Have you been hurt practicing yoga?

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#9

Well, for me it was more an anatomy issue. Unknown to me, my acromion is thicker than normal. Each time I’d raise my arms over my head impingement would occur at the RTC. Over many years of yoga practice I developed micro tears in the Subscapularis and supraspinatus tendons. Micro tears led to bigger tears. One was a full thickness tear and the other was a partial. Needless to say, I ended up having it repaired. Through PT and yoga I am 100% today. My left shoulder(repaired one) is stronger than my right. Same issues going on in my right, so surgery is likely in my near future. But what helped me the most was Down Dog. After my surgery, the first time during my PT sessions that I was allowed to get into that pose, I felt the my whole back side lengthening, the scapulae moving and heavens it felt great!

So I guess my point is sometimes we are doing poses correctly, but due to anatomy issues (often times unknown to us) those correctly done poses are actually harming us. The only way to find out is unfortunately through injury.

#10

I’ve never hurt myself by doing yoga but boy, the palms of my hands hurt whenever I do Downward Dog. Does anybody else ever have the problem?

#11

I’ve been thinking about this thread for a while and I can’t bring to mind any time I have been hurt doing yoga. I have felt sore the day after a particularly advanced Level 2 Ashtanga class where some secondary series were thrown in (that teacher retired from our studio - too bad), but no injuries.

I have been helped by yoga from another sports injury (whiplash playing rugby with men 25 years younger than me), but that’s not the point of the thread.

#12

I have been hurt many times doe to my:

-extreme flexibility
-stupidity
-bad teachers (push me in to pose)
-my ego

Thanks god, I did not brake anything, but I screw up my knees and hips doing crazy variations of padmasana. Unlimited and improper practice of Surya Namaskar crewed up my shoulders and elbows. Improper practice of nauli and some pranayamas messed up my digestive system for some period of time.

But I was young and I think now I’ve recovered from all these injuries.

[B]Now I can prevent my students from the same mistakes, because nothing teacher us better than personal experience. [/B]

#13

Less than I’ve been hurt NOT practicing “yoga” (though I presume the post refers to asana and not yoga).

#14

[QUOTE=InnerAthlete;59429]Less than I’ve been hurt NOT practicing “yoga” (though I presume the post refers to asana and not yoga).[/QUOTE]
Hahah. Oh Gordon, how I love you so :slight_smile:

For the record, no, it doesn’t refer just to asana.

#15

[QUOTE=David;59444]Hahah. Oh Gordon, how I love you so :slight_smile:

For the record, no, it doesn’t refer just to asana.[/QUOTE]

In that case, I can cite an incident that happened yesterday and today. I went to a meditation class and allowed my negative thoughts to wander in and out, and thought about some unresolved issues in order to find clarity. I couldn’t sleep all night after that, and my heart hurt all day today - as if I were heartbroken, real pain (most of us know what that feels like). I went to the gym to try and work my way out of that pain, but only found some relief when I did some backbends at the end. I still feel uncomfortable, but not as bad. I am off to yoga class in an hour. Hope I can restore balance.

I am still not sure what the hell that was all about.

#16

It sounds to me like you accessed some unresolved emotional issues stored in your body. The key isn’t to try and get rid of or numb them like most of us do (drugs, alcohol, food, exercise, etc), it’s to sit in stillness and try to feel them that much more so they can be integrated. It’s not about figuring it out with the mind, it’s about feeling them.

I personally sit in meditation and breathe in and our without pause as I find that (the pause between breaths) is when my mind wanders. I then practice pratyahara and dharana and feel that emotional charge in all its intensity. When those charges are released is MY current definition of samadhi.

Tis hard, of course.

#17

Hello,

except for once when I slipped on a drop of sweat and overstrechted mentionably (2 days of pain, could hardly walk, but then it was ok and better than before), I had nothing going on. I find it remarkable that many injuries here are somehow related to following the instructions of teachers. I still have not seen a teacher ever and still think that thinking for oneself instead of just trusting a teacher is the best way to do Asanas, particularly when beginning with the practice and getting to know how one’s body works. Using several sources (books, videos) and experimenting a lot, listening to one’s body, getting to know it, and, above all, being smart.

#18

Quote:
Originally Posted by InnerAthlete View Post
Less than I’ve been hurt NOT practicing “yoga” (though I presume the post refers to asana and not yoga).
Hahah. Oh Gordon, how I love you so

For the record, no, it doesn’t refer just to asana.

