Hip problems

Yoga Discussion Structural Yoga Therapy
#1

Greetings again Mukunda, Y’know I really don’t get especially emotional about suffering -I’ve seen a lot, especially emotional. Jan is one of my most devoted students and always one of the most adept, in addition to being a simply exemplary person socially. Please read and tell me if anything therapy-wise jumps out. Thanks. Steeve

Jan Crocker wrote: My recovery is long. I still work at home two days a week because of emotional trauma. It’s great because it’s like working part-time. I was plagued with hip pain since the accident that turns out to be osteo-arthritis in my right hip that all my battery of bodyworkers believes was aggravated by the car accident (I was knocked over and landed on my right hip). With the help of an excellent physical therapist, I am trying to manage the pain and prolong the life of my hip. I’m not ready for the inevitable hip replacement yet.

I walk with a cane now to get the weight out of my hip. I have to lose 25 lbs. Hopefully, I won’t need the cane after that. I’ve gone from an exerciser to a person who takes exercise on days when I’m not in pain. Fortunately my PT wants me to continue to do yoga and swim with the understanding that when it hurts I stop. I am learning a lot about modifying yoga. I do take with Renee who is now at Prana. It’s a Basics class, which is good for me for now. And I am back with Janet once a week. She has been a really big help because she figures out ways I can modify that I wouldn’t have even thought of. It’s really frustrating for me. When the pain flares up, as it is this week, I can’t do any activity. Some of the simplest movement is the biggest pain like putting on shoes and underwear. When it gets really bad, I can’t even get comfortable enough to sleep without pain. So, it’s a new life. Actually, I’m pretty cheerful all things considered. Jan

#2

Steeve and Jan - For pain I have found that regular practice of my joint freeing series as described in my book can work wonders. No special adaptation needs to be given except to be sensible for painful motions and do what feels tolerable. A key for relieving pain is to learn to direct prana into the specific joint that you are moving. Prana is said to be stuck in joints and this series mobilizes the prana so that it can return to proper sites in the subtle body and restore your natural state of peace.

There is a gentle hands on healing technique for relieving trauma from accidents, the basic formula is from L. Ron Hubbard and is called Contact Assist. A small pamphlet on this method is sold for $3 from Scientology Centers to explain the technique which works wonders even when event was sometime in past. I have modified it based on yogic concepts of pranayama and have been able to release emotional trauma that was from early childhood. (NOTE ? I do not endorse Scientology, but this method is quite beneficial).

Losing weight can certainly help make the arthritis more manageable. My teacher Indra Devi has a 10-day diet she recommends for arthritis. She claims that people who follow it diligently get free of symptoms. She is a glowing example of health at 102! Eat 90% basmati rice and 10% any type of squash only. The food is to be chewed thoroughly. Plenty of water is to be drunk and herbal teas for keeping the bowels moving. Nothing else is to be eaten but you can eat as much as you want. No condiments or other spices. I can give more details of other supplemental advice should you want to follow this suggestion.