Yoga for ScoliosisWhen the body is balanced and aligned with
gravity, a yoga posture will be almost effortless. Before doing
yoga, my body did not know what "balanced" felt like. Through yoga,
I have learned that I can have a curved spine and still be balanced
and graceful. There are six major areas of the body to focus on
while doing the yoga poses for scoliosis. These areas are very
important in creating proper alignment, decreasing pain. and
minimizing further curvature of the spine. 1. Feet and Legs: When
standing and walking, it is very important to place equal weight on
both feet and to be aware of any imbalances. Strengthening the legs
creates a solid foundation from which the spine can stretch and
become freer, and it enables the legs, rather than the spine, to
carry the weight of the body. 2. Spine: Since this is where the
scoliosis is located, it is important to focus on lengthening the
spine, which tends to reduce the S curve. 3. Psoas (Major and
Minor): These two muscles (a pair on each side of the body) are the
principal flexors of the thigh. They arise from the iliacus muscle
and along the vertebral column and join to insert on the lesser
trochanter of the femur. Together with the iliacus, they form a
structural and functional unit called the iliopsoas. Besides
flexing the thigh, the iliopsoas is an important postural muscle.
During sit ting it balances the torso; in standing it counteracts
the tendency of the torso to fall behind the line of gravity, which
passes just in back of the hip joints. Keeping this muscle well
toned aligns the lower limbs with the torso and frees the
spine.Release Your Psoas These 10 poses can help you create the
internal awareness needed to access the muscle that is the key to
your structural ability. The internal awareness that develops
through yoga is the most important tool for learning to release the
psoas. And releasing the psoas will bring new freedom, ease, and
structural integrity to your yoga practice. It can be difficult at
first to access the subtle sensations of the psoas. Buried in the
body, engaged in habitual patterns of holding (especially when
you're sitting or standing), and deeply linked to your emotions,
the psoas is best approached with quiet attention, patience, and
perseverance. Awareness is the first key. Like a flashlight that
illuminates the contents of a dark closet, you can use your
attention to clarify and define each sensation in your core.
Constructive Rest Position Rather than trying to instantly correct
all the imbalances and habitual compensations you've developed
throughout your life, we'll begin by simply releasing the psoas in
a posture called constructive rest position. In this pose, you
don't need to perform any muscular action to release the psoas.
Gravity will do the work. To take constructive rest position, lie
on your back, bend your knees to about 90 degrees, and place your
feet on the floor in line with your hip sockets, 12 to 16 inches
from your buttocks. Be careful not to flatten or exaggerate the
curves in either your lumbar (lower back) or cervical (neck) spine.
Rest your hands and forearms on your rib cage, on your pelvis, or
by bringing them to the floor as in Savasana. Now that you're in
position, shift your awareness to the support of your bones. Begin
by sensing the weight of your bones sinking down toward the floor.
Take note of any part of your skeleton that feels as though it is
suspended, any place where the muscular contraction prevents the
bones from surrendering to the pull of gravity. As your psoas
continues to release, the distribution of weight will start to feel
increasingly even throughout your body. Active Supine Stretch Once
you've begun to understand the skeletal position and internal
sensations that accompany releasing the psoas, you can move on to
more actively lengthening the muscle. Starting from constructive
rest position and keeping both knees bent, bring your right upper
thigh toward your chest. Gently hug your right leg toward your
trunk. Be very careful not to curl your pelvis up off the floor as
you move your right leg; the pelvis should remain aligned with the
trunk. Sensing into your flexed right hip and softening in the hip
socket will help free the right thighbone. You're now ready to
stretch your left psoas. Very slowly walk the left foot farther
away from the hips. As the leg extends, keep your awareness on the
front of the left hip socket, releasing any psoas tension you
notice there. Once you begin to sense the psoas lengthening, follow
the sensation all the way up the muscle to its attachment at the
12th thoracic vertebra, located behind the center of your solar
plexus. To amplify the stretch, push your right leg against your
right arm as though you were gently kicking up toward the sky. At
the same time, resist the push of the leg with your clasped arms.
After a few moments, change sides. Don't continue this pose if you
experience pain or tension in your lower back. Instead, immediately
go back to constructive rest position and relax, allowing gravity
to release your psoas again. The Ultimate Stretch All variations of
the lunge (sometimes called "runner's stretch") and Pigeon Pose are
excellent for stretching the psoas, but for many students the best
is a modified Pigeon Pose (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana). When you
stretch one leg out in front of you and one behind you while
keeping your pelvis stable, you isolate the stretch in the psoas
and iliacus muscles attached to the back leg.One-Legged King Pigeon
Pose/Eka Pada Rajakapotasana
1. Begin on all fours, with your knees directly below your hips,
and your hands slightly ahead of your shoulders. Slide your right
knee forward to the back of your right wrist; at the same time
angle your right shin under your torso and bring your right foot to
the front of your left knee. The outside of your right shin will
now rest on the floor. Slowly slide your left leg back,
straightening the knee and descending the front of the thigh to the
floor. Lower the outside of your right buttock to the floor.
Position the right heel just in front of the left hip. 2. The right
knee can angle slightly to the right, outside the line of the hip.
Look back at your left leg. It should extend straight out of the
hip (and not be angled off to the left), and rotated slightly
inwardly, so its midline presses against the floor. Exhale and lay
your torso down on the inner right thigh for a few breaths. Stretch
your arms forward. 3. Then slide your hands back toward the front
shin and push your fingertips firmly to the floor. Lift your torso
away from the thigh. Lengthen the lower back by pressing your
tailbone down and forward; at the same time, and lift your pubis
toward the navel. Roll your left hip point toward the right heel,
and lengthen the left front groin. 4. If you can maintain the
upright position of your pelvis without the support of your hands
on the floor, bring your hands to the top rim of your pelvis. Push
heavily down. Against this pressure, lift the lower rim of your rib
cage. The back ribs should lift a little faster than the front.
Without shortening the back of your neck, drop your head back. To
lift your chest, push the top of your sternum (at the manubrium)
straight up toward the ceiling. 5. Stay in this position for a
minute. Then, with your hands back on the floor, carefully slide
the left knee forward, then exhale and lift up and back into Adho
Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose). Take a few breaths,
drop the knees to all-fours on another exhalation, and repeat with
the legs reversed for the same length of time. Beginner's TipAt
first many students who learn this pose aren't able to easily grasp
the back foot directly with their hands. Take a strap with a
buckle. Slip a small loop over the back footlet's say the left foot
is extended backand tighten the strap around the ball of the foot.
Make sure the buckle is against the sole of the foot. Perform the
leg position, and lay the strap on the floor along side the left
leg. Bend the left knee and grasp the strap with the left hand.
Swing that arm up and over your head, then reach back with the
right hand. Hold the strap in both hands, and carefully walk your
hands down the strap toward the foot. Modifications and PropsIt's
often difficult to descend the outside of the front-leg hip all the
way to the floor. Place a thickly folded blanket underneath the hip
for support. PartneringYour partner can help with the lift of the
arms. Perform the pose to your capacity, whether your hands are
grasping the foot or a strap. Have your partner stand behind you.
He should press his hands against your outer upper arms, just above
the shoulder, and lift the outer arms toward the elbows. Release
your side ribs down, away from the arms. Keep the tops of your
shoulders soft.The full pose, which is suitable for intermediate
students, will be described in the Full Pose section below. First
we'll practice the leg position only, which should be accessible to
most experienced beginners.Deepen The PoseYour partner can help
with the lift of the arms. Perform the pose to your capacity,
whether your hands are grasping the foot or a strap. Have your
partner stand behind you. He should press his hands against your
outer upper arms, just above the shoulder, and lift the outer arms
toward the elbows. Release your side ribs down, away from the arms.
Keep the tops of your shoulders soft.The full pose, which is
suitable for intermediate students, will be described in the Full
Pose section below. First we'll practice the leg position only,
which should be accessible to most experienced beginners.
To come into this pose, start by kneeling on all fours. Swing
your right knee forward onto the floor between your hands,
releasing and rotating the right femur within the right hip socket,
and bring your right buttock toward the floor. At the same time,
extend your left leg straight back behind you. Make sure you keep
your hips level and squared to the front. If necessary, place a
firm bolster or pile of blankets under your right sitting bone to
keep your pelvis level and supported. Don't bring your right
buttock to the floor by torquing your right hip farther forward or
farther toward the floor than your left. This posture stretches
your left psoas. As you continue to extend back through your left
leg, check again that you are keeping your pelvis facing squarely
forward. If the pelvis torques, you'll lose the psoas stretch, and
you may also compress or overtwist the lower back. If you're
stretching properly, you shouldn't feel tension in your lower back.
The release and stretch should begin where your psoas crosses your
hip at the front of the joint, and you should feel an upward
extension through both the front and back of your trunk. The line
of your body should form a continuous arc, with no abrupt angles.
Seated Poses Now that you've discovered how it feels to release and
lengthen your psoas, we'll use a simple cross-legged posture to
illuminate the proper use of the psoas in seated asanas. Sit on a
firm, folded blanket, with your feet and lower legs off the
blanket. Bend your right leg and draw the heel toward your left
inner groin. Similarly, bend your left leg and draw the heel toward
your right shin. If either of your knees feels strained or if one
knee is higher than the other, support that knee by placing a
rolled towel or blanket or bolster under the knee or thigh. Begin
to notice where the weight of your torso grounds through your
pelvis into the floor. Does most of your weight fall behind your
sitting bones, or in front of them? If you sense your weight
grounding directly through the bones, refine your questioning. Is
your weight more on the front of the bones or the back? Lift your
sitting bones off the blanket and pull back on the muscles of the
buttocks, so that when you lower down again you shift more firmly
onto the front of your sitting bones. See if this action provides a
more effortless base of support for your spine, rib cage, and head.
