Sciatica & Herniated Disc

Yoga Discussion Structural Yoga Therapy
#1

I had a herniated disc seven months ago. I went to physical therapy for a few months. The pain didn’t go away as time went on, so due to my anxiety, I would never sit. I’d just sit stand all day or lay down. I haven’t even bent my back. So I’ve been standing for three months or so now.

The pain in my leg is gone unless I jump around. It will come back for a short amount of time, but then go away. According to my doctor, my disc should be healed. For the first time, I’ve been sitting down. I tried to sit on the floor today, my lower legs began to hurt. I don’t know what to do.

What do you recommend? Lee

#2

First of all I would recommend you look at my Q & A website www.yogaforums.com for more advice that was given previously. You can search there for herniated disc and also for sciatica symptoms. The main recommendation is to hydrate. As the disc is made of 80% water one with this condition is often chronically dehydrated. Just filling up your tank regularly, 1-2 quarts per day minimum only water, can make a huge difference. In addition there are mild backbending poses like cobra and locust using only your hip muscles not arms while doing them that can help send nutrients to the disc. Individually tailored Structural Yoga Therapy can help too if you are near me or any of my graduates. namaste Mukunda

#3

I have another question. I’m confused totally now. Everybody tells me different things. Is it ok to bend your back forward? Some tell me it’s ok to do that, and some tell me don’t ever do that at all. My leg pain has been gone. I did a short bend, and now my foot is hurting again slightly. I’m not sure if that’s cause of my disc or cause my back muscles have been injured.

Lee

#4

The general teachings in therapeutic yoga is to extend the spine before and during asana. That means in locust to move the legs away from the pelvis; in cobra to pull the rib cage away from pelvis. In both instances one is decompressing the lumbar spine and hopefully taking pressure off the nerve roots. Those with herniated disc and sciatic symptoms are encouraged not to bend forwards in general.

      Thee are rare instances where forward bend is theerapeutic but to determine who is a candidate a personalized assessment of their range of motion and muscle strength will reveal what is beneficial and what is contraindicated.   My experience is that those who recommend forward bending have not had the symptoms themselves and usually are told what to do from a misinformed teacher who they have faith in.  Most yoga teachers do not understand anatomy and beyond that is required kinesiology in order to give personal Yoga Therapy.  They are not taught theraputics in teacher training only what is recommended if you suffer from specific conditions.  This type of instruction is only generalized not therapeutic which must be adapted to the individual's uniqueness.

    I would suggest to you that having done a short forward bend, the reason you are in pain is because all forward bends are contraindicated for you.  You are too acute to be doing yoga classes but need personalized attention from someone who is more educated in Yoga Therapeutics.  namaste mukunda
#5

It is confusing agreed. Because the internal and external obliques mostly to lateral spinal flexion and rotation - side bending and twisting. But the abdominis rectus does trunk flexion - forward bending. While the former muscles assist in that action. Navasana firms the whole area but is not a motion of the trunk as in flexion. Navasana is the same as Dandasana the body remains at a right angle. Therefore it is considered as an isometric contraction - one that does not create joint motion.

The varying opinions as to which asana are helpful and which are not depend on where the hernia is.  Most commonly hernias are to the tissues attaching to the inguinal ligament that is from the pubic bone to the iliac crest lateral from the genitals.  They can also be higher or lower than the inguinal ligament thus in the belly of the abdominal muscles or in the adductors, groin muscles.  Yoga asana is not very precise at placing attention to such specifics so what are recommended are according to the teachers experience with students.  In my experience one really needs to see the student to evaluate where is the rupture, what is tight and what is weak, what motions cause distress.  Then we have enough information that yoga therapeutics may be given with more benefit than confusion.  

So look at a good anatomy book one that shows origin and insertion of muscles then you can feel in your own body how the muscle contracts.  All strength of muscles comes from origin moving toward insertion, and also not as common in reverse order, that is vice versa.  When you understand functional anatomy in this way then you can be much more specific than I can be without seeing you.  I have several such books on my recommended reading list on my website.  A new one I prefer for my Structural Yoga Therapy trainings is Concise Book of Muscles by Chris Jarmey, published in UK by Lotus Publishing or in US by North Atlantic Books.  Namaste  Mukunda