Pain in lower right back after practice? What could be causing it?

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

I practice and teach an intense Vinyasa flow style of yoga 4 times weekly.
I am fine in class, but notice now for the last 2 weeks increasing pain in my lower right back after practice. It hurts to even move my right leg. Each time I think I know what is causing it, and avoid that pose, I still end up with the pain.
Any ideas what it could be?
I think it could be that I am compromising the sacrum joint. Not really sure.
My practice is comprised of the sun salutations and various lunge, twisting, balancing , inverted and floor postures. I thought it was pigeon lunge, but no, then perhaps the warrior poses.

Any thoughts? I know this is a broad question. I just need suggestions to allievate the pain. RIght now I can barely move my right leg at all.

Thanks.

#2

Hi Julie,

Many things can lead to lower back pain, example how was your lower back position when you are practicing ? how was your spine when you are doing asana was the alignment correct ? where are you puting your weight in poses ? and so many more techniques, the point is, especially when doing Flowing movement yoga such as vinyasa, we have to learn each of the poses that are combined in sequences of asanas,

pain means something is wrong with your body, and i think you should find what cause the problem and solve it, not only trying to alleviate it, you can put ice or even medicine to make it better, but if you do not know what cause it, than the moment you come back to Yoga so does the problem will occur, Yoga supposed to be curing, if you suffer injury when doing it, than it’s not Yoga.

#3

sounds like sciatica (sp?) to me. Maybe from a bulging disk putting pressure on the nerve.

Spinal decompression usually helps me. I am just learning yoga but I lift very heavy weights quite often and this is usually the culprit when I experience this type of pain.

#4

Lovely Central Florida, Ah, I remember it well.

First, it is very difficult to feel enough in a vinyasa practice to unearth the culprit of subtle physical maladies. Simply put, the practice is designed to occupy the mind with a certain level of stimulus, which I’ll call “moving”, for the purpose of this thread. Ergo the process of svadhyaya is significantly inhibited even for seasoned practitioners.

If the issue is the sacroiliac joint then there are several asana that would not be in the interest of a student with such an issue - not one pose. Additionally, the student’s well being is served by certain actions which take time to develop and find. However the pace of the asana practice does not facilitate the finding or engagement of these actions.

Vira I is contraindicated for SI as are certain twists especially when they are done quickly and aggressively. Certain external rotations of the femur also are ill-advised as they can jamb the sacroiliac joint. Finally, in the student that does not have the mobility in their pelvis and opening in the hamstrings to tip the pelvic girdle forward (anteriorly) forward bends are aggravating.

It is also worth noting that the area you describe could be quadratus lumborum, and not SI at all. A whole different discussion. Best to be evaluated by a sound, skilled, therapeutically trained yoga teacher. Though I am not aware of one in Tampa/Orlando area.

gordon