To align your pelvis properly, you may have to raise your sitting
bones by placing flat, firmly folded towels or blankets under your
buttocks. When you get all your props placed correctly, you'll be
on the front of your sitting bones, with your knees lower than your
hip socket. This relationship between knees and hips is critical in
all seated postures because it allows your psoas to open at the
front of the hip; in turn, this opening allows a release of tension
throughout your legs and lower back. As the weight of the body
releases down through the bones, it grounds into the earth, and a
subtle sensation of support rebounds upward. When your pelvis is
stable and your skeletal structure is free to align properly,
sitting feels effortless. You shouldn't have to use muscular
tension to hold yourself upthrusting your chest forward or pulling
your shoulders back to lengthen your trunk. If you feel as though
your spine collapses without these actions, if your weight is still
placed behind your sitting bones, or if your knees are still higher
than your hip sockets, continue to add towels or blankets until you
find the sensation of support that accompanies proper alignment. If
you still don't feel this support even though you're aligned
properly, try shifting your weight slightly forward through your
hip sockets until you feel a release at the core of your body. At
first, this release may feel a little unsettling. You may even
experience a subtle fear of falling. As the psoas lets go, you are
shifting from a familiar feeling of controlling your posture with
muscles to an unfamiliar feeling of relying on your skeleton for
support. Since it's new, the sensation may feel a bit scaryor you
may feel relief as you let go of unnecessary muscular contraction.
Standing Release Maintaining a released psoas can be challenging in
standing postures. Biomechanically, standing on two legs is a very
complex task, and many of us have developed habitualbut less than
optimalpatterns of muscular contraction to help keep us upright.
Fortunately, there's an excellent exercise that allows you to
discover what it feels like to relax your psoas while standing.
Take a block or thick book and place it 12 to 16 inches away from a
wall. Stand on the block or book with your left foot, supporting
and balancing yourself with your right hand on the wall. Let your
right leg and foot hang completely released. Gently swing this leg
back and forth like a pendulum, taking care not to let the trunk
bend or twist as your leg swings. (If your pelvis is torquing,
you're going beyond the released range of motion of your psoas.)
See if you can sense the pendulum movement deep within your torso;
it should begin at the very top of your psoas at your 12th thoracic
vertebra, behind your solar plexus. After you swing the leg for a
few minutes, step down from the block and see if your two legs feel
different. You've released the psoas attached to the swinging leg,
and most likely this leg will feel longer, freer, and more relaxed.
Now reverse your position and swing the other leg. This time focus
not only on the leg you're swinging, but also on the standing leg.
Check to make sure you're not leaning into the standing leg hip.
Try to sense your weight passing directly down through your leg and
foot and into the block. Even though this leg is now bearing
weight, you can release the psoas by bringing your awareness to the
front of the hip socket and softening any tension you notice there.
Tadasana (Mountain Pose) Now let's investigate Tadasana (Mountain
Pose). Stand with your feet directly underneath your hip sockets,
and conduct an inquiry of your sensations. Does your pelvis feel
like a stable foundation? Is the rim of your pelvis parallel to the
floor? You can check by looking in a mirror, or by placing your
hands on top of your hips and following the pelvic rim around to
the front of your body, checking to see if both hands are level. Do
both your legs transfer weight equally? Are you grounding equally
through both feet? If your answer to these questions is "Yes," your
psoas should feel released, and you should be able to sense gravity
drawing your weight down through your bones. If your bones are
aligned, you'll feel a slight sensation of rebounding from the
earth, just as a ball dropped to the floor bounces up again. This
rebounding force creates a current of energy that aligns the body,
flowing up through your spine and out the top of your skull. If
your pelvis doesn't feel stable and even, try returning to
constructive rest position and the supine psoas stretch. After a
few minutes of releasing the psoas and stabilizing the pelvis,
return to Tadasana and see if you feel more balanced. Vrksasana
(Tree Pose) Once your weight feels equal on both feet in Tadasana,
focus on sensing your ankles. Shift your weight ever so slightly
forward and back over your ankle joints until you find the place
where they feel most released. At that point, your psoas is also
most free to release and to assume its proper function as a guy
wire for the spine. Moving with proper alignment from Tadasana into
Tree Pose requires that you continue to sense this connection
between your standing leg and your spine, even as you shift all
your weight onto one leg and lift the other into the air. When
you're ready, gradually shift from grounding your weight through
both legs to bringing it all onto your right leg. A common mistake
in this asana is leaning into the right hip, which can strain the
hip ligaments on that side. Instead, balance your weight directly
over the bones of your leg, allowing the hip socket to remain
released and the right-side psoas to relax. When you can ground
your weight straight down through your right leg, without leaning
into your right hip or locking your right knee, you can start to
turn and lift your left leg. Begin by softening any tension at the
front of the left hip socket, releasing the left psoas. Then rotate
the thigh bone in the left hip socket, contracting the external
rotator muscles located behind the hip. Once you've rotated the
femur, lift your left leg, placing the sole of the foot as high as
possible on the inner right leg. Again, make sure you didn't lean
into your right hip as you lifted the left leg. If necessary, place
your hand on a wall or chair to help you maintain balance.Tree
Pose/Vrksasana1. Stand in Tadasana. Shift your weight slightly onto
the left foot, keeping the inner foot firm to the floor, and bend
your right knee. Reach down with your right hand and clasp your
right ankle. 2. Draw your right foot up and place the sole against
the inner left thigh; if possible, press the right heel into the
inner left groin, toes pointing toward the floor. The center of
your pelvis should be directly over the left foot. 3. Rest your
hands on the top rim of your pelvis. Make sure the pelvis is in a
neutral position, with the top rim parallel to the floor. 4.
Lengthen your tailbone toward the floor. Firmly press the right
foot sole against the inner thigh and resist with the outer left
leg. Press your hands together in Anjali Mudra. Gaze softly at a
fixed point in front of you on the floor about 4 or 5 feet away. 5.
Stay for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Step back to Tadasana with an
exhalation and repeat for the same length of time with the legs
reversed.Beginner's TipIf your raised foot tends to slide down the
inner standing thigh, put a folded sticky mat between the
raised-foot sole and the standing inner thigh. VariationsStretch
your arms straight up toward the ceiling, parallel to each other,
palms facing, or touch the palms together forming an inverted V
with the arms. Modifications and PropsYou can stand with your back
braced against a wall if you feel unsteady in this
pose.PartneringIf you are practicing Vrksasana with arms raised
overhead, a partner can help you lift and lengthen your arms. First
raise your arms perpendicular to the floor. Have your partner stand
behind you and press inward against your outer upper arms, then
lift your outer arms toward the ceiling. At the same time, draw
your inner arms downward, from the wrists to the tops of the
shoulders. Deepen The PoseAs with Tadasana , you can challenge your
balance by practicing this pose with your eyes closed. Learn to
balance without any reference to the outer environment.
Psoas and the Arms If you feel stable and aligned standing in
Vrksasana, you can add your arms to the pose. Just as your legs
should be able to move independently of your pelvis, your arms
should be able to move independently of your shoulders. And, as
with your legs, this independent motion can only occur if your
psoas is released. To avoid contracting your psoas as you raise
your arms, bring your attention to your solar plexus and the back
of your rib cage. Melt any rigidity you feel in these areas. Aim to
soften and widen equally across the front of your chest and across
your back, especially in the area between your shoulder blades. If
these regions already feel open, straighten your arms, rotate them
outward, and sweep your palms up above your head. If you detect any
stiffening in the area of your upper psoas, pause and take your
arms a little lower until you can soften the tension you sense in
this area. Bringing your arms over your head can challenge the
release of the upper psoas where it attaches to the 12th thoracic
vertebra, and it can also challenge your stability through your
standing leg. To maintain ease at the core of your body, focus on
sensing a downward release from the very top of your psoas. Feel
your weight dropping down through your bones, even as your arms
float up over your head. If you have difficulty sensing this
release, return again to constructive rest position, with your arms
at your sides. After a few moments, fold your arms across your rib
cage. With this extra weight, the middle of your torso will rest a
little more into the floor; you will feel an increased release deep
in your trunk as the top portion of your psoas lets go. Once you've
identified this release, you can again investigate it in
Vrksasana.4. Scapula: To prevent the upper back from rounding (a
common problem in people with scoliosis) , it is important to drop
the shoulder blades down from the ears and draw them in toward the
front of the body. To facilitate this movement, we must develop
increased flexibility of the muscles surrounding the shoulder
blades. 5. Abdominal Muscles: To strengthen the abdominal muscles
is very important with a scoliosis. If the abdominals are weak,
then it causes the back muscles to overwork and therefore tighten.
In extreme cases, it may cause lordosis or an extreme curve of the
lower back particularly on the concave side of the lower back. 6.
Breath: Awareness of the breath is perhaps the most important thing
to focus on while doing the yoga poses. Usually very little air
enters the lung on the concave side of the spine. Sending the
breath into the collapsed rib cage on this side can actually
stretch the intercostal muscles and create more lung capacity. This
creates more openness and evenness on both sides of the chest, from
the inside out. When beginning to practice yoga, the most important
movement is lengthening the spine. This movement will create more
evenness in the spine and ribs and release tension in the muscles
of the back. Cat / Cow Pose: At the start of a practice period,
loosening the spine with the breath is important to prevent injury,
particularly at the apex of the scoliosis. Kneel with the hands
below the shoulders and the knees below the hips. Inhaling, lift
the head and tailbone, making the lower back concave. Exhale and
tuck the tailbone, rounding the back and releasing the neck. Repeat
at least 10 times. Cat Pose /Marjaryasana1. Start on your hands and
knees in a "tabletop" position. Make sure your knees are set
directly below your hips and your wrists, elbows and shoulders are
in line and perpendicular to the floor. Center your head in a
neutral position, eyes looking at the floor. 1. As you exhale,
round your spine toward the ceiling, making sure to keep your
shoulders and knees in position. Release your head toward the
floor, but don't force your chin to your chest. 2. Inhale, coming
back to neutral "tabletop" position on your hands and knees. 3.
This pose is often paired with Cow Pose on the inhale for a gentle,
flowing vinyasa.
Beginner's TipIf you have difficulty rounding the very top of
the upper back, ask a friend to lay a hand just above and between
the shoulder blades to help you activate this area. Cow
Pose/Bitilasana1. Start on your hands and knees in a "tabletop"
position. Make sure your knees are set directly below your hips and
your wrists, elbows and shoulders are in line and perpendicular to
the floor. Center your head in a neutral position, eyes looking at
the floor. 1. As you inhale, lift your sitting bones and chest
toward the ceiling, allowing your belly to sink toward the floor.
Lift your head to look straight forward. 2. Exhale, coming back to
neutral "tabletop" position on your hands and knees. Repeat 10 to
20 times. 3. This pose is often paired with Cat Pose on the exhale
for a gentle, flowing vinyasa. Beginner's TipProtect your neck by
broadening across your shoulder blades and drawing your shoulders
down, away from your ears.
Balasana (Child's Pose): After completing the exhalation in the
Cat/Cow Pose, stretch the hands out in front. Inhale deeply into
the back, particularly the concave side where the ribs are
compressed. Exhale and move the buttocks back halfway toward the
heels. Inhale, and stretch the arms and the pelvis away from each
other, with the upper back following the arms and the lower back
following the pelvis. Breathe into this position, feeling the
intercostal muscles stretching between the ribs and the spine and
back muscles lengthening. To help stretch the compressed ribs on
the concave side, move the arms toward the convex side, keeping the
arms shoulder-width apart. Notice how this movement makes the back
more even. After breathing into this position for a minute, move
the buttocks all the way back to the heels and relax the arms by
your side. Relax the entire body. Child's Pose/Balasana1. Kneel on
the floor. Touch your big toes together and sit on your heels, then
separate your knees about as wide as your hips. 2. Exhale and lay
your torso down between your thighs. Broaden your sacrum across the
back of your pelvis and narrow your hip points toward the navel, so
that they nestle down onto the inner thighs. Lengthen your tailbone
away from the back of the pelvis while you lift the base of your
skull away from the back of your neck. 3. Lay your hands on the
floor alongside your torso, palms up, and release the fronts of
your shoulders toward the floor. Feel how the weight of the front
shoulders pulls the shoulder blades wide across your back. 4.
Balasana is a resting pose. Stay anywhere from 30 seconds to a few
minutes. Beginners can also use Balasana to get a taste of a deep
forward bend, where the torso rests on the thighs. Stay in the pose
from 1 to 3 minutes. To come up, first lengthen the front torso,
and then with an inhalation lift from the tailbone as it presses
down and into the pelvis. Beginner's TipWe usually don't breathe
consciously and fully into the back of the torso. Balasana provides
us with an excellent opportunity to do just that. Imagine that each
inhalation is "doming" the back torso toward the ceiling,
lengthening and widening the spine. Then with each exhalation
release the torso a little more deeply into the fold. VariationsTo
increase the length of the torso, stretch your arms forward. Lift
your buttocks just slightly away from your heels. Reach the arms
longer while you draw the shoulder blades down the back. Then
without moving the hands, sit the buttocks down on the heels again.
Modifications and PropsIf you have difficulty sitting on your heels
in this pose, place a thickly folded blanket between your back
thighs and calves. PartneringA partner can help you lengthen the
"dome" shape of your back in this pose. Have your partner stand to
one of your sides. He/she should place one hand on your sacrum
(fingers pointing toward the tailbone) and the other hand on your
mid-back (fingers pointing toward your head). As you exhale, your
partner can press gently down (toward the floor) and, without
physically moving the hands, scrub them in opposite directions.
Help your partner regulate the pressure on your backask for more or
lessbut have him/her apply more pressure only on an exhalation.
Three-Part Bar Stretch: This pose may be done at a dance bar or
at home on a porch railing, sink, or wherever you can grab onto
something and pull.1. Grab onto the bar with hands
shoulder-distance apart and walk the feet back until the spine is
parallel to the floor and the feet are directly under the hips. Now
bring the heels forward to the position where the toes were and
hang backwards, bending from the hips and stretching the buttocks
away from the bar. Keep the neck in line with the spine, not
allowing the chin to lift up. Feel the entire spine being
lengthened by the pull.2. Bring the feet in a few inches toward the
bar and bend the knees into a right angle, with the thighs parallel
to the floor and the knees directly above the heels. Continue to
stretch the buttocks down and backwards. This particularly
stretches the mid-back below and to the sides of the shoulder
blades.Six Stretches to Do at Work Relieve tension in your wrists,
back, and shoulders at your desk. Side Stretch This is a great
stretch to relieve computer-related tension in your wrists and to
stretch your sides. It will also help relieve lower back tightness.
Stand with your feet hip-width apart and parallel. Inhale and
stretch your arms out to the sides and then over your head with
your palms facing each other. Exhale as you take hold of your left
wrist with your right hand. With an inhalation, stretch the fingers
of your left hand to the ceiling. Exhale as you gently stretch to
the right, drawing out your left arm and wrist with the right hand,
and move your hips to the left simultaneously. Keep your head and
left arm in alignment with the torso. Don't drop your left arm in
front of your face. Feel this stretch on the entire left side of
your body, from your hips to your fingertips. Keep your feet
solidly planted on the floor by pressing firmly down with your
outer left heel. Continue to breathe softly as you stretch to the
right, particularly noticing the deep stretch in the left rib cage
as the breath enters your left lung. Inhale as you come back to
center. Exhale and switch hands. Holding your right wrist with your
left arm, inhale as you reach up through the fingers of your right
hand. Exhale as you stretch to the left. Continue to breathe as you
stretch to the left side. Inhale and return to the center. Repeat
this sequence on each side. Shoulder Rolls Movement is one of the
best things you can do for your back if you've been sitting in the
same position for awhile. This particular movement helps relieve
tension in the upper back and shoulders where the trapezius muscle
is located. Sitting upright, inhale as you lift your right shoulder
to your ear. Exhale as you slowly roll your shoulder around and
back, dropping it away from your ear. Continue these shoulder rolls
three more times, alternating right and left. Now, inhale as you
lift both shoulders up to the ears. Exhale as you release them.
Repeat five times and then relax your shoulders. Neck Stretch This
stretch is particularly good for a stiff or compressed neck. You
can really feel how it lengthens and stretches the neck, creating
space between each of the vertebrae in the cervical spine. Sit
upright without letting your back touch the back of the chair.
Align your head directly over your spine and feel the crown of your
head lifting. You may want to hold on to the side of your chair
seat with your left hand. Breathe in, and on the exhalation, drop
your right ear toward your right shoulder without lifting your
right shoulder or turning your head. Take several breaths in and
out, feeling the stretch on the left side of your neck. To create a
deeper stretch, reach over your head and place your right hand on
the left side of your head to gently pull your neck away from your
shoulders. At the same time, you can hold firmly onto the chair
with your left hand to draw your left shoulder away from your neck.
Visualize your neck lengthening and the muscles along your
vertebrae relaxing. Hold the pose for at least five more breaths,
then release your left hand from the chair and gently massage your
neck and shoulders with your left hand. Slowly lift the head and
switch sides to repeat the sequence. Open Chest Stretch This pose
opens the chest, decreasing rounded shoulders and releasing
tightness in the middle back. In addition, it helps decrease
kyphosis, extreme forward curvature of the thoracic spine. Sit near
the edge of a chair and interlace your fingers behind you, with
your palms facing your back. Leaning slightly forward, lift your
arms and rest them on the back of the chair. Inhale and lift your
chest. Exhale and relax your shoulders away from your ears. If your
hands do not reach the top of the chair, clasp the sides of the
chair back and pull your chest forward, relaxing your shoulders and
opening your upper chest. Hold for 10 to 15 breaths, feeling
lightness in your heart. With an exhalation, slowly release your
hands and bring them down by your sides. Chair Twist Twists are the
antidote to sitting for long periods of time. After twisting, you
will feel the release of all the muscles in your back (particularly
in the middle back) that have been locked into position from
sitting a long time. Sit toward the front of a chair, then swivel
your thighs toward the right side of the chair so you are sitting
diagonally on the seat. If you have an arm rest on the side of the
chair, bring your thighs as close to it as possible. Inhale and
lift your right arm up to the ceiling. With an exhalation, move
your arm to the back of the chair on the opposite side, taking hold
of the chair back. Bring the left hand to the right knee or chair
handle. Inhale and lengthen your spine. Exhale and twist to the
right, pressing your right hand against the back of the chair to
deepen the twist. Visualize the shoulder blades dropping down as if
they were hanging from weights. Breathe into your rib cage.
Consciously relax the muscles in your back and gently twist a
little farther. Stay in the pose for 10 to 15 breaths. Return to
your center with an exhalation and repeat on the opposite side.
Back and Shoulder Release Part One: Sit on the edge of a chair and
place your feet about two and a half feet apart, parallel to each
other. Lean forward and place your forearms on your inner thighs.
Press your inner thighs out with your forearms. Breathe deeply in
and out, feeling the stretch in your inner thighs. Part Two: Make
sure your knees are directly over your heels and your feet are
parallel to each other. Slowly stretch your arms down towards the
floor, resting your ribs on your thighs and your armpits towards
your knees. Cross your arms, placing your hands at the opposite
elbows. Continue to breathe deeply. Part Three: For a deeper
stretch of the back, stretch your arms forward toward your desk or
the floor, reaching through the fingertips and feeling your spine
lengthening. Round your back and slowly roll up, returning to a
sitting position. Excerpted with permission from Life Is a Stretch:
Easy Yoga, Anytime, Anywhere by Elise Browning Miller and Carol
Blackman.3. Walk the feet forward a few inches farther to allow the
heels to remain on the floor. Let the buttocks move down toward the
floor in a squat. Now pull back, keeping the buttocks down, and
feel the lower spine being stretched.Standing PosesTrikonasana
(Triangle Pose): In Triangle Pose, the feet are separated while the
torso stretches to the side. Because of the scoliosis, your
emphasis should be different when you stretch to each side. When
stretching toward the side of the concavity, emphasize lengthening
the spine to open up the compressed ribs on the underside of the
body and decrease the protrusion of the ribs on the opposite side.
When stretching to the convex side, emphasize twisting to create
more evenness on the sides of the back. For example, someone with a
right thoracic scoliosis would stretch to the left to create length
in the spine. Separate the feet about one leg's length. Turn the
left toes out to 90 degrees and the right toes in to 45 degrees,
and stretch the torso to the left, bending from the hips and
stretching the arms away from each other. Placing your left hand on
the back of a chair helps to spread out the ribs on the concave
side. Drop the right ribs in medially towards the spine so both
sides of the body are parallel to the floor. Notice how dropping
the right ribs spreads out the compressed left ribs. You can also
press the right outer heel of the foot into a wall to give
stability and strength from which to stretch. If you are practicing
in a studio that has wall ropes, a rope attached to the wall and
wrapped around the right thigh is an excellent way to create this
stability, particularly for someone with a lumbar scoliosis. It is
also important to stretch to the opposite side to decrease the
bulge in the back on the convex side of the spine. Place the left
outer heel at the wall or use a rope attached around the left leg.
Lengthen out from the hip as you did on the left side. Place the
right hand on the leg and bring the left heel of the hand to the
sacrum. Inhale and draw the base of the right shoulder blade down
from the ears and into the body, opening the chest. Exhale and
twist from the navel, drawing the left elbow back to align the
shoulders with each other. Let the neck and head follow. Extended
Triangle Pose/Utthita Trikonasana
1. Stand in Tadasana. With an exhalation, step or lightly jump
your feet 3 1/2 to 4 feet apart. Raise your arms parallel to the
floor and reach them actively out to the sides, shoulder blades
wide, palms down. 2. Turn your left foot in slightly to the right
and your right foot out to the right 90 degrees. Align the right
heel with the left heel. Firm your thighs and turn your right thigh
outward, so that the center of the right knee cap is in line with
the center of the right ankle. 3. Exhale and extend your torso to
the right directly over the plane of the right leg, bending from
the hip joint, not the waist. Anchor this movement by strengthening
the left leg and pressing the outer heel firmly to the floor.
Rotate the torso to the left, keeping the two sides equally long.
Let the left hip come slightly forward and lengthen the tailbone
toward the back heel. 4. Rest your right hand on your shin, ankle,
or the floor outside your right foot, whatever is possible without
distorting the sides of the torso. Stretch your left arm toward the
ceiling, in line with the tops of your shoulders. Keep your head in
a neutral position or turn it to the left, eyes gazing softly at
the left thumb. 5. Stay in this pose for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Inhale to come up, strongly pressing the back heel into the floor
and reaching the top arm toward the ceiling. Reverse the feet and
repeat for the same length of time to the left.Beginner's TipBrace
your back heel or the back of your torso against a wall if you feel
unsteady in the pose. VariationsInstead of stretching the top arm
toward the ceiling, stretch it over the back of the top ear,
parallel to the floor. Modifications and PropsIf it isn't possible
to comfortably touch the floor with the bottom hand or fingertips,
support the palm on a block.PartneringA partner can help you learn
how to move into this pose properly. Have your partner stand in
front of your forward foot, facing you. Inhale the forward arm up,
parallel to the floor. Your partner can grasp your wrist and wedge
his/her big toe into the forward hip crease. As you exhale, have
your partner pull on your arm and push into your hip crease,
stretching the underside of your torso.
Virabhadrasana I (Warrior Pose): This pose strengthens and
stretches the legs, psoas, and back muscles. For students with
scoliosis, this pose is best practiced with the support of a
doorjamb or pillar, to keep the torso upright and balanced. Bring
the back groin to the edge of the door jamb with the front heel
about two feet ahead and the front leg hugging the side of the
wall. Place the back toes about two feet behind the left hip.
Square the two hips so they are parallel to each other and point
the tailbone to the floor, lengthening the sacrum. Inhale and bring
the arms overhead parallel to the shoulders, palms facing toward
each other, and lift from the upper back, lengthening the ribs and
spine out of the pelvis. Exhale and bend the right leg, creating a
right angle, with the thigh parallel to the floor and the shinbone
perpendicular to the floor. The right knee should be directly over
the right heel, with the left leg fully extended and the left heel
descending to the floor. Keep lifting the spine and at the same
time press into the floor with the back leg. If you have difficulty
bringing the back heel to the floor, place a sandbag under the heel
for balance. Pressing it back and down to the floor helps to
penetrate the deep psoas muscle. For additional standing poses
helpful for scoliosis, consult B.K.S. Iyengar's Light on Yoga.
Utthita Parsvakonasana (Lateral Angle Pose), Ardha Chandrasana
(Half Moon Pose), Parighasana (Cross Beam of a Gate Pose) are three
excellent lateral stretches to do for scoliosis that follow the
same guidelines as Trikonasana. Parivrtta Trikonasana (Revolved
Triangle Pose), and Parivrtta Parsvakonasana (Revolved Lateral
Angle Pose), two twisting standing poses, are highly recommended
for intermediate yoga students. Warrior I Pose/Virabhadrasana I1.
Stand in Tadasana. With an exhale, step or lightly jump your feet
31/2 to 4 feet apart. Raise your arms perpendicular to the floor
(and parallel to each other), and reach actively through the
little-finger sides of the hands toward the ceiling. Firm your
scapulas against your back and draw them down toward the coccyx. 2.
Turn your left foot in 45 to 60 degrees to the right and your right
foot out 90 degrees to the right. Align the right heel with the
left heel. Exhale and rotate your torso to the right, squaring the
front of your pelvis as much as possible with the front edge of
your mat. As the left hip point turns forward, press the head of
the left femur back to ground the heel. Lengthen your coccyx toward
the floor, and arch your upper torso back slightly. 3. With your
left heel firmly anchored to the floor, exhale and bend your right
knee over the right ankle so the shin is perpendicular to the
floor. More flexible students should align their right thigh
parallel to the floor. 4. Reach strongly through your arms, lifting
the ribcage away from the pelvis. As you ground down through the
back foot, feel a lift that runs up the back leg, across the belly
and chest, and up into the arms. If possible, bring the palms
together. Spread the palms against each other and reach a little
higher through the pinky-sides of the hands. Keep your head in a
neutral position, gazing forward, or tilt it back and look up at
your thumbs. 5. Stay for 30 seconds to a minute. To come up,
inhale, press the back heel firmly into the floor and reach up
through the arms, straightening the right knee. Turn the feet
forward and release the arms with an exhalation, or keep them
extended upward for more challenge. Take a few breaths, then turn
the feet to the left and repeat for the same length. When you're
finished return to Tadasana.Beginner's TipBrace your back heel or
the back of your torso against a wall if you feel unsteady in the
pose. VariationsInstead of stretching the top arm toward the
ceiling, stretch it over the back of the top ear, parallel to the
floor. Modifications and PropsIf it isn't possible to comfortably
touch the floor with the bottom hand or fingertips, support the
palm on a block.PartneringA partner can help you learn how to move
into this pose properly. Have your partner stand in front of your
forward foot, facing you. Inhale the forward arm up, parallel to
the floor. Your partner can grasp your wrist and wedge his/her big
toe into the forward hip crease. As you exhale, have your partner
pull on your arm and push into your hip crease, stretching the
underside of your torso. Mountain Pose/Tadasana1. Stand with the
bases of your big toes touching, heels slightly apart (so that your
second toes are parallel). Lift and spread your toes and the balls
of your feet, then lay them softly down on the floor. Rock back and
forth and side to side. Gradually reduce this swaying to a
standstill, with your weight balanced evenly on the feet. 2. Firm
your thigh muscles and lift the knee caps, without hardening your
lower belly. Lift the inner ankles to strengthen the inner arches,
then imagine a line of energy all the way up along your inner
thighs to your groins, and from there through the core of your
torso, neck, and head, and out through the crown of your head. Turn
the upper thighs slightly inward. Lengthen your tailbone toward the
floor and lift the pubis toward the navel. 3. Press your shoulder
blades into your back, then widen them across and release them down
your back. Without pushing your lower front ribs forward, lift the
top of your sternum straight toward the ceiling. Widen your
collarbones. Hang your arms beside the torso. 4. Balance the crown
of your head directly over the center of your pelvis, with the
underside of your chin parallel to the floor, throat soft, and the
tongue wide and flat on the floor of your mouth. Soften your eyes.
5. Tadasana is usually the starting position for all the standing
poses. But it's useful to practice Tadasana as a pose in itself.
Stay in the pose for 30 seconds to 1 minute, breathing easily.
Beginner's TipYou can improve your balance in this pose by standing
with your inner feet slightly apart, anywhere from 3 to 5
inches.VariationsYou can alter the position of your arms in a
variety of ways; for example: stretch the arms upward,
perpendicular to the floor and parallel with each other, with the
palms facing inward; interlace the fingers, extend the arms
straight in front of your torso, turn the palms away, then stretch
the arms upward, perpendicular to the floor, so the palms face the
ceiling; cross the arms behind your back, holding each elbow with
the opposite-side hand (be sure to reverse the cross of the
forearms and repeat for an equal length of time). Modifications and
PropsYou can check your alignment in this pose with your back
against a wall. Stand with the backs of your heels, sacrum, and
shoulder blades (but not the back of your head) touching the
wall.Deepen The PoseYou can challenge your balance by practicing
this pose with your eyes closed. Learn to balance without any
reference to the outer environment.PartneringA partner can help you
learn about alignment in this standing position. Have your partner
stand beside you and check that your ear hole, the center of your
shoulder joint, the center of your outer hip, and your outer ankle
bone are in one line, perpendicular to the floor.
Extended Side Angle Pose/Utthita Parsvakonasana1. Stand in
Tadasana. On an exhalation, step or lightly jump your feet 3.5 to 4
feet apart. Raise your arms parallel to the floor and reach them
actively out to the sides, shoulder blades wide, palms down. Turn
your left foot in slightly to the right and your right foot out to
the right 90 degrees. Align the right heel with the left heel. Firm
your thighs and turn your right thigh outward, so that the center
of the kneecap is in line with the center of the right ankle. Roll
the left hip slightly forward, toward the right, but rotate your
upper torso back to the left. 2. Anchor the left (back) heel to the
floor by lifting the inner left groin deep into the pelvis. Then
exhale and bend your right knee over the right ankle, so that the
shin is perpendicular to the floor. As you bend the knee aim the
inner knee toward the little-toe side of the foot. If possible,
bring the right thigh parallel to the floor. 3. Firm your shoulder
blades against the back ribs. Extend your left arm straight up
toward the ceiling, then turn the left palm to face toward your
head and with an inhalation reach the arm over the back of your
left ear, palm facing the floor. Stretch from your left heel
through your left fingertips, lengthening the entire left side of
your body. Turn your head to look at the left arm. Release your
right shoulder away from the ear. Try to create as much length
along the right side of your torso as you do along the left. 4. As
you continue to ground your left heel to the floor, exhale and lay
the right side of your torso down onto (or bring it as close as
possible to) the top of the right thigh. Press your right
fingertips (or palm) on the floor just outside of your right foot.
Actively push the right knee back against the inner arm; counter
this by burrowing your tail bone into the back of your pelvis,
toward the pubis. The inside of your right thigh should be parallel
with the long edge of your sticky mat. 5. Stay for 30 seconds to 1
minute. Inhale to come up. Push both heels strongly into the floor
and reach the left arm forcefully toward the ceiling to lighten the
upward movement. Reverse the feet and repeat for the same length of
time to the left. Then come up and return to Tadasana. Beginner's
TipBeginners often have two problems with this pose: they can't
keep their back heel anchored to the floor as they bend their front
knee into the pose, and then they can't easily touch the fingertips
of their lower hand to the floor once they're in the pose. To solve
the first problem, brace your back heel against a wall. As you bend
the front knee and then lower your torso to the side, imagine that,
with your heel, you're pushing the wall away from you. For the
second problem either rest your forearm on the top of the bent-knee
thigh (instead of trying to touch the hand to the floor), or use a
block outside the front foot to support your hand. VariationsYou
can also perform this pose with the lower arm in front of the
bent-knee thigh. This will help create more stretch in the front
groin. As you lower your torso to the side, bring the back of your
right shoulder against the inner knee, and press your fingertips to
the floor. Push the shoulder firmly into the knee and lean your
torso back against the inner thigh. Lengthen your side ribs along
the inner top thigh. Modifications and PropsHere's an exercise that
will help you get a feel for the proper action of the front
thighbone in this pose. Buckle a strap into a medium-size loop and
slip it over your front leg. Then perform steps 1 and 2 in the main
description of this pose. Snug the strap into the right groin, into
the crease where the thigh joins the pelvis (make sure the strap
isnt touching the floor). Then hang a 10-pound weight from the
loop, and complete the movement into the pose. Let the head of the
right thighbone, which is just below the strap, sink into the
weight toward the floor. Use this action to align the thigh
parallel to the floor, ground the heels, and further lengthen the
spine, especially along the right (lower) side. PartneringA partner
can help you get a feel for the work of the back leg in this pose.
Perform step 1 in the main description of this pose. Have your
partner stand at your back leg, facing you, and loop a strap around
your back inner groin (she can also brace your back heel with the
inside of one foot). As you bend the front knee your partner should
firmly pull the strap against the inner groin, resisting it
opposite to the movement of the front leg. Then as you lean to the
bent-knee side, she should continue to pull on the strap, helping
you to keep your weight back, on the back leg and heel.Deepen The
PoseEven for advanced students, the body's weight tends to shift
forward onto the ball of the front foot, unbalancing the pose. Once
in the pose, lift the ball of the front foot off the floor and
re-affirm the anchor of the back heel by pressing the head of the
back femur bone deep into its socket and lifting the inner back
groin deep into the leg. Then soften the ball of the front foot
onto the floor again. Half Moon Pose/Ardha Chandrasana1. Perform
Utthita Trikonasana to the right side, with your left hand resting
on the left hip. Inhale, bend your right knee, and slide your left
foot about 6 to 12 inches forward along the floor. At the same
time, reach your right hand forward, beyond the little-toe side of
the right foot, at least 12 inches. 2. Exhale, press your right
hand and right heel firmly into the floor, and straighten your
right leg, simultaneously lifting the left leg parallel (or a
little above parallel) to the floor. Extend actively through the
left heel to keep the raised leg strong. Be careful not to lock
(and so hyperextend) the standing knee: make sure the kneecap is
aligned straight forward and isn't turned inward. 3. Rotate your
upper torso to the left, but keep the left hip moving slightly
forward. Most beginners should keep the left hand on the left hip
and the head in a neutral position, gazing forward. 4. Bear the
body's weight mostly on the standing leg. Press the lower hand
lightly to the floor, using it to intelligently regulate your
balance. Lift the inner ankle of the standing foot strongly upward,
as if drawing energy from the floor into the standing groin. Press
the sacrum and scapulas firmly against the back torso, and lengthen
the coccyx toward the raised heel. 5. Stay in this position for 30
seconds to 1 minute. Then lower the raised leg to the floor with an
exhalation, and return to Trikonasana. Then perform the pose to the
left for the same length of time. Beginner's TipMany beginning
students have difficulty touching the floor with their lower hand,
even when resting it on the fingertips. These students should
support their hand on a block. Start with the block at its highest
height and, if your balance is steady and comfortable, lower it
down first to its middle height, then finally if possible to its
lowest height. VariationsTo increase the challenge of this pose,
raise the lower hand away from the floor and rest it on the
standing thigh. Balance solely on the standing leg for 15 to 30
seconds. Modifications and PropsBalance is always tricky in this
pose for beginners. A wall is a useful prop, which you can use in
one of two ways. Stand with your back to the wall, one leg's length
away from the wall. Exhale and bend forward into a standing forward
bend, then inhale and raise your left leg parallel to the floor and
press the left sole against the wall. Start with your toes turned
toward the floor. Exhale again and rotate your torso to the left;
at the same time, turn the left leg and foot until the inner foot
is parallel to the floor. Rest your left hand on the left hip. The
pressure of the raised heel against the wall will help you maintain
your balance. You can also perform the pose with your back to, and
leaning against, the wall. PartneringA partner can play the role of
a "living wall." Have him stand behind you as you perform the pose
(on the right side). He should angle himself to face slightly
toward your head, with his left hip toward your buttocks. Have him
brace your outer right buttock with his left hip, and reach across
with his left hand to support your left hip. Make sure he doesn't
pull this hip up toward the ceiling; let it release toward the
floor as you rotate your upper torso to the right. He can also use
his right hand to help lengthen your right (underside) ribs. Deepen
The PoseAdvanced students can raise the top arm, with an
inhalation, perpendicular to the floor. Firm the top scapula
against the back. Imagine there's a wall in front of you, and press
the top hand actively into this pretend wall. Then, if your balance
is steady, try slowly rotating the head to gaze up at the raised
hand.
Gate Pose/Parighasana1. Kneel on the floor. Stretch your right
leg out to the right and press the foot to the floor. Keep your
left knee directly below your left hip (so the thigh is
perpendicular to the floor), and align your right heel with the
left knee. Turn your pelvis slightly to the right (so the left hip
point comes forward of the right), but turn your upper torso back
to the left. Point the kneecap toward the ceiling, which will
require you to turn your right leg out. 2. As you inhale, bring
your arms out to your sides, parallel to the floor, palms down.
Bend to the right over the plane of the right leg and lay your
right hand down on the shin, ankle, or the floor outside the right
leg. Contract the right side of the torso and stretch the left.
Place your left hand on the outer left hip and push the pelvis down
toward the floor. Then slip the hand up to the lower left ribs and
lift them toward the shoulder, creating space in the left waist. 3.
With an inhalation, sweep the left arm over the back of the left
ear. The side bend tends to drop the torso toward the floor.
Without pushing the left hip back (continue to roll it slightly
forward), turn the upper torso away from the floor. 4. Stay in this
pose anywhere from 30 seconds to a minute. Come up as you inhale,
reaching through the top arm to draw the torso upright. Bring the
right knee back beside the left, and repeat with the legs reversed.
5. Full PoseFull Parighasana is a deep side bend. From the starting
position described in Step 2 above, lean to the side over the
straight leg. Lower the underside of the torso as close as possible
to the top of the straight leg. Press the back of the lower hand on
the top of the foot, then sweep the top arm over the back of the
ear and join the palms. Finish as described in Step 4 above.
Beginner's TipBeginners might not be able to press the foot of the
straight leg flat onto the floor. There are two options: either
raise the ball of the foot on a sandbag or thickly folded blanket,
or work against a wall, with the ball of the foot pressed against
the wall. PartneringHave your partner stand facing your
straight-leg side; in this example, we'll use the right leg. Inhale
your right arm out to the side, parallel to the floor. Have your
partner grasp your wrist and, at the same time, press the toes of
his foot into your right groin. As you tip to the side, have your
partner pull on the wrist and push on the groin. Lengthen out to
the side, stretching the underside ribs and reaching the arm away
from the deepening groin. When you reach your maximum stretch, have
your partner let go. Then round yourself over to the side into the
full pose.
InversionsEven in a healthy spine, the continual pull of gravity
can compress the intervertebral disc and eventually cause nerve
damage or disc herniation. In a spine with scoliosis, the problem
is even more pronounced. The person will tend to feel the uneven
pressure of gravity constantly but have no understanding of how to
create alignment to alleviate it. Inversions create a freedom in
your body to experience alignment without the usual distortions
caused by gravity. As a result, it is often easier, particularly if
you have a scoliosis, to feel what alignment is upside down than
while standing on your feet. The inversions also develop strength
in the back and arms; increase circulation to the vertebrae, brain,
and other organs, and encourage Iymphatic circulation and venous
blood return. Ardha Adho Mukha Vrksasana (Half Handstand):
Handstand is generally one of the first inversions students learn.
It helps to develop arm and shoulder strength, preparing you for
other inversions such as Headstand. By learning to lift up in Hand
stand, you also learn to lengthen the spine against gravitational
force, a movement that is particularly important for those with
scoliosis. If you are new to Handstand and afraid to try it, Ardha
Adho Mukha Vrksasana (Half Handstand) is an alternative that can
help you build your confidence and strength. To warm up, do Adho
Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog Pose) with the heels at the
wall. Lift the right leg and extend through the heel with the ball
of the foot pressing against the wall. Reverse, bringing the right
leg down and lifting the left leg. This movement helps build upper
body strength, often lacking in practitioners with scoliosis; it
also teaches you to lengthen both sides of the body evenly, despite
the distortion in your spine. Rest in Child's Pose. Now go back
into Adho Mukha Svanasana and lift both legs onto the wall,
hip-width apart and parallel to one another. The feet should be at
hip level, no higher, and the arms, shoulders, and torso should be
in a straight line. Press actively into the wall with the heels.
Spread the shoulder blades away from each other and draw them away
from the ears. Press into the inner hands, draw the elbows in and
keep the arms straight. If this is difficult, use belt around the
arms, just above the elbows. Downward-Facing Dog/Adho Mukha
Svanasana1. Come onto the floor on your hands and knees. Set your
knees directly below your hips and your hands slightly forward of
your shoulders. Spread your palms, index fingers parallel or
slightly turned out, and turn your toes under. 2. Exhale and lift
your knees away from the floor. At first keep the knees slightly
bent and the heels lifted away from the floor. Lengthen your
tailbone away from the back of your pelvis and press it lightly
toward the pubis. Against this resistance, lift the sitting bones
toward the ceiling, and from your inner ankles draw the inner legs
up into the groins. 3. Then with an exhalation, push your top
thighs back and stretch your heels onto or down toward the floor.
Straighten your knees but be sure not to lock them. Firm the outer
thighs and roll the upper thighs inward slightly. Narrow the front
of the pelvis. 4. Firm the outer arms and press the bases of the
index fingers actively into the floor. From these two points lift
along your inner arms from the wrists to the tops of the shoulders.
Firm your shoulder blades against your back, then widen them and
draw them toward the tailbone. Keep the head between the upper
arms; don't let it hang. 5. Adho Mukha Svanasana is one of the
poses in the traditional Sun Salutation sequence. It's also an
excellent yoga asana all on its own. Stay in this pose anywhere
from 1 to 3 minutes. Then bend your knees to the floor with an
exhalation and rest in Child's Pose. Beginner's TipIf you have
difficulty releasing and opening your shoulders in this pose, raise
your hands off the floor on a pair of blocks or the seat of a metal
folding chair. VariationsTo challenge yourself in this pose, inhale
and raise your right leg parallel to the line of your torso, and
hold for 30 seconds, keeping the hips level and pressing through
the heel. Release with an exhalation and repeat on the left for the
same length of time. Modifications and PropsTo get a feel for the
work of the outer arms, loop and secure a strap around your arms
just above your elbows. Imagine that the strap is tightening
inward, pressing the outer arms in against the bones. Against this
resistance, push the inner shoulder blades outward. PartneringA
partner can help you learn how to work the top thighs in this pose.
First perform Adho Mukha Svanasana. Have your partner stand behind
and loop a strap around your front groins, snuggling the strap into
the crease between your top thighs and front pelvis. Your partner
can pull on the strap parallel to the line of your spine (remind
him/her to extend the arms fully, and keep the knees bent and chest
lifted). Release the heads of your thigh bones deeper into your
pelvis and lengthen your front torso away from the strap. Deepen
The PoseTo increase the stretch in the backs of your legs, lift
slightly up onto the balls of your feet, pulling your heels a
half-inch or so away from the floor. Then draw your inner groins
deep into the pelvis, lifting actively from the inner heels.
Finally, from the height of the groins, lengthen the heels back
onto the floor, moving the outer heels faster than the inner.
Salamba Sarvangasana (Shoulderstand): Shoulderstand releases the
chronic tension in the neck and shoulders so common among people
with scoliosis. If you are a beginner, you should have as much
support as possible to encourage the chest to open and to prevent
the weight of the body from descending on the neck and shoulders.
Begin by using a chair, a bolster, and the wall. Place the back of
your chair approximately one foot from the wall. Place a nonslip
mat and thin blanket on the seat of the chair and a blanket over
the back. Place a bolster or several blankets on the floor in front
of the chair. If you are on a wooden floor, place a folded towel in
front of the blankets for placing under your head. Sit in the chair
facing the wall and roll backwards into the pose, bringing the
shoulders onto the bolster and head on the floor. Hold on to the
chair's back legs and lift your legs, resting your feet against the
wall. If your chin is higher than your forehead, place a folded
towel under your head. Relax the eyes, turning them inward and down
toward the chest. Stay in the pose for 5 to 10 minutes. To come out
of the pose, slide the chair away and lower your but tocks to the
floor. As you progress, begin to do Shoulderstand at the wall with
out the chair and bolster. Place four folded blankets at the wall;
lie on the blankets with the buttocks close to the wall, the
shoulders at the edge of the blankets, and the legs stretched up
the wall. Bend the knees, lift the buttocks, and shift your weight
onto the shoulders. Interlace the fingers with the elbows straight
and roll the shoulders under. Support the back with the hands and
lift up through the knees. Straighten one leg at a time, until you
are strong enough to straighten both legs and balance. If you get
tired, stretch the legs back to the wall, keeping the legs
straight. Hold for a minute in the beginning and gradually increase
to 5 to 10 minutes. To come out, release the hands from the back,
and continue to extend through the heels as you slide to the floor,
pressing the tailbone toward the wall. As your practice progresses,
you might wish to try Pincha Mayurasana (Forearm Balance). When the
arms, shoulders,and back have been strengthened through regular
inversion practice, you may be ready to practice Salamba Sirsasana
(Headstand). Supported Shoulderstand/Salamba Sarvangasana
1. Fold two or more firm blankets into rectangles measuring
about 1 foot by 2 feet, and stack them one on top of the other. You
can place a sticky mat over the blankets to help the upper arms
stay in place while in the pose. Then lie on the blankets with your
shoulders supported (and parallel to one of the longer edges) and
your head on the floor. Lay your arms on the floor alongside your
torso, then bend your knees and set your feet against the floor
with the heels close to the sitting bones. Exhale, press your arms
against the floor, and push your feet away from the floor, drawing
your thighs into the front torso. 2. Continue to lift by curling
the pelvis and then the back torso away from the floor, so that
your knees come toward your face. Stretch your arms out parallel to
the edge of the blanket and turn them outward so the fingers press
against the floor (and the thumbs point behind you). Bend your
elbows and draw them toward each other. Lay the backs of your upper
arms on the blanket and spread your palms against the back of your
torso. Raise your pelvis over the shoulders, so that the torso is
relatively perpendicular to the floor. Walk your hands up your back
(toward the floor) without letting the elbows slide too much wider
than shoulder width. 3. Inhale and lift your bent knees toward the
ceiling, bringing your thighs in line with your torso and hanging
the heels down by your buttocks. Press your tailbone toward your
pubis and turn the upper thighs inward slightly. Finally inhale and
straighten the knees, pressing the heels up toward the ceiling.
When the backs of the legs are fully lengthened, lift through the
balls of the big toes so the inner legs are slightly longer than
the outer. 4. Soften the throat and tongue. Firm the shoulder
blades against the back, and move the sternum toward the chin. Your
forehead should be relatively parallel to the floor, your chin
perpendicular. Press the backs of your upper arms and the tops of
your shoulders actively into the blanket support, and try to lift
the upper spine away from the floor. Gaze softly at your chest. 5.
As a beginning practitioner stay in the pose for about 30 seconds.
Gradually add 5 to 10 seconds to your stay every day or so until
you can comfortably hold the pose for 3 minutes. Then continue for
3 minutes each day for a week or two, until you feel relatively
comfortable in the pose. Again gradually and 5 to 10 seconds onto
your stay every day or so until you can comfortably hold the pose
for 5 minutes. To come down, exhale, bend your knees into your
torso again, and roll your back torso slowly and carefully onto the
floor, keeping the back of your head on the floor. Beginner's
TipBeginners' elbows tend to slide apart and the upper arms roll
inward, which sinks the torso onto the upper back, collapsing the
pose (and potentially straining the neck). Before coming onto your
blanket support, roll up a sticky mat and set it on the support,
with its long axis parallel to the back edge (the edge opposite the
shoulder edge). Then come up with your elbows lifted on and secured
by the sticky mat. VariationsOne of the simplest Sarvangasana
variations is Eka Pada Sarvangasana (pronounced ACHE-ah PAH-dah,
eka = one, pada = foot or leg). Come into the pose. Stabilize your
left leg perpendicular to the floor, then exhale and lower your
right leg parallel to the floor without disturbing the position of
the left. The outer hip of the down leg (in this case, the right)
tends to sink toward the floor. To correct this, turn the right leg
outwardly, moving its sitting bone toward the left. Hold the two
sitting bones close and rotate (from the hip joint only) the right
leg back to neutral. Hold for 10 to 30 seconds, inhale the right
leg back to perpendicular, and repeat on the left for the same
length of time. Modifications and PropsRolling up into Sarvangasana
from the floor might be difficult at first. You can use a wall to
help you get into the pose. Set your blankets up a foot or so from
the wall (the exact distance depends on your height: Taller
students will be farther from the wall, shorter students closer).
Sit sideways on your support (with one side toward the wall) and,
on an exhalation, swing your shoulders down onto the edge of the
blanket and your legs up onto the wall. Bend your knees to right
angles, push your feet against the wall and lift your pelvis off
the support. When your torso and thighs are perpendicular to the
floor, lift your feet away from the wall and complete the pose. To
come down, exhale your feet back to the wall and roll down.
PartneringA partner can help you learn to use your back torso to
open the front. In Sarvangasana, balancing on the tops of your
shoulders, stretch your arms behind you (toward the back edge of
the blanket support), approximately parallel to each other. Have
the partner then sit down on your support, between your arms, with
his/her back pressed to yours. Lean against each other and use the
contact to press your shoulder blades deeper into the back, opening
the sternum toward the chin. Your partner can also press your upper
arms more firmly into the floor.Deepen The PoseIt's common in this
pose for students to press only the index finger sides of the hands
against the back. Be sure to spread both palms wide against your
back torso. Push in and up against the back ribs, especially with
the ring fingers and pinkies. Periodically take your hands away
from the back, press the shoulder blades in, and return your hands
to the back a little closer to the head than they were before.
Feathered Peacock Pose/Pincha Mayurasana
1. Perform a modified Adho Muhka Svanasana at your yoga wall,
with your palms and forearms on the floor. Your fingertips should
be right at the base of the wall, and your forearms parallel to
each other at shoulder width. This pose isn't quite as scary as
Adho Mukha Vrksasana; it has a firmer base of support, and the head
isn't as far away from the floor. But it can still be somewhat
intimidating. To ready yourself for and secure yourself in this
inversion, firm your shoulder blades against your back torso and
pull them toward your tailbone. Then rotate your upper arms
outward, to keep the shoulder blades broad, and hug your forearms
inward. Finally spread your palms and press your inner wrists
firmly against the floor. 2. Now bend one knee and step the foot
in, closer to the wall (let's say the left leg), but keep the other
(i.e. right) leg active by extending through the heel. Then take a
few practice hops before you try to launch yourself upside down.
Sweep your right leg through a wide arc toward the wall and kick
your left foot off the floor, immediately pushing through the heel
to straighten the leg. Hop up and down like this several times,
each time pushing off the floor a little higher. Exhale deeply each
time you hop.3. Hopping up and down like this may be all you can
manage for now. Regularly practice your strength poses, like Adho
Mukha Svanasana (or the modified version that's the beginning
position here), Plank Pose, and Chaturanga Dandasana. Eventually
you'll be able to kick all the way into the pose. At first your
heels may crash into the wall, but again with more practice you'll
be able to swing your heels up lightly to the wall. 4. If your
armpits and groins are tight, your lower back may be deeply arched.
To lengthen it, draw your front ribs into your torso, reach your
tailbone toward your heels, and slide your heels higher up the
wall. Draw the navel toward the spine. Squeeze the outer legs
together and roll the thighs in. In Pincha Mayurasana your head
should be off the floor; hang it from a spot between your shoulder
blades and gaze out into the center of the room. 5. Stay in the
pose 10 to 15 seconds. Gradually work your way up to 1 minute. When
you come down, be sure not to sink onto the shoulders. Keep your
shoulder blades lifted and broad, and take one foot down at a time
with an exhalation. Lift into Adho Mukha Svanasana for 30 seconds
to a minute. We tend to kick up with the same leg all the time: be
sure to alternate your kicking leg, one day right, next day left.
Beginner's TipMany beginners find it difficult to prevent their
elbows from sliding away from each other in this pose. Buckle a
strap and loop it over your upper arms, just above your elbows.
Extend your arms straight out in front of you at shoulder width and
adjust the strap so that it hugs your outer arms. Then use the
strap in the pose, but think of pushing the arms slightly in, away
from the strap, rather than letting them bulge out into the strap.
VariationsIt may not be possible for you to perform the full pose
right away. Instead you can perform its halfway variation, Ardha
Pincha Mayurasana (are-dah = half), which will help you build up
strength and confidence for the full pose. Sit on the floor with
your legs fully extended and your feet against the yoga wall. Make
an imaginary mark on the floor beside your hips. Turn around, so
your back is to the wall, kneel down, and put your elbows on the
mark. Then set yourself up for the pose as described in step 1
above. Step one foot high up onto the wall, then push off the other
foot and hoist it up along side its mate. Now walk your feet slowly
down the wall, until your legs are parallel to the floor and your
torso perpendicular. Press the heels firmly into the wall by
lifting the tops of the thighs and tailbone toward the ceiling.
Stay for gradually increasing lengths of time, starting with about
15 seconds and working toward 1 to 2 minutes. If you are strong
enough to perform this variation, you are strong enough to support
yourself in the full pose. Modifications and PropsTraditionally the
palms are placed flat on the floor in this pose. However, it's
possible to change the position of your forearms and hands. You'll
need a block to brace your hands. You can make the pose slightly
easier by pressing your palms flat on the ends of the block, so
your wrists are perpendicular to the floor. Be sure to curl your
fingers around the back of the block and then touch your fingers to
your yoga wall. Press the inner wrists actively toward the floor.
Or you can turn your palms up to face the ceiling, with the pinky
sides of the hands on the block. This will help you learn about the
rotation of the upper arms. Keep the palms lively and the thumbs
stretching away from the ends of the block.PartneringTwo partners
can help you get a better sense of grounding the pose through the
inner wrists. Position your partners at the wall just outside your
forearms, and facing toward you, as you perform the pose. Have each
of them press down on a wrist with one of their feet. They should
start with the foot on the outer wrist and then, as they press
down, roll the foot toward the inner wrist, where the grounding
pressure should be concentrated. Help them to regulate the
pressure, telling them whether you want less or more. Make sure
that both partners are pressing with the same amount of force.
Deepen The PoseAdvanced students should gradually move away from
the wall and learn how to balance without support. Sit on the floor
with your legs fully extended and your feet against the yoga wall.
Make an imaginary mark on the floor beside your knees, then set
yourself up for the pose with your elbows on this mark. Your hands
will now be slightly away from the wall. Then kick up, bend your
knees, and touch your feet on the wall. If you're in the right
spot, your upper arms, torso, and thighs should all be aligned
perpendicular to the floor, and your knees at a right angle. Keep
one foot on the wall and extend the other leg fully, pushing the
heel actively toward the ceiling. After a few breaths, bend that
knee and return the foot to the wall, then repeat with the other
leg. Finally, with an inhalation, try to straighten both legs and
balance.
Backbending PosesThe backward bends have been the most powerful
poses in releasing my back tension and armoring. Backbending has
given me freedom and mobility, particularly on the more developed
right (convex) side of my back. Passive Backbend Over a Bolster:
With a scoliosis you may experience periodic muscle spasms. Thus,
even though backward bends are helpful, you should approach them
with softness rather than force. In order to open up, the muscles
in the back must learn to release rather than tighten, allowing the
heart to open like a lotus blossom from the inside out. Beginning
with passive backbends encourages this approach.Roll a firm blanket
into a cylinder or use a bolster. Lie back on the folded blanket or
bolster so that your shoulder blades are resting on the roll. Your
head and shoulders should rest on the floor. Stretch the legs out
through the heels to prevent lower back compression, and lift the
breastbone. Bring the chin down toward the chest and lengthen the
neck. Now extend the arms straight overhead and rest them on the
floor, if possible. Feel the breath evenly expanding the rib cage.
Try to breathe into and expand the compressed side of the rib cage.
If you feel the convex side of the back protruding onto the roll
more than the concave side, place a small hand towel or tie under
the concave side so that the back touches the blanket evenly. You
may also do this passive backbend over the edge of your bed.
Salabhasana (Locust Pose): This backbend is very important for
scoliosis, because it strengthens the erector spinae muscles and
the hamstring muscles of the legs. This strengthening helps to
ensure adequate support of the spinal column in all back bending
poses. Lie face down and extend the arms out to the side, in line
with the shoulders. On an exhalation, lift the head and upper chest
off the floor, keeping the buttocks firm and pressing the thighs
strongly down. Lengthen the arms out to the side so the shoulder
blades stretch away from the spine, keeping the hands below the
level of the shoulder blades. Exhale as you release. Repeat three
to five times. Now stretch the arms overhead and feel the muscles
of the back lengthening from the pelvis. Lift the arms and place
the palms on the seat of a chair in front of you. Stretch the arms
out once again and move the chair farther away to lengthen the
spine. Gently lift the abdomen and floating ribs to support the
front of the spine. Press down strongly with the palms on the chair
as you press the thighs downward and lift the spine further. Exhale
as you release. Repeat three to five times. You may also do this
pose with the legs lifted as well as the arms. As you become more
advanced, you may wish to attempt more advanced backbends, such as
Dhanurasana (Bow Pose), Ustrasana (Camel Pose), and Urdhva
Dhanurasana (Upward Facing Bow Pose) . Locust Pose/Salabhasana1.
For this pose you might want to pad the floor below your pelvis and
ribs with a folded blanket. Lie on your belly with your arms along
the sides of your torso, palms up, forehead resting on the floor.
Turn your big toes toward each other to inwardly rotate your
thighs, and firm your buttocks so your coccyx presses toward your
pubis. 2. Exhale and lift your head, upper torso, arms, and legs
away from the floor. Youll be resting on your lower ribs, belly,
and front pelvis. Firm your buttocks and reach strongly through
your legs, first through the heels to lengthen the back legs, then
through the bases of the big toes. Keep the big toes turned toward
each other. 3. Raise your arms parallel to the floor and stretch
back actively through your fingertips. Imagine theres a weight
pressing down on the backs of the upper arms, and push up toward
the ceiling against this resistance. Press your scapulas firmly
into your back. 4. Gaze forward or slightly upward, being careful
not to jut your chin forward and crunch the back of your neck. Keep
the base of the skull lifted and the back of the neck long. 5. Stay
for 30 seconds to 1 minute, then release with an exhalation. Take a
few breaths and repeat 1 or 2 times more if you like. Beginner's
TipBeginners sometimes have difficulty sustaining the lift of the
torso and legs in this pose. Begin the pose with your hands resting
on the floor, a little bit back from the shoulders, closer to your
waist. Inhale and gently push your hands against the floor to help
lift the upper torso. Then keep the hands in place as you do the
pose, or after a few breaths, once youve established the lift of
the chest, swing them back into the position described above in
step 3. As for the legs, you can do the pose with the legs lifted
alternately off the floor. For example, if you want to hold the
pose for a total of 1 minute, first lift the right leg off the
floor for 30 seconds, then the left leg for 30 seconds. VariationA
challenging variation of Salabhasana is called Makarasana
(mah-KAH-rah = often translated as "crocodile" or "dolphin," but
literally "sea monster"). The legs are raised in this pose exactly
as in Salabhasana, but the fingers are clasped and then the palms
are pressed against the back of the head, with the index fingers
hooked up underneath the base of the skull. With the upper torso
lifted, open the arms out to your sides. Modifications and
PropsBeginners sometimes have difficulty holding this pose. You can
support the area around your lower sternum with a rolled-up blanket
to help maintain the lift of your upper torso. Similarly you can
support the front of your thighs with a blanket roll to help
support the lift of your legs. PartneringA partner can help you get
a feel for the work in the back of the upper arms. Have your
partner stand straddling your torso while you perform the pose. He
should then lean forward and press his hands firmly against the
backs of your upper arms (triceps). You then push up against this
resistance. The partner might also, as hes pressing down on the
upper arms, draw the skin away from the shoulders, toward your
wrists. Deepen The PoseAdvanced students can challenge themselves a
bit more with a variation of Salabhasana. Instead of stretching the
legs straight back from the pelvis, bend the knees and position the
shins perpendicular to the floor. Then, as you lift the upper
torso, head and arms, lift the knees as far away from the floor as
possible. Bow Pose/Dhanurasana1. Lie on your belly with your hands
alongside your torso, palms up. (You can lie on a folded blanket to
pad the front of your torso and legs.) Exhale and bend your knees,
bringing your heels as close as you can to your buttocks. Reach
back with your hands and take hold of your ankles (but not the tops
of the feet). Make sure your knees aren't wider than the width of
your hips, and keep your knees hip width for the duration of the
pose. 2. Inhale and strongly lift your heels away from your
buttocks and, at the same time, lift your thighs away from the
floor. This will have the effect of pulling your upper torso and
head off the floor. Burrow the tailbone down toward the floor, and
keep your back muscles soft. As you continue lifting the heels and
thighs higher, press your shoulder blades firmly against your back
to open your heart. Draw the tops of the shoulders away from your
ears. Gaze forward. 3. With the belly pressed against the floor,
breathing will be difficult. Breathe more into the back of your
torso, and be sure not to stop breathing. 4. Stay in this pose
anywhere from 20 to 30 seconds. Release as you exhale, and lie
quietly for a few breaths. You can repeat the pose once or twice
more. Beginner's TipSometimes beginners find it difficult to lift
their thighs away from the floor. You can give your legs a little
upward boost by lying with your thighs supported on a rolled-up
blanket. VariationsA variation of Dhanurasana is called Parsva
(parsva = side, flank) Dhanurasana. Perform Dhanurasana according
to the instructions in the main description above. Then with an
exhalation, dip your right shoulder toward the floor, strongly tug
your left foot to the right, and roll over onto your right side.
Students often have a difficult time rolling over for the first few
times they make the attempt. Don't despair. You can practice
rolling onto your side without holding your ankles. Just bend your
knees and use your hands to help you get a feel for the rolling
movement. Stay on your right side for 20 to 30 seconds, then, as
you exhale, roll across your belly and over to the left. Stay here
the same length of time, and finally roll back onto your belly with
an exhalation. Parsva Dhanurasana gives a good massage to your
abdominal organs. Modifications and PropsIf it isn't possible for
you to hold your ankles directly, wrap a strap around the fronts of
your ankles and hold the free ends of the strap, keeping your arms
fully extended. PartneringA partner can help you work on a
preparation for Dhanurasana. Perform step 1 in the description
above. Have your partner kneel on the floor behind you, with his
inner knees bracing your outer knees. Inhale and lift your upper
torso off the floor by pulling your heels away from your buttocks,
but keep your thighs on the floor. Your partner should then take
hold of the backs of your ankles. Hang your torso from your
partner's support, but be sure that he doesn't pull you any deeper
into the pose. When you're ready for more, lift yourself up. Your
partner's presence is merely to support whatever lift you create on
your own. Deepen The PoseYou can increase the challenge of
Dhanurasana by performing the pose with your thighs, calves, and
inner feet touching.
Camel Pose/Ustrasana1. Kneel on the floor with your knees hip
width and thighs perpendicular to the floor. Rotate your thighs
inward slightly, narrow your hip points, and firm but don't harden
your buttocks. Imagine that you're drawing your sitting bones up,
into your torso. Keep your outer hips as soft as possible. Press
your shins and the tops of your feet firmly into floor. 2. Rest
your hands on the back of your pelvis, bases of the palms on the
tops of the buttocks, fingers pointing down. Use your hands to
spread the back pelvis and lengthen it down through your tail bone.
Then lightly firm the tail forward, toward the pubis. Make sure
though that your front groins don't "puff" forward. To prevent
this, press your front thighs back, countering the forward action
of your tail. Inhale and lift your heart by pressing the shoulder
blades against your back ribs. 3. Now lean back against the
firmness of the tail bone and shoulder blades. For the time being
keep your head up, chin near the sternum, and your hands on the
pelvis. Beginners probably won't be able to drop straight back into
this pose, touching the hands to the feet simultaneously while
keeping the thighs perpendicular to the floor. If you need to, tilt
the thighs back a little from the perpendicular and minimally twist
to one side to get one hand on the same-side foot. Then press your
thighs back to perpendicular, turn your torso back to neutral, and
touch the second hand to its foot. If
