Forward bends/back bends and slipped discs

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

Hi everybody

I have been always told to be extra careful when practising strong forward bends/back bends because I have a slipped disc.I would say that it is a good advice(better be safe than sorry) but on the other hand I guess that it is a very broad advice and I am sure that from the medical and anatomical point of view has to be more to be said.So I always asked the same question to the few teachers I practised with and none was able to answer the following question:
When it comes to forward bends/back bends a slipped disc,for instance, on l1-l2 would be as bad as on l4-l5.By the way my slipped disc is on l1-l2.

thanks in advance

#2

Yes, you would approach the issue of the slipped disc the same, whether it’s L1-L2 or L4-L5. The former is simply the beginning of the lumbar curve, the latter is just above the sacrum and have a relatively similar aspect in relation to the discs and the vertabrae above and below. The sacrum does make a difference, but not significant to your question.

A ‘slipped’ disc is when the disc ‘bulges’ in one direction due to external pressures. The more important question in your situation is ‘in which direction is the disc bulging’? If you know that, I can help out more with what movements are to be avoided or moved into cautiously.

#3

Thank you for the quick response.I could find the answer to this question nowhere at all so I hope it helps somebody else with similar issues.

Also I checked my medical report and it is in spanish but the translation will be something like this:
“L1-L2 slipped disc on the right back side touching the anterior dural sac without compression”

To be honest I am extra careful when practising and never push my back to the limit but I would say that with back bends I am good.With forward bends I am a bit limited because at l1-l2 level I have also developed scoliosis so I am not very bendy.
However,this may sound weird but I usually just get pain on the slipped disc area when doing plow pose and shoulder stand( without a wall).

Thanks in advance

#4

Hello Javi,

Typically, there are two things when a student has a slipped disc. The first is to customize a practice so that space can be created in the spinal column such that the disc can heal or “go back” from whence it came.

The second is to avoid forward bends (when the slipped disc is in the lumbar spine) as most of these injuries “push” the disc toward the back body and forward bends obviously compress the frontal spine and open the posterior spine (when done without proper alignment, length, and integrity int he forward bend as most students do). Imagine pressing down on one side of a sandwich. The contents squirts out the other side.

There may be more attention to a slipped disc at L1 as it borders on the junction between the thoracic and lumbar spine. This is an area where many students collapse in back bends even though generally speaking back bends are very good for the spine. The action in backbends requires uniformity rather than collapse. If the student does not posses this in their body then back bends too can be harmful.

It is not the posture, per se, but the doing that warrants closer examination. That having been said, if a student comes to me with a herniation within the last 8 months I do not permit them to do forward bends in class.

#5

Hi Javi,

forward bends should be practiced carefully with concentration in the back, if you have slipped disc. However backbends are good for this kind of injury, especially marjarasana (cat). I’ve seen doctors prescribing exercises to patients with slipped disc, which look exactly like the cat. So i can only encourage you practicing it on daily basis, or anytime the lower back pain returns.