Namaste…
I need favour from all yoga experts. i have few issues like neck sprain during halasana, especially when i stretch my hands on the ground back,behind my ears.Neck sprains & the stiffness lasts for 2-3 weeks.
can any body let me know whether i can continue to do halasana with out stretchin hands at the back?
Thanks & regards
Bheema
Hello,
The most conservative approach would be for you to avoid halasana until you can get a medical evaluation on your cervical spine. If there are any problems, I would avoid halasana, sarvanghasana, and sirsasana permanently. If there aren’t any problems, a couple adjustments to your alignment might help. Are you working with a yoga teacher? You may need to put a couple firm folded blankets under your shoulders/upper back with the back of the head resting on the floor. You can also have your feet on the seat of a chair rather than on the floor. The most important thing to remember in this pose is that your [I]cervical spine should bear no weight[/I]! All the weight is on the back of your head, shoulders, and upper arm bones so you can maintain the natural curve of the cervical spine. Since you’re taking your arms overhead, that is probably transfering more weight to your neck. Imagine you can slide a pencil under the back of your neck when you’re in the pose. Hope this helps!
Namaste,
Thanks a lot for your valid suggestion.the Neck pain is not new to me, i had consulted Orthopedic experts,they had advised few exercises which i am not doing regularly.apart from it i tried halasana after a long time just to check whether i have the same issue but unfortunately i have it. i did have a teacher & learnt few poses from him along with Halasana also. but now he is not availale for any suggestions.
My worry is how long i need to keep away from Halasana & sarvangasana as thes are very effective & my favourite asanas.how to strengthen my neck muscles?
please revert back with your additional advice on this.
[QUOTE=yogadealer;71436]Hello,
The most conservative approach would be for you to avoid halasana until you can get a medical evaluation on your cervical spine. If there are any problems, I would avoid halasana, sarvanghasana, and sirsasana permanently. If there aren’t any problems, a couple adjustments to your alignment might help. Are you working with a yoga teacher? You may need to put a couple firm folded blankets under your shoulders/upper back with the back of the head resting on the floor. You can also have your feet on the seat of a chair rather than on the floor. The most important thing to remember in this pose is that your [I]cervical spine should bear no weight[/I]! All the weight is on the back of your head, shoulders, and upper arm bones so you can maintain the natural curve of the cervical spine. Since you’re taking your arms overhead, that is probably transfering more weight to your neck. Imagine you can slide a pencil under the back of your neck when you’re in the pose. Hope this helps![/QUOTE]
Are you doing these asanas with a teacher?
Are you using props to keep the asana effective and safe?
Has someone told you that you need to strengthen your neck? Why? What is wrong with it?
Impossible to know how long you should not do these asanas without knowing what the problem is.
Most people should be using props to keep the neck safe in shoulderstand and plow and it is very important to have a properly qualified teacher to guide and teach you.
How about doing Viparita Kiranai with a block instead?
Please excuse me as I can be a bit dense but I have the following question:
Relative to this statement -
…i had consulted Orthopedic experts,they had advised few exercises which i am not doing regularly…
If you are not doing those things which were shared with you for your healing by experts of your own selection then what would lead someone here to think that you would follow their direction?
Hello
I have read the messages. hope i have not made clear on the issues.
I had a teacher long back but now i dont have any body.(i did not have any pains since last 2 years & started suddenly) i had stopped Halasana & sarvangasana & consulted doctors also.
I am just asking whether i have to keep away from Halasana permanently? can i practice "oordhwa dhanurasana…chakra pose, which requires resting head on the floor first.
Need your suggestion…please. i do follow instructions from teachers like you.
Regards
I am not familiar with the asana you mentioned…can you post a picture of it?
oordhaw means raised and dhanurasana means bow…so maybe you mean this
http://yogadancer.com/Pattra/UrdhvaDhanurasana.shtml#Urdhva.shtml???
But coming into this asana pushing up from the floor and putting the top of the head onto the floor seems like a very idea with a bad neck!! Putting weight onto the head with the neck tipped back will strain the neck for dure.
It is not possible to advise how long you should avoid sarvangasana and halasana without knowing what is wrong with your neck or how you did the damage in the first place.
Also it is best do do these asanas with a properly qualified teacher to instruct you how to do them effectively and safely.
To get your answers you need to explain your neck probelm to a properly qualified teacher and do as he/she advises.