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Forward bends ok if student has a slipped disk?

Posted by Aditi on March 26, 2009 at 11:23am in Hatha Yoga, Yoga Therapy
I am a Yoga teacher in Germany. Some Yoga Teachers say that you are not allowed to do forward bends if you have a slipped disc. Some say it is ok. Some say forwards bends are helpful. Some say backward bends are very good, others say the opposite. Some say twists are very helpful. Some say the opposite. What is your opinion, or even better: Your experience? Was has helped you or your students. Thank you.

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Tags: back, disc, problems, slipped
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Replies

  • Mata Narayani Devi July 21, 2009 at 11:46pm

    Ideally KNOW WHICH SIDE IS TOWARDS THE DISK HERNIA AND MAKE THE CONVENIENT MOVEMENT OF TRUNK. NOT IF IT'S GOOD OR BAD FOR THE MOVIE DISK Henie. Be working very intuitive and should have a medical report to do the right thing.
    Mataji Narayani DeviI
  • Gregg Hill Gopal July 12, 2009 at 12:41pm
    No twists of any kind usually but it does depend on how the disc has been slipped.
  • Gregg Hill Gopal July 12, 2009 at 12:40pm
    Imagine the slipped disc and the muscles around it being a circle. Every muscle has to be doing a job. Go to www.japanesemassage.net Click on exercise clips. # 5 is a knee exercise see if they can do that. Then try 11,13,18,23,& 25. Probably there is no structure under the hips. Also for Quadratus Laborium <( the connection between the feet and hands) stand on a Yoga block or stair step and keep both knees straight do hip hikes pull your hip or one straight leg up into your arm pit. The leg comes straight up. The upper body doesn't move. Let me know I work with people everyday./b>
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  • Tania Ky July 5, 2009 at 10:40pm
    For what it is worth - when I was training as a yoga teacher (with the British Wheel of Yoga), I was taught that it is 'rolling' up and 'rolling' down into forward bends that it harmful for 'slipped discs', so we were told to teach it by going up and down with a flat back, with the knees bent, ie: the lumbar region is kept fairly static and stable.

    Once in the posture, I also teach all my students to put their hands onto their legs or the ground and to put some weight into their hands so that the back muscles do not have to do all the work.

    Tania
  • Ingela July 5, 2009 at 3:31pm
    Dear Aditi
    Since I've had an accident (more than 20 years ago), my lower back was very unstable. I am a steady practicioner of Hatha Yoga, which helps me very much to understand and accept my condition as it is. My body is very flexible so I practise a lot of strengthening Asanas like standing and balancing asanas.
    I am very careful not to strain my lower back unnessesarily. For forwardbends I always bend my knees, because I know, my disks are slipping away to the back easily. I am also careful not to force myself into backbending to much, but instead let my backmuscels pull me, because I found out that my back doesn't apprechiate to be compressed to much. I have to be very careful with twisting. I thought it did me good for some time, but I've learned :) I do the sun salutation very slowly and very powerful now. No more fast uncontrolled movements for my back! While teaching, I really try to understand the condition of my students. We go in a slow but steady pace to get strong and stay healthy. Work from the feet upwards on every part of the body. If I had known that a long time ago, I'd saved me a lot of pain and frustration. I wish you all the best. Ingela
  • Gregg Hill Gopal March 28, 2009 at 6:57pm
    You have to be able to look at the student and their posture. What is that telling you. If pain is present that determines everything. Which was are the discs hertiated ? The ankles, knees and hips need to do their job after they get strong and the musvles in the "lower back" need to be strengthed the whole circle of muscles. Once that is done people with 2 hertiated discs etc. can climb moutains ! The rib cage & shoulders are usually collasped on the hips so they could be why the discs were 'pinched" in the first place. Twists are usually avoided as the "torque" of the Exercise can cause pain and make things worse. Although if you know what is hurt the Proper Twist feels the best. As we arer looking for 1/100 of an inch a little room so evry thing in the body has space.
    There isn't a correct answer to your ? as everyone is different.

    Gregg/Gopal
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