ° To order Yoga for Healthy Aging: A Guide to Lifelong Well-Being, go to Amazon, Shambhala, Indie Bound or your local bookstore.

For information about Nina's upcoming book signings and other activities, see Nina's Workshops, Book Signings, and Books.

My New Favorite Pose

by Nina

When you really tune into your body, you may notice that certain areas are particularly tight or restricted, maybe even so much so that they’re contributing to some pain you’ve been experiencing. And when you do, maybe you can identify a yoga pose or two that will help you stretch that area and provide some relief. However, that may require some thinking outside the box. After all, although there are hundreds of modern yoga poses, I’m guessing your typical daily practice doesn’t include all of them. So, it may be that there is a perfect pose out there for you to be practicing that you still need to discover or remember from having done once or twice in the past. 

This is true for me. Although I have arthritis in my lower lumbar spine, I realized lately that the “back pain” I experience is actually in my upper buttocks (the muscles over my sacrum, which as I learned yesterday, is at the wrong angle) not my lower back. And when I have body work done in that area, I feel a great sense of relief. So, I started to wonder how I could stretch that area with a yoga pose.

And I was suddenly reminded of a pose that I practiced once or twice in Donald Moyer’s class that was basically a reclined from of Paschimottanasana but whose name I can never remember. The pose name is Jathara Urdhva Mukha Paschimottanasana, which translates as Abdominal Lift Upward Facing Western Intense Stretch Pose. (I will be able to remember it from now on because Urdhva Mukha Paschimottanasana part from now on because that just means Upward Facing Paschimottanasana and Jathara is abdominal) Here is what it looks like:

First of all, don’t be scared by looking at this photo. It doesn't look like that when I do it! Obviously only very flexible people can get their legs that close to their heads (just like classic Paschimottanansa). So, if you want to practice it, you can hold your feet or lower legs wherever they come to with straight arms or even, like classic Paschimottanasana, use a strap around your feet. 

As for me, although it appears that this pose is typically practiced as an active pose, I remembered that in Donald’s class we actually practiced it as a supported pose, with a bolster under the pelvis. And in order to get a good long stretch, I knew the supported version would be better for me, as I could relax more and hold the pose for two minutes (the amount of time it takes to create lasting changes in both muscles and fascia). Unfortunately I don’t have a photo of this.

But, indeed, when I practiced the supported version of this pose, I did feel a sense of relief—not immediately after doing it, but definitely the next day. So, I made a commitment last month to myself to practice this pose three times a week and see what happens. First of all, I noticed right away that after about two minutes in the pose, there was a definitely “letting go” and I could bring my feet closer to my head. So, I decided to hold for three minutes instead to continue stretching in the two-minute position. Then I started to notice that I felt more freedom in general in my pelvis during my month of practicing.

Yesterday, I told my chiropractor, who is also a yoga practitioner, about my experiment and she was very enthusiastic. She said that based on looking lower spine and sacrum in my X-rays, stretching the muscles over my sacrum with this pose made perfect sense. So my experiment will continue.

Meanwhile I just wanted to encourage those of you who are experiencing pain somewhere due to tightness or gripping to really tune into where that restriction is. Then think about what pose or poses might help you stretch out that area—or ask your yoga teacher for some suggestions—and give them a try. Who knows what you will discover.

Subscribe to Yoga for Healthy Aging by Email ° Follow Yoga for Healthy Aging on Facebook and Twitter ° To order Yoga for Healthy Aging: A Guide to Lifelong Well-Being, go to Amazon, Shambhala, Indie Bound or your local bookstore.

For information about Nina's upcoming book signings and other activities, see Nina's Workshops, Book Signings, and Books.

All About Your Hip Joints

Most of us think about our “hips” as the entire pelvic area—front, back, and sides. For example, when we take our hip measurements to determine our pants size, we put the tape measure all around the widest part of pelvis. But when medical professionals talk about hip problems or breaking a hip, they are typically referring to the hip joint itself, where your pelvis connects to your thighbone. Here is an illustration:

Like your shoulder joint (see All About Your Shoulders), your hip joint allows a large range of motion. It is a joint is a synovial joint, which means it connects your pelvic bone and thighbone (femur) together with a joint capsule (a sock-like sleeve of connective tissue that holds the two bones relatively close together). The inner lining of this capsule is lined with synovial membrane, which secretes a lubricating liquid that allows the bones to move over each other more smoothly. Think about that the next time you’re moving in and out of a yoga standing pose or even just walking down the street. (For more on the anatomy of the hip joint, see Arthritis of the Hip Joint.) Here’s a list of all the movements you can make from your hip joints!

1. Flexion: This means moving your leg in toward the front of your lower torso or bringing the front of your lower torso toward your leg (a forward bend in your hips). For example, lifting your leg up in Standing Hand to Foot pose (Hasta Padangustasana) or Reclined Standing Hand to Foot pose (Supta Padangusthasana), stepping one leg forward and bending that knee as in Warrior 1 (Virabrdrasana 1) or tipping the hips forward over the leg Pyramid pose (Pasvottanasana). 

