Looking for a second opinion - contraindicated asanas!

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

Hello!

I have disc degeneration in my cervical spine (C5/6, C6/7) that’s been a pain in the neck, and more recently the left shoulder. I went to a sports medicine doctor today and need a second opinion from you yogis out there!

The doc recommended I not do any asanas that involve extreme flexion or tension (chin to chest or chin back), especially shoulder stand. Head stand is also contra-indicated. Do you agree?

Has anyone had success relieving cervical spine pain through yoga? What asanas did you practice?

Thanks!

#2

I agree with your doctor.

#3

I would concur with Alex and your Doctor

#4

See my friends at Morter Health Systems. morter.com
You’ll be blown away, because you’ll find the root cause of your symptoms. The body is suppose to heal itself. You’ll discover why it’s not.

#5

Hello Asiancat,

Without telling me more about you and your current situation (lifestyle, activity level, age, weight, diet, yoga practice) it is nearly impossible to give you anything more than a trite, anecdotal answer.

Degeneration has to be qualified. Some studies indicate degeneration begins in the first ten years of life and call it “part of the natural aging process”. Generally speaking, extreme flexion/extension are not “good” for a spine with significant degeneration.

There are protocols for dealing with such things but again, without significant intake information about the person with the issue, feedback is unwise. However, many people have experienced reductions in cervical spine pain from some comprehensive yoga practice (not merely asana). Sadly, the reverse is also true - some people have experienced increases in cervical spine pain, though this is usually from poorly instructed asana, a particular approach by the student, or by those believing Yoga and asana are synonyms.

gordon

#6

[QUOTE=Alix;25847]I agree with your doctor. [/QUOTE]

So do I, for one obvious reason other than your injury which seems to be serious and the fact he is a specialized Sports Medicine Doctor:

e actually aw you and examined you; that gives him the complete advantage on this issue…