Practicing yoga when you're injured

The practice of yoga is beneficial for the body. This age-old tradition from India is more and more in vogue nowadays.

There are many types of yoga classes according to the desires and possibilities of each person. Hatha-Yoga, Nidra-Yoga, Ashtanga, Power-Yoga... You can learn yoga at any age. Whether you choose to practice gentle yoga or more dynamic classes, you will reap many benefits.

But then, when the body does not follow, when you suffer from certain pathologies, is it reasonable to turn to yoga or to continue to practice it daily?

Let's discover together, according to the pathologies, the risks or the benefits of yoga. In any case, it is important, before going back to yoga classes or doing yoga at home, to ask your doctor's approval.

 

Can we do yoga with tendinitis?

First benign and yet very common condition: tendinitis.

This inflammation of the tendon is generally related to repetitive gestures. Athletes are also among those who are easily prone to tendinitis. Although tendonitis is easily treated, the basis of treatment is rest.

Among the frequent tendinitises, we find in particular :

• Achilles tendonitis,
• From the wrist,
• From the knee,
• From the elbow,
• Or the shoulder.

It is therefore obvious that if you suffer from tendinitis, you will have to adapt your yoga practice for a few weeks to avoid working the affected tendon. Otherwise, you would risk weakening the tendon permanently. Tendinitis can then become a chronic condition.

Ask your yoga teacher for advice on how to adapt postures so that you can practice yoga in spite of the tendonitis.

 

Can we do yoga with osteoarthritis?

As we age, the joints become more fragile and can lead to chronic diseases such as osteoarthritis.

Also known as osteoarthritis, this pathology occurs when the cartilage in the joints is damaged. It is a rather disabling disease since patients find it increasingly difficult to perform everyday movements and these movements become painful.

This progressive disease can lead to surgery and the installation of prostheses to replace the failing joint (hip prosthesis, knee prosthesis ...). Medical treatment is based on pain management and exercise to preserve the mobility of the affected limb.

A recent study has highlighted the benefits of yoga in osteoarthritis.

Exercise being essential to channel the evolution of the pathology, yoga indeed appears to be very indicated for patients suffering from osteoarthritis!

Simple postures, always performed gently, according to the patient's possibilities, offer real benefits:

• Muscular reinforcement around the joints,
• Improvement of joint flexibility,
• Pain reduction,
• Stress management and relaxation.

Yoga classes specially adapted for seniors exist and can help them maintain their mobility in the long term.

 

 

 

Doing yoga with a backache

Another common condition is back pain. Bad back positioning or more serious pathology, who has never suffered from back pain? It is truly the pain of the century. An ailment all the more common as it is also intimately linked to our nervous state. Stress is indeed a trigger and an aggravating factor of back pain.

Are you prone to lumbar or cervical pain on a regular basis? Yoga is an activity to seriously consider. Yoga prevents back pain in different ways:

• Relaxation, stress management,
• Muscle strengthening,
• Stretching of the back,
• Relaxation and meditation,
• Improved flexibility.

All these points are essential to preserve the back and prevent back pain. Yoga will also allow you to become more aware of your body, to learn how to better manage your emotions and to live in full consciousness.

 

Can you do yoga with scoliosis?

Among the causes of back pain is scoliosis.

This deformation of the spine can be very disabling for those affected. Usually detected in childhood or adolescence, scoliosis must be treated seriously to prevent the deformity from getting worse.

Here again, yoga with scoliosis appears to be a real therapy!

Certain specific postures have a real corrective action on the deformity. This is what comes out of a study which showed that the spine can straighten itself thanks to yoga. This practice not only limits the evolution of the deformity but also reduces it.

The side board posture (Vasisthasana), performed regularly, seems to effectively reduce the curvature of the spine. Moreover, and this is not negligible, the practice of yoga relieves the pain due to scoliosis and strengthens the back muscles in depth. Of course, the practice of yogic postures must be well supervised to avoid poor positioning.

 

 

 

Can you do yoga with sciatica?

