Shoulder subluxation

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

Hi Mukunda,

I have a shoulder problem I wouldn’t mind some advice on:

my shoulders are my weakest point. They are very stiff, and the muscles are also always tight. They relax after a massage but only for a few hours. I dislocated my right shoulder, so i stopped practicing yoga for a bit and then started again but very gently. It has now healed and I have found it to be a lot better generally. Now the other shoulder has done the same thing, I have a subluxation. It is much more painful this time, and hurts to take off a t-shirt for example. I have rested it and got to the point where I can do gentle things with it, but as soon as I think it’s ok, it happens again.

Conventional medicine hasn’t been able to do anything for me, and my osteopath has also tried in vain. I don’t know what else to try. Clearly it needs to get stronger, but how can I work on that when it keeps reverting to being really painful again.

I practice ashtanga and I’ve cut out anything that puts pressure on the shoulders. This means it doesn’t get worse, but it doesn’t get better either.

Thank you,

Marie-Claire

#2

The optimal muscles to tone are the muscles below the shoulder joint. This is a general treatment procedure for all pain that i find is the best way to direct your efforts. That is tone below the pain, not at it and not above it. So in other words do not stress the joint. In fact no joint should ever feel the work of yoga practices or any other exercise for that matter. Nor should you feel exertions in the muscles above the shoulders - deltoids, trapezius. So direct toneing to the latisssimus, pectorals, and middle and lower trapezius.

 Unfortunately it is sad to say that shoulder injury is common in asthanga yoga practices.  i would therefore recommend you stop this type of yoga and get one on one instruction with a trained yoga therapist who can work as above.  also prctice a milder style of yoga one that is sattvic yet clarifying to your mind; one that follows Patanjali's guidelines from the Yoga Sutras.  The key is to not cause pain to yourself or others (see yