Yoga and pain

[Buttalapasta]

I've been doing daily yoga almost every day for the past two years and I still find it really painful! Is this normal? Am I just a wimp or am I doing more harm than good?

Doing more harm than good. Use blocks, straps, bolsters, whatever you need to modify poses so they don't hurt. Ask your instructor for modifications or similar alternatives so you can still get the benefit of the pose without the pain.

I think there's only exercise where we think "oh this hurts, it must be doing me good". Anything else, and we'd stop doing it or find a different way!

Thanks. The problem is everything hurts! I do all the modifications already. 😪

There's a difference between finding it difficult and feeling the stretch and actual pain. The former is fine, the latter bad. Do you go to any classes? Highly recommend this and speaking to the teacher about any issues.

I used to go to classes but now I just do 15 minute sessions at home. Tbf I have quite a lot of low level pain even when I'm not doing yoga but I thought things like downward dog, pigeon would be pain-free by now.

Fair warning, I herniated a disc and caused insane pain to myself from doing bad yoga, among several other things. Pilates fixed me - with a really good instructor checking and guiding and helping!

Sounds like I need to get an instructor! Thanks everyone. I did go to my dr and she said it sounded like I had fibromyalgia-like symptoms (but not fibromyalgia???) so it could be related to that. My aim is really just to maintain and hopefully improve my limited flexibility but the poses I do are always modified to a beginner level iyswim.

Don't be so hard on yourself @Buttalapasta . There is no shame in being a forever beginner

I've been doing yoga now for about 6 years and I'm still at 'beginner' level (whatever that means).

I did strive to do all the difficult poses, long and fast routines and bend and twist myself into all sorts of knots but then I realised (a) I wasn't enjoying the stress of the challenge (because I couldn't do it) - I'd come away from the sessions feeling cross with myself and definitely not relaxed and zen! and (b) it hurt and I'd need a few days to recover from it - which frustrated me.

So now I do short 15 min daily gentle practice and modify the hell out of the poses so I can feel the benefit rather than feel the pain but see the benefit.

After I partial tore a ligament trying to get my legs straight and heels down in downward dog and needed 4 months to recover and it ruined a summer of fellwalking too I realised it's not the shape that matters, it's the feel.

@DatingDinosaur Ouch! That sounds painful. I'm sure you are right. I must stop comparing myself to lithe young things on the Internet and recognise my limits!

I'd recommend Iyengar style yoga for being really supportive and working with you and your body

I can only stick to it for a day or wo before giving up. I wish I could keep doing yoga for a few months

Yoga is not good for everyone; anyone who has hypermobility should exercise extreme caution with yoga as it can do more harm than good. Pilates is a much better option for some people, but both forms of exercise ideally need an instructor present to correct you.

Old article. Still relevant.

How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body - The New York Times

Crikey! 😳