Yoga saved my life

[ffab]

Had my DD in 1995 (second of two), my left sacroiliac joint was injured early in the pregnancy. For the next seventeen (yes seventeen) years I have had excrutiating lower back pain, so bad at times I couldn't get out of bed. I saw specialist after specialist, was given a tens machine and 'exercises' to do. Nothing helped.

Four years ago with support from my new DH I saw a brilliant Physio who strongly recommended that I cut back on weight training take up yoga (I had wrongly assumed that I needed to strengthen my weak back). He said that I wouldn't be very good at it as I had a naturally muscular and tight build. I also made the decision to give up my desk job as sitting for 8 hours a days was making things much worse.

Well it was hard, it was painful and I felt like an idiot a lot of the time because I was so much less flexible than everyone else.

Very slowly but surely I improved and my back pain got better. When I say better I mean no pain at all most days. I was shocked and quite frankly angry that no other health professionals had recommended this. Imagine being in too much pain to play with your children for most of their lives. When they were younger I'm sure they thought my name was "Oh mi back!"

I've learned so much about my body. I am built to move. Physio reckons I would have been a phenomenal sprinter (he works with athletes) if I had been spotted when younger. I can't stretch 'cold' so I have taken up running to warm up my muscles before I stretch them. Two years ago I completed my first 10k and now I run 5k once a week.

Now in my mid-fifties I teach spin, step and, yes, yoga. I get such a buzz out of helping other women achieve their physical potential.

My back is still a work in progress. A day lying on a couch will mess it up. For me it's simple, move or die.

I'd really encourage y'all to keep going. It's worth it. I'm probably the least flexible yoga teacher on the planet but my ladies love my class and I love them. It's about giving them the encouragement and support I wish I'd had years ago.

Curtains I do loads of yoga to balance out my running but like you can't afford the classes.

I've got an app on my iPad called yoga studio which is brilliant. I just got in 30mins at home whenever I can.

I've just discovered yoga in my fifties. Pure accident to support a friend. Always feel great after the class. Some bits come easier than others...

Kitty - Are there Vinyasa classes on your yoga app?

And is it hard to follow a yoga classes from the small telephone screen?

msrisotto - I also do intense & very physical yoga classes. Just not in a sweltering hot room

Sorry, didn't mean to imply that you didn't, just saying there is a lot of sweat involved.

No worries. I know a ome friends like to sweat buckets to feel they've worked out. I'd rather not. Which is why I loved running outside (preferably in the rain) back when I could run.

There's this baffling belief that sweating clears out toxins from the body. Maybe that's why.

Yeah I know there's no science behind that theory, just like 'detox' diets. To be honest, I take a lot of what yoga teachers say with a large pinch of salt. At my class, they like to say that we hold a lot of emotions in our hips?? I've no idea what that's about.

Yes, I've heard that emotion/hip thingy, too.

My hips are preternaturally "open" - double pigeon comes very easy and feet flop to each side & lie on the ground during shavasana.

I guess I hold no emotions whatsoever

Cote I use it on my iPad rather than phone. However it's very clear with the instructions.

It's broken up into beginner, intermediate and advanced the sun salutations, quick fixes, yoga for back pain and yoga for runners (which I use most) as well as a deep relaxation section. Each section has classes from 10 mins to hour classes. I've found it a really good alternative to classes. I would still rather go to a class but it's just not an option, this is the next best thing for me.

Sounds good. I'll give that a go.

I like my classes but can't go more than once a week. It would be great to find a way to practice 2-3 more times in the week.

I have similar back problems, have tried Pilates run by my physio but it seems to make it worse. Would yoga be easier on my back, any recommendations of which sort? I hate the way my back impacts on what I can do with the dc and my mood.

Without knowing what the problem is with your back, I would still venture that yoga can help you. Especially if you were told to try Pilates.

Go to your local yoga studio and try a beginner's Hatha class. It will not be hard and perhaps in the beginning you won't feel it but it will gradually strengthen your core and back muscles. And as you build strength and confidence, you can move on to more challenging styles.

One of the things I love about yoga is how much it teaches you about your individual body. I had a very tight spot between my shoulder blades. I assumed I needed to stretch this area but no. Turns out my pec minor is tight, very common with desk-bound types. The effect is to pull your shoulders round and down (and to pull your shoulder blades apart). The rhomboids, which attach the shoulder blades to each other are pulled too far apart and this was what was causing my problem. So basically I had to go to the beginning of the chain to sort out the issue. I found a couple of great pec minor stretches on you tube and within a couple of weeks I'm much better. The time I have taken to learn how my body is put together (and the variety between different bodies huge) has paid off in spades.

ffab sorry to resurrect this old thread, however, I have read your thread & wonder if I can ask where you teach?

Your description resonates with me & I am hoping yoga can help. I am seizing up