Pain down my leg?

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

Thanks for viewing my question. :slight_smile: I have been practicing yoga in my home for about three years now and I love it. In July of last year, I was in the extended side angle pose (my right leg was bent in front with my left leg extended back), then I put my left hand behind my back and reached under my leg with my right hand and grabbed my left wrist. Next I straightened my right leg. This is something that I had done many times before with no pain or complications. However, this time when I straightened my right leg, something popped in my right hip area. Kind of like where my leg meets my hip. It hurt pretty bad and it is still giving me problems today. I can no longer attempt to even straighten my right leg in that pose anymore. It also bothers me in every day situations. It is a shooting pain down the back of my right leg. It bothers me when I move my leg is certain positions, especially while it is extended. It kind of reminds me of the sciatic nerve pain that I had when I was pregnant. Stretching does seem to help but it does not go away.

My question is I was wondering if anyone is familiar with what I am talking about? Do they know what I may have injured. I was thinking that maybe I had pulled a tendon. Is there something I can do to make it better. Should I quit working out or quit working out that area of my body until it heals? It doesn’t seem to be getting better on its own.

Thank you so much for any responses.

#2

Hello Sherrie.

The area you reference and the way in which you activated it complicate an assessment. It is not a simple matter of telling you only one thing. I personal do not like to say things to students until there is a point to the saying. It can place an idea in their mind and the mind is so incredibly powerful it can be a self-fulfilling prophecy.

However others here will undoubtedly tell you that you’ve done this or that :slight_smile: C’est la vie.

It is certainly possible to have muscle, tendon, or ligament stretching, over stretching, or tearing. If pain is “running down your leg” then we add to the list the possibility of true and false sciatica. True sciatica is in the lumbo-sacral portion of the spine (what many refer to as “low back”). So that would not exactly fit with your data. False sciatica is when the piriformis muscle is in spasm AND impedes the sciatic nerve as it passes nearby (or through, in about 15% of the population).

What I would advise is altering your asana practice to a more gentle practice that will allow your immune system to repair whatever it is you’ve doinked. Err on the side of caution.

Second, shift your diet so that you are consuming foods which support the repair of tissue and do not support inflammation. I’ll presume you are already eating organic…deep green leafy veggies, healthy fats, proteins outside of the meat family (salmon would be nice however). Nothing in a box, can, or package, and no alcohol, tobacco, caffeine, or refined sugar. Increase the use of turmeric in the foods you cook.

Additionally I’d scale back on the consumption of wheat and dairy products as they can lead to inflammation. Look for foods that create an alkaline state in the body (google has some helpful lists) and stay hydrated with something more than water as water is primarily flushing.

You can also use some heat on the area. Heat speeds molecular activity and in some Chinese systems it is believed no healing can take place without heat.

Hot baths with epsom salt is advised as is Maha Vishgarbha oil. If that is not possible then please rub organic, untoasted sesame seed oil on the area twice per day. Once at night, once in the morning. It smells like stir fry and can stain so be forewarned. Organic olive oil is a third choice.

I’ll skip the meditation and breath work since you may not yet have the foundation for such work. Just know that it too is important for the healing process.

Finally, patience. Rome wasn’t built in a day.

#3

hiiiii…Please HELP ME…

i have pain in me left hand and left leg from knee to fingers since 8-9 months. i did test MRI (spinal) and N.C.V …doctor say nothing is there…also ask may be any 1 nerves has been blocked.

my condition is that i faces problem when i fold my hand or leg…even i can hold book or mobile phone…

what should i do…its going to be challenge for DOCTORS.

#4

ratik – I’m not certain I recognize NCV – is that the one where they measure the conductivity of your nerves via electric impulse?
When I had hand and elbow issues I passed the conductivity test just fine – turns out I was sleeping in an awkward position and that aggravated tissues in my elbow and that inflammation gave me tingly-ness in my hand. My situation was nowhere as severe as yours. But it wouldn’t hurt to check out your ‘posture’ as you sleep. Specifically I had to learn to let my arms be mostly straight (no bend in the elbow) to keep from re-aggravating my tissues.

#5

Ratik, I don’t know about your hand but I do wanted to say I agree with Inner Athlete’s advice for Sherrie.

I don’t have sciatic pain but I did hurt my hamstring once and I had to modify my practice for about 3 months. I hurt myself approximately 2 years ago and my leg is just now getting back to where it was before the injury. Be patient. Maybe go to the doctor for a professional diagnosis so you know what you are working with.