Shoulder and Neck Stiffness and Surya Namaskara

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

Hello.

You all know how beneficial Surya Namaskara is, but I have been having trouble to decide whether to continue or not this.

I have been facing Shoulder Impingement[Right Hand Upper Shoulder area] and Neck Stiffness, some say that Surya Namaskara should not be performed but while some say just continue it would control every thing.

Frankly to speak, I am continuing practice some times I feel very much happy some times I get trouble. I have been trying to search for this on internet but could not get the real time answer.

Anyone has guidance on this?

#2

The answer isn’t whether you should or shouldn’t do Surya Namaskara, it’s [I]how[/I] you do it… it’s whether you can move through the flow in a way that maintains the alignment through the back, shoulders and neck.

There are too many areas to discuss, but since you are feeling impingement around the shoulders and neck, it would make sense to simply make sure that you don’t raise the shoulders up to the ears when you raise the arms, that you keep the head over the shoulders when you’re in a lunge, and ensure that your alignment in downward dog is correct.

Do you feel like you can identify what good alignment feels like, and what you could be doing to aggravate the discomfort that you’re feeling?

#3

Thanks for your reply.

I could not however able to make out the alignment feeling, but what I follow is with slow phase and I do practice every step and I don’t really feel discomfort. The only thing what I feel is that when I release my right leg down in 3rd step and try to pull my head I feel struck.

But when I do the same thing from left leg, I don’t feel and my head easily moves up. When I do it from the right leg, I do not force it much and raise my head as much as I could. I hope you could understand what I wrote here.

Other than this, I do no feel any discomfort feeling while doing the same.

#4

From the sounds of it, you may be raising your head too much. Try doing it without raising your head, but rather stay looking forward, and notice if the feeling goes away.

#5

Hi,
Surya Namaskara consists of twelve asanas which should be performed in a series. All these asanas should be done with perfection or if you are a beginner then you must do it in front of trainer otherwise you will suffer from its bad consequences.

Therefore I will suggest you to first get trained and then continue doing surya namaskara.

Thank you.

#6

Great advice from all above. In addition, I’d like to add a few comments.

As someone who had rotator cuff surgery last year, I know all too well what you are describing. First, a suggestion would be to see your Doctor. RTC issues should not be taken lightly. And if you have a tear (like I did) constantly bringing your arms overhead only makes it worse. Other things should be ruled out. Second, the best pose to stay in and work on is Adho Mukha Svanasana (Down Dog). Every single one of my rehab exercises contributed to my recovery, but Down Dog helped the most. Something for you to test on your own or with a teacher: In down dog, where are your shoulder creases? Are your elbows bent out to the side? For many students with tight shoulders they tend toward internal rotation instead of external with their shoulders. This will show with the elbow points sticking out to the side. Usually this is due to weakness in 2 of the rotator cuff muscles the Teres Minor and Infraspinatus. They both control external rotation and help to protect the shoulder joint when you bring your arms overhead. Down dog strengthens these two RTC muscles. So, in down dog some things to think about. Where is the weight on your hands? If the weight is more toward the thumbs, you are inclined to internal rotation. If it is more toward the pinky, it’s external. What you want is balance. To get this, as you come into down dog, you’ll want your elbow creases facing your hands (really the thumb). Play around with internal and external rotation in down dog to get a good feel and to see where your creases are aligned. Once you get that, press a bit more firmly into the thumb and index finger. This will bring and keep you into external rotation.

And while you work on Down Dog, don’t bring your arms overhead. You can bring them out in front, in line with your shoulders, but not over your head.

Just some more things to consider! Let us know how you do!

#7

Shoulder impingement goes away just as mysteriously as it appears - often without a trauma or impact.

In the practice of asana we are constantly confronted with the choice of should I do more or less, should I press harder or ease up, should I invert or not, should I twist or not… And this is one of the fundamentals developed in the human being through the process of self-awareness and getting to know you. So it is a profound opportunity to delve into that very process and explore what is right for you at this time with this issue.

I personally would steer clear of or modify postures which require weight bearing on the arms when there’s a shoulder impingement. It just has not felt that kind a way of behaving toward myself in light of what’s begging to be examined. So I don’t ramrod into it and laud the benefits of what I’m doing in order to justify the doing.

If one wants to continue with this thing or that (Surya Namaskar in this case) then one does so with an awareness of the consequences such that they can smile and find joy in those consequences when they arrive.

Gordon