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A scoliosis afflicted body has developed a very sophisticated compensating 'act' that – with proper instruction – could also be taught a more refined highly balanced 'act'.
By merging Yoga poses (asanas) with breathing awareness (pranayama), it is possible to create a structural alignment, thus developing a more normal and proportioned alignment. This is achieved by stretching muscles that tauten and strengthen those muscles which have become weak as a result of the asymmetrical imbalance. In so doing, rather than overwork the muscles to hold itself up, the body is able to create a more graceful posture using the bone structure.
Through the practise of Yoga, it is possible to find that point of balance which lets the scoliosis curve coexist with gravity and also activate the body's natural plumb line. As a result most people with scoliosis end up with a better posture and lesser pain. Opting for Yoga for scoliosis calls for a lot of commitment, as well as internal awareness. Remember, with scoliosis, you must not expect perfection; instead you should learn to accept yourself, and find your own optimal alignment and center.
There is beauty in the straight alignment of a palm tree; but the oak tree, with its many twists and turns, also has its own beauty. Practising yoga can be very empowering; it provides the hope that you can do something to improve your condition and the quality of your life. Technique for Yoga for Scoliosis - Realign your posture: Discovering your center of gravity can be quite a challenge for folks suffering from scoliosis. Then again like an oak tree with all its beautiful twists and turns you too can find your center. In a manner of speaking, what you are doing is learning to re-map from inside. Besides, it is imperative that you maintain the 4 natural curves of the spine when standing in daily life as also during standing poses in Yoga. This lets students perform a wide range of asanas with fusion.
- Defy gravity: Re-center and stretch your spine. Scoliosis causes a shift of the body’s center of gravity and oftentimes you lose height and are forever fighting the force of gravity. By suspending oneself in inverted postures, you can realign, release tension in your muscles, create more space between your vertebrae, and re-center your body. In more advanced inversions it is possible to strengthen the arms and legs too.
- Stretch your spine: First and foremost, it is imperative to stretch or extend your spine if you wish to bring it back to proper alignment. For people who want to reduce the lateral curve, it is important to strengthen their legs, abdominal muscles, and muscles that run parallel the spine. This is to prevent the lateral curve from growing.
- Decrease the posterior rotation: In all poses particularly twists you can de-rotate the rotation of your scoliosis, thus acquiring more alignment and balance.
- Breathe properly: Yoga lays great emphasis on breathing through your nose and learning how to breathe into the area of discomfort or the side of the lungs and ribs where breath doesn’t easily flow. The Ujjayi breath makes you emit a slight hissing sound that reminds you to continue breathing during the asanas. If you don’t hear a sound you might have stopped breathing. Such breathing helps you to focus and also slows down your nervous system.
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