Oh then I have to add that I’ve suffered far more from not practicing Yoga than from doing asana incorrectly! :slight_smile:

#19

[QUOTE=David;59123]I’m curious if any of you have been hurt while practicing yoga. If so, how and why do you feel the injury occurred?[/QUOTE]

In the beginning “I” hurt my ego, ignorance was the cause, direct experience recognizes it, increased awareness enabled modifications to I ME SELF and “all” benefited.

#20

I think I broke my pinky finger yesterday. I got into an unassisted headstand for the first time and instead of relaxing in the posture my mind said “hey, you’re not supposed be able to do this”. Then I went backwards, twisting my finger. Now I can barely move it - swollen and painful. Ego.

#21

I’m curious, what grip were you using in your set up, closed or open?

#22

[QUOTE=InnerAthlete;61870]I’m curious, what grip were you using in your set up, closed or open?[/QUOTE]

Interlocking fingers. Is that closed? I made through 5 breaths. Shoulder openers beginning to work.

#23

…and thumbs?

#24

[QUOTE=InnerAthlete;61882]…and thumbs?[/QUOTE]

Interlocked as well. I came across this position which looks better:

#25

I’ve overdone some cleansing techniques, nothing serious, just aggrevated sinus’

I’ve been over-adjusted in a forward folds, and seen others hurt, now I tend to tighten up, or even back out of a pose, when instructors approach me with any vibe of adjusting. A little knowledge combined with a lot of ‘experience’ is a dangerous thing.

I’ve also prolonged ‘hurt’ by sticking to a strict ‘ahimsa’ yoga diet while injured.

I’ve found over the years that for myself, due to my blood type, fitness regime and sleep schedule, I heal dramatically faster with at least a pesca diet, (includes fish as well as lacto/ovo)

Pshhh (sound of can of worms opening) :cool:

#26

I got a hearniated disk between L5 and S1 during a 200h ashtanga yoga teacher’s training. I also got tendinitis in the left gluteus medium and minimus. It started as a pain on my left hip on day 4, which increased progressively and in about the middle of the course (day 12), when I was lying down after the practice in my room, the pain came all at once. Haven’t done any yoga since then (it happened 2 months ago). Still taking meds for it because the pain is still there. Will starty physiotherapy soon.
I suspect it was too much forward bending and Marichyasanas. I don’t know if it was the ego (i didnt want to give up the course I planned so much for) or if it was due to muscle imbalances that were already there pressing the vertebrae and with the excessive practice it just popped. I haven’t processed the experience from a yoga standpoint so I don’t know how i feel about yoga right now.

#27

I developed a sacrum injury after practising yoga for too long without paying enough attention to keeping my pelvis tilted (instead I rounded that area) during forward bends.

That said it has been a blessing in my view…I am now much more ‘in my body’ and of course I can’t be controlled by my ego because I will hurt myself even more, so that’s been a quick ego fix! Also, as I need to keep my spine as straight as possible during all postures I’ve developed a really healthy way of stretching and very good hip alignment.

I won’t lie, it is frustrating at times, but I feel as though I’ve taken a few steps back in my asana practice but a few steps forward in my yoga practice.

Thanks for the great post David, I’ve learnt a lot from hearing how people have injured themselves!

#28

[QUOTE=talita;67614]I got a hearniated disk between L5 and S1 during a 200h ashtanga yoga teacher’s training. I also got tendinitis in the left gluteus medium and minimus. It started as a pain on my left hip on day 4, which increased progressively and in about the middle of the course (day 12), when I was lying down after the practice in my room, the pain came all at once. Haven’t done any yoga since then (it happened 2 months ago). Still taking meds for it because the pain is still there. Will starty physiotherapy soon.
I suspect it was too much forward bending and Marichyasanas. I don’t know if it was the ego (i didnt want to give up the course I planned so much for) or if it was due to muscle imbalances that were already there pressing the vertebrae and with the excessive practice it just popped. I haven’t processed the experience from a yoga standpoint so I don’t know how i feel about yoga right now.[/QUOTE]

Maybe you could try to slowly return to your asana practice, but this time do a more gentle hatha type yoga, which puts less strain on the body compared to ashtanga?

Also, yoga is not just about the asana, you can continue doing yoga lying on your back. :smiley:

The best of luck for your recovery!