Promote Your Page Too
| |
 |
|
|
By Helen P. Kimmel
Yoga as an Intervention for Scoliosis |
|
| |
Scoliosis is defined as a lateral
curve of the spine with or without a rotational component of the spine. It
appears in 10% of the general population and appears seven times more often
in women than men. Scoliosis is not well understood and most often appears
in girls and usually during adolescence. The spine begins to move laterally
away from the midline, and forms an S curve or a C curve and may rotate at
the same time. The ribs, being connected to the spine, will follow both the
lateral and rotational aspects of the spine. This results in misalignment of
the posture such that the ribs may protrude on one side, shoulders may be at
different heights or one hip may be higher than the other. Sometimes the
head is not centered or the body leans to one side. A major issue with
scoliosis may be appearance but pain and discomfort is common. The
misalignment of the spine and ribs and the imbalance in the muscles of the
spinal area leave the person vulnerable to injury. Scoliosis is considered
to be degenerative in that it worsens with age and lack of exercise.
There are four basic types of scoliosis curve patterns: the right thoracic
curve; the left lumbar scoliosis; the right thoracic lumbar curve, known as
a C curve; or the right thoracic, left lumbar known as an S curve.
Structural or Functional ?
Scoliosis is described as structural or "real" scoliosis when the
side-to-side curve in the spine is caused by abnormal development of the
muscles and bones of the spine and cannot easily be "corrected". However,
pain can be relieved, awareness can be brought to more symmetrical
alignment, and postures can lengthen and strengthen the spine and the
paraspinal muscles. The abnormal spinal curves are associated with
imbalances in the paraspinal muscles. The muscles on the long aspect or the
convex side (the bumped out side) of the curvature become overstretched and
weakened. The muscles on the short aspect or concave side of the curve
become overworked and tightened.
Functional scoliosis can be caused by a variety of factors. In functional
scoliosis, the curve in the spine may be caused by external variables such
as habitually carrying on one side, back spasms, or differing leg lengths
that may tilt the spine to one side. If these variables can be corrected,
the imbalance in the spine will disappear. Prolonged back spasms related to
herniated discs can cause the muscle to contract on one side of the spine
and appear like a curvature. However, relaxation of those muscles will allow
the spine and ribs to return to normal alignment. Apparent leg length
differences can emerge as a result of feet, ankle, or knee abnormalities.
However, the correction of the other orthopedic problems can correct leg
length differences and spinal misalignment. Real leg length difference will
cause the pelvis to tilt to one side and cause a compensatory curve in the
spine. In order to keep the head level, the body adjusts by curving the
spine to correct the pelvic tilt. Spinal muscles develop in an unbalanced
manner with leg length differences.
Yoga As A Therapeutic Intervention For People With Scoliosis.
Students with scoliosis, whether functional or structural, have developed
anatomical compensations for their misalignment. Their center of gravity is
redefined in an attempt to keep the body balanced. This results in the
individual having a distorted sense of what a straight body is. The
teacher’s task is to bring asanas that allow the student to that which is
correctable and to strengthen muscles to maintain that correction.
Elise Browning Miller is an Iyengar trained yoga teacher specialized in
therapeutic back care for students with scoliosis. She developed yoga
sequences to respond to her own scoliosis and now teaches other teachers in
the appropriate use of the postures with students with scoliosis. Mary
Pullig Schatz, M.D. has written a book titled Back Care Basics in which she
describes routines for those with scoliosis. Bobbie Fultz is another Iyengar
trained yoga teacher who has utilized the knowledge she gained though
working with her own scoliosis through yoga to educate students and teachers
in therapeutics for this condition.
Elise Browning Miller describes an approach to yoga for scoliosis as
follows:
1. Breathing.
Miller states that it's important to focus on breathing through your nose
and to learn
how to breathe into the area of discomfort.
2. Decreasing the Lateral Curve
In order to decrease the lateral curve, it's necessary to elongate or
lengthen the spine to bring it back to center. Then it's important to
strengthen the legs, abdominal muscles, and the muscles that run along the
spine to decrease the curve or prevent the lateral curve from increasing.
Schatz writes about partner or helper assisted postures such as hanging from
ropes or a table to reduce the effects of gravity, stretch out the
paraspinal muscles, reduce compression of the spine, and recover from the
effects of convexity and concavity in the spinal area. She proposes
stretching or hanging as preparatory for every yoga practice session. Schatz
, Miller and Fultz describe the standing poses as basic to strengthening as
well as lengthening the spine.
3. Decreasing the Posterior Rotation
Miller describes postures that help to decrease the posterior rotation
of the spine and ribs. In almost all poses but especially the twists, it’s
possible to de-rotate the rotation of the scoliosis and gain better
alignment.
4. Realigning the Posture
Schatz , Miller and Fultz speak to the difficulty of finding your center
for someone with scoliosis because the student is re-mapping from within.
They propose maintaining awareness of the four natural curves of the spine
in daily life and during standing points in yoga. The realignment is as
follows:
• Hips over heels
• Pelvis in neutral position front to back, balanced by hamstrings,
quadriceps and psoas hip flexor muscles
• Pelvis and lower back balanced by abdominal muscles and paraspinal muscles
• Balance of shoulder blades and shoulder alignment of head shoulder and
upper body
• Alignment of uneven hips
• Relax with alignment
5. Defy gravity, re-center and lengthen the spine
Scoliosis creates a shift in the center of gravity and in the yoga
poses. The student is constantly fighting the inclination to seek her own
center of gravity. Hanging in an inverted position makes it possible to
realign, releases tension, and create space between the vertebrae and
re-center the body.
Students with scoliosis often fear that they will be reinjured or newly
injured when they engage in yoga. Iyengar yoga provides both attention to
precision in alignment and modifications to meet the physical needs of the
students and provides an ideal learning environment for the student with
scoliosis. The graduated approach in an Iyengar class brings focused
awareness to each aspect of the skeletal body each week. With the teacher’s
support and adjustments, the student can learn proper alignment, lengthen
the spine, and strengthen the muscles to support new ways of holding the
body.
Students with "true" or structural scoliosis may not ever reverse their
conditions but they will develop the internal awareness and muscle strength
to adjust their spine and ribs to decrease the spinal curve or rotation.
This will relieve pain and decrease the degenerative impact of living with a
curved spine. Students with functional scoliosis may become sufficiently
aware and sufficiently strong to reverse the lateral curve or rotation of
the spine. As with all problems brought to the yoga class, commitment to a
practice is key. The committed student is always working towards change and
progress, while not expecting perfection in the postures or in life.
|
|
Archive of Yoga Therapeutics Articles:
Summer 2000: Number 1- Introduction to Yoga Therapeutics
Spring 2006: Number 9 - Women’s Health: A Sequence for a Healthy Menstruation
Summer 2006: Number 10 - It is Too Late
Spring 2007: Number 12 - Yoga Therapeutics for Lower Backs
Stress - Helpful Tips
Yoga as an Intervention for Scoliosis
|