Another pathology always related to the back, sciatica.

This nerve, which starts in the lower back and extends to the foot, can be a source of great pain when one of its roots is compressed in the lumbar region. In this case, the pain is dazzling and particularly disabling. In the event of a seizure, it is difficult to move, or even to find a position that is not comfortable, but just bearable.

However, the secret to relieving sciatica remains activity!

It is essential to continue walking, for example, and to practice gentle daily activities to reduce the pressure. If, at the height of the crisis, you sometimes can't move, as soon as the pain begins to subside, adopting certain yoga postures relieves sciatica.

These include exercises to relax and stretch the back or work the leg muscles.

It is important to perform them gently, without ever forcing. Sitting twisting can provide real pain relief by reducing pressure on the nerve. If you are regularly prone to sciatica, practicing yoga as a preventative measure is also recommended. You will strengthen your muscles and this will limit the occurrence of new attacks.

 

Can you do yoga with a herniated disc?

Herniated discs, another common dorsal pathology can be particularly troublesome!

When the disc that connects two vertebrae is damaged, the nucleus forms a hernia which, with pressure, is particularly painful.

Complete rest is inevitable.

In the most severe forms, surgery can be considered. In all cases, it is important to remain in a lying position as long as possible until the pain subsides. Yoga can help you get through this difficult time, but there will be no question of postures here.

Yoga is also mediation, breathing and relaxation exercises.

Simple techniques that help to better manage pain and strengthen your morale. This is notably the case of Nîdra Yoga with its visualization techniques.

Once the patient is relieved, yoga following a herniated disc promotes rehabilitation to regain better mobility. Relaxation of the back and muscular strengthening can be beneficial. Nevertheless, postures must be carefully chosen and executed perfectly and gently so as not to risk injury.

 

 

 

Doing yoga during your period

Let us now place ourselves on the side of the woman, who is confronted with several situations. The first: menstruation.

It is not always easy for the man to understand the mood swings of the woman... And yet, all women will tell you, menstruation is accompanied by premenstrual syndrome, abdominal pain, sometimes nausea, a drop in energy...

At more or less high levels depending on the women!

So, how can you do yoga with your period, when all you want to do is lie down with your hot water bottle and wait to feel better?

It is necessary to focus your yoga practice on soft postures, allowing you to :

• To relax,
• To regain a certain vitality,
• And to reduce menstrual pain.

Certain postures are particularly effective. These moments of relaxation, where you become aware of your body and work on your breathing are particularly beneficial to overcome this dreaded monthly period.

For the lucky ones who don't experience menstrual pain, don't worry! You can continue to practice dynamic yoga, but be sure to avoid inverted postures and twisting for a few days, which can have a negative impact.

 

Doing yoga with your baby

After your period, let's talk about baby, even if it's not a disease!

A great moment in a woman's life. Here again, yoga can help you approach these changes gently and calmly.

Prenatal yoga will help you make the most of your pregnancy and prepare you for the birth. Be careful to follow classes adapted for pregnant women of course. If you are a beginner, pregnancy is not the time to start traditional yoga classes.

On the contrary, it is not recommended.

Once the baby is here, no question of depriving you of your yoga session, a real bubble of air in your schedule as an overloaded mother.

Enjoy these moments of peace and harmony with baby. Yoga sessions for new moms are also open to infants. You rediscover your body and work it gently. We also take advantage of this time to bond with baby and exchange with other moms. A real remedy against baby blues.

 

Doing yoga with the Wii

You can also try yoga at home with the Wii. You will discover simple postures and balance exercises to gently introduce you to the practice of yoga.

Be careful though, it might make you want to walk through the door of a real hatha yoga class and go further. Indeed, on the wii, yoga can look like a gym class, however, by learning the basics of yoga with a teacher, you will discover a true philosophy of life, to be applied daily to regain the serenity of the body, but also of the mind.

So, convinced? Yoga can effectively help you at different stages of your life to better know your body, respect and strengthen it.