Happy New Year! I teach several gentle/restorative yoga classes and yin yoga classes. The students tend to be late middle age and older. Several students have degenerative disc disease and I want to be safe with them while allowing them to participate fully in class. Armed with the knowledge that unsafe forward bending is out - what do you do with your students that have DDD?
One does those things from one’s teacher training which soothe the nervous system and create length in the spine or space in the discs.
With degenerative disc disease is it ok to get some one to do Trikanasana? (maybe a gentle modified version)
Are gentle forward bends ok for this condition?
What is “okay” and what is “therapeutics” or “helpful” are very different things.
Thanks 
My objective is not to make things any worse than they are The person in question is attending a general yoga class.
To be honest, if I wasn’t sure whether a student with a degenerative back problem was getting benefit from a simple forward bend, I’d feel it my duty to recommend that student to a teacher with better knowledge than I.
Thanks for the advice.
Thats kind of what I woud like to do. Unfortuantly the students were signed up in advance of the registration forms being filled in. My main reason for asking was to help with posture selection.
I have reference books that advise what is contraindicated etc, but felt extra info might be of use.
Many thanks
Generally speaking, a practitioner with such a condition must avoid over exertion and anything that causes discomfort and pain. Movements must be done slowly and carefully. More emphasis on correct breathing and relaxation.
If someone where to come to me with such a condition, I’d refer him/her to my osteopath for a consultation and a ‘go ahead’ to practice gentle exercise.
One of the advantages of a pre registered class is that if a student has a condition, he/she can notify the teacher in advance, giving the teacher the opportunity to advise the student, or recommend a more appropriate class. I’ve seen a very experienced teacher gently turn down a student, as the student wasn’t able to do the general class due to her health.
The Iyengar Remedial classes are probably the best for such a condition. Then with time the student might well be able to join the general class.
Hope this was of help…
Hi Terence, yes this was of help. Thank you.
Fortunantly the person concerned isn’t in a bad way, and the issue is minor although very real. I have had several discussions with her, made suggestions about getting professional help. I also explained how to ease back as soon as she notices any problems, but she is very sensible and the movements are slow and safe. We use the breath and at the end of class I give a Yoga Nidra session to help fully them all relax.
I have DDD and forward bends are not an issue for me as they apply to my Martial Arts training, but then not all DDD people are the same.
When I had pain I would not try a forward bend but I am currently not in any pain so a forward bend is not a problem.
Hi Yulaw,
Thats interesting what you say, the lady in question said she felt no pain or discomfort in my class, but just sitting at home eating breakfast she got pain. This condition is very interesting, obviously not for those affected, I know Tinnitus (since mid teans, am 38 this year) is different but it does mean I have some empathy for those with life long health problems.
Mine tends to flare up from time to time but I have found that I can keep those flare ups at bay by doing sit-ups, crunches and leg raises regularly, although you can?t tell by looking at me these days. If I miss about 3 to 4 days the back reminds me and if I don’t listen I am in trouble. And I will say if I sit too much I start to feel it too and if for some reason I don?t get up and a least go for a walk I will be in trouble.
I was told by my doc many years ago that sitting was not good for my back.
But as I said I do not believe it is the same for all people.
Thanks, your comments are very useful, and expand on what the person in question was saying. Thinking about it, its similar to my experiences with my own issues, in that doing yoga helps, if I don’t do it I notice. And the listending to body thing, very important. Thanks.
Make them sign the waiver, please!
Terence,
I do agree with you, one should take care if suffering from this disease.
Also, one should perform Yoga and Meditation under expert’s advice.
When I started Yoga, I was doing at my own without knowing whether I was doing it in a correct manner or not.
But when I accidently met a Yoga teacher- Unity, he observed my exercises and suggested lots of changes into it. I followed his guidance and within couple of weeks I realized, what I was doing for six months was not correct way.
Due to this reason, I suggest everyone to take guidance from teacher/Guru especially if you are new to Yoga and Meditation.
Yes I agree, I know the books say it, and people mention this, but as illistrated here, it is important to learn from a proper teacher. There are subtlies to practice (not just physical) and as is pointed out here, the teacher can see if your doing something thats not good.
One teacher told me that because when doing yoga, in this case primary series of ashtanaga vinyasa yoga, we need to be correctly alinged and safe. This is because repetition of an asana will have an accumulated effect on the body. We want to make sure that accumulated effect is POSITIVE and not degenerative in nature.
[QUOTE=Yoga & Unity;30130]Terence,
I do agree with you, one should take care if suffering from this disease.
Also, one should perform Yoga and Meditation under expert?s advice.
When I started Yoga, I was doing at my own without knowing whether I was doing it in a correct manner or not.
But when I accidently met a Yoga teacher- Unity, he observed my exercises and suggested lots of changes into it. I followed his guidance and within couple of weeks I realized, what I was doing for six months was not correct way.
Due to this reason, I suggest everyone to take guidance from teacher/Guru especially if you are new to Yoga and Meditation.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=Yulaw;29732]I have DDD and forward bends are not an issue for me as they apply to my Martial Arts training, but then not all DDD people are the same.
When I had pain I would not try a forward bend but I am currently not in any pain so a forward bend is not a problem.[/QUOTE]
yes. not all ddd cause pain…