2. Extension: This means moving your leg back toward the back of your lower torso or bringing the back of your lower torso toward your leg (a backbend in your hips). For example, when you step your back leg back into Warrior 1 or lift your legs up in Locust pose (Salabasana). 

3. Abduction: This means moving your leg to the side, away from the midline of your body. For example, when you step both legs out to the sides from Mountain pose (Tadasana) into the wide-leg stance for a standing pose such as Triangle pose (Trikonasana).

4. Adduction: This means moving one leg across the other, as in Eagle pose (Garudasana), or moving a leg that was out to the side back toward the midline of the body, such as stepping back into Mountain pose from a wide-leg stance. 

5. External Rotation: This means turning your leg out within your hip socket so the leg turns away from the midline of your body. For example, when setting up your front foot position for Triangle pose, you externally rotate your front leg as you turn your front foot out to 90 degrees before entering the full pose. This movement is almost always combined with one or more of the others listed above.

6. Internal Rotation: This means turning your leg in within your hip socket so the leg turns toward the midline of your body. For example, when you are setting up your back foot position for Triangle pose, you internally rotate your back leg as your turn your back foot slightly inward. This movement is almost always combined with one or more of the others listed above.

As with the shoulder joint, the hip joint structure that provides so much range of motion also creates certain vulnerabilities. For example, arthritis of the hip joint is a particularly common in those who are aging. So, keeping your hips happy and healthy should be a regular component of your yoga for healthy aging practice. Generally, this means practicing both stretching and strengthening the muscles around the hip joint, unless you are someone who is hypermobile, in which case, you should focus just on strengthening.

Here’s the information we have on the blog that help you figure out how to practice whether your hip joints are currently healthy or you are having a problem with them.

Anatomy

In Differences Between Male and Female Pelvic StructuresShari discusses the differences between the male and female pelvic structure and how that might influence the way that you practice to keep your hip joints happy and healthy.

In The Psoas Muscle and YogaBaxter discusses the psoas muscle, a really important muscle that affects your hip joints, as it connects your spine with your leg through your hip.

Preventing Problems

In Keeping Your Hips Happy and Healthyby Shari provides general advice for practicing to keep your hip joints in healthy condition.

In Featured Sequence: New Lower Body Strength SequenceBaxter provides an all-around sequence that will strengthen the muscles around the hip joint.

In Friday Q&A: Strengthening Your HipsBaxter provides a sequence for strengthening muscles around the hip joints designed especially for someone who is hypermobile in those joints.

In Featured Sequence: Lower Body Flexibility PracticeBaxter provides an all-around sequence that will allow you to move your hip joints through their entire range of motion.

In Interview with Charlotte Bell, Author of Hip-Healthy AsanaI interview Charlotte about her reasons for writing this book and her basic advice.

In Excerpts from Hip-Healthy Asanawe share some excerpts from Charlotte Bell’s book, including a sequence!

In Friday Q&A: Opening Your Hips Without Knee Pain Baxter provides a short sequence for moving the hip joints in their entire range of motion for those who have problematic knees.

In Too Much Yoga or Just the Wrong Kind?I discusses the problem of hypermobility in the hip joints and provide advice changing your practice to prevent development of future problems.

Addressing Problems

In Arthritis of the Hip Joint Baxter and I describe the anatomy of the hip joint, how arthritis can develop in the joint, and how to practice to stabilize and/or improve arthritis symptoms.

In All About Hip Replacements and Yoga I provides an overview of all the information we have on the blog about hip replacements and how to practice if you have one. There's a lot!

In Yoga and Hip DysplasiaBaxter discusses what hip dysplasia is and how to practice if you have it.

In Friday Q&A: Hip Pain and YogaShari and Baxter provide more advice for practicing with hip dysplasia when there is pain.

In Friday Q&A: Recovering from Hip FractureBaxter provides advice for practicing when you are recovering from a hip joint fracture but have not had a joint replacement.

In Friday Q&A: Yoga and Bursitis, Baxter provides information about what bursitis in the hip is and how to practice if you have it.

Subscribe to Yoga for Healthy Aging by Email ° Follow Yoga for Healthy Aging on Facebook and Twitter ° To order Yoga for Healthy Aging: A Guide to Lifelong Well-Being, go to Amazon, Shambhala, Indie Bound or your local bookstore.


For information about Nina's upcoming book signings and other activities, see Nina's Workshops, Book Signings, and Books.

Video of the Week: Crocodile Twist

This version of the Crocodile twist begins with a dynamic practice  that you do hands free to increase the work of your core muscles as you twist and unwind. You will then hold the pose statically, using your arms more actively. If you have been advised to avoid twisting actions, consider skipping this pose. 

Subscribe to Yoga for Healthy Aging by Email ° Follow Yoga for Healthy Aging on Facebook and Twitter ° To order Yoga for Healthy Aging: A Guide to Lifelong Well-Being, go to Amazon, Shambhala, Indie Bound or your local bookstore.

Follow Baxter Bell, MD on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. For upcoming workshops and retreats see Baxter's Workshops and for info on Baxter see baxterbell.com.