Asanas with rib pain

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

Just before Christmas I was in a car accident: I was t-boned by a van that hit on the drivers side door. Miraculously I only came out with injured ribs and minor cuts… no bruises or breaks, although people that have seen my car think I should be in a wheelchair.

I honestly attribute my lack of injury to yoga. I let go of the wheel and turned away from the van when I realized it was going to hit me. Although the jolt from the impact folded my body forward and to the side, I feel like my flexibility and natural inclination (as a result of yoga) to bend from the hips and not the waist saved me from a ton of back and upper body pain.

I did, however, bruise my ribs, fractured another rib, and sprained some muscles in my back and side. I was nearly better until a cold with heavy coughing has set me back a few steps in my healing process.

My roomate is an osteopath and was feeling my ribs last night to see how they were healing. She asked me to take deep breaths and noticed that while my right lung is expanding normally, my left is hardly expanding at all.

After this [I]long[/I] explanation, here are my questions:

  1. Are there any pranayamas I can practice to strengthen my left lung and ribs?

  2. What asanas can you suggest that included minimal rib movement? It hurts to lie on my belly or back, and to support heavy weight with my left side.

I think at this point I should be capable of some hip openers, very gentle twists, and some standing poses. Backbends and sun salutations, especially downward dog, are out of the question.

Thank you so much for all your help and suggestions!! :smiley:

#2

What could be done and what should be done may be different things. There may be things that you can do without pain however those things may not be in the interest of a robust and speedy healing. But this is not your question

What would be germane to determine is if there is an issue with the lung or if there is an issue with the container surrounding the lung. If the lung is sound and operable AND the surrounding muscle tissue and ribs are preventing that lung from inflating to capacity, then the focus would not be to work the lung but rather the rib cage. And of course working in that way would mandate backbends and pranayama.

You’ve not mentioned if you’ve been released by your health care provider and this is significant information for a yoga therapist to have. I should mention that 5 weeks is not really enough time for healing unless you’ve been meditating like the dickens, resting like a grandmother, and eating like a raw foodist.

To engage a pranayama practice it is best to use gentle things first - for about your first ten years of pranayama practice, presuming you are doing it regularly (at least weekly). Viloma I and II are a good start so have your teacher instruct you in the one that calms the nervous system rather than the one that activates it. The supine position may agitate your rib issue and thus using the seated posture with your back against the wall is advised. In this way the rib issue is averted and the body is safely aligned.

If you cannot lay on the belly or back even with several mats and a blanket over them then that is a sign it is too soon, though you may force the issue and do some standing poses. I would think twists and standing poses would be ill-advised as one torques the rib cage while the other one requires the intercostals to be used for support. I would guide you to only do supported postures and again have your teacher instruct you in how to do that with alignment and integrity.

However, Virasana, Parsva Virsana, Dandasana, Baddha Konasana, Tadasana, Marjarasana, Vanarasana, Uttanasana, Namaskarasana, Ardha Uttanasana (at wall) Vira II, Vrksasana, may all be “okay”.

#3

Thank you for your well guided post, I can always count on learning for you, innerathlete :slight_smile:

I had assumed that it was my rib cage restricting my left lung, but I will go to the doctor to make sure. My roomate said there are two ribs being pushed closer together than they should be from tense and strained muscles. Xrays the day of the accident showed no visible damage to my lungs, I’ve just been assuming the left side is weakened from two weeks of minimal breathing.

I have been pushing myself harder than I should, I went back to work as soon as I could lift (I’m a server). I have been doing light horseback riding (much to my horse’s pleasure), but mostly just doing ground work and grooming to increase the bond with my horse and decrease my healing time. I’ve gone snowshoeing a few times for half hour sessions. The worst thing I’ve done has been cleaning stalls. I go down twice a week to see my horse, and help keep the barn clean to decrease the cost of board for my horse. I put off shoveling for a month, but got back into it a couple weeks ago. It may be wiser to spend the extra money than to spend the extra time healing.

It’s extremely difficult for me to sit still. I have a very active lifestyle, and usually only spend 1-2 hours of my waking day seated. You are right, though, I can’t heal if I keep moving! I will go to a doctor and then consult with my yoga instructor to see if she can suggest some things as well :slight_smile:

I am so thankful my injuries weren’t worse than they were. I was so shocked that I hadn’t broken my leg… imagine how much longer the healing process would be if I had! :o

#4

Consider how you might direct, restrain, or release your horse if he/she was healing from an injury. From what you have shared, my guess is that your answer in self-care lies in the answer to that very question - and I believe we both already know that answer.

[sidebar] clean fractures of bone often heal fairly quickly and very well as they calcify where as connective tissue and muscle injuries can linger for years. Though I am not advocating a fracture :slight_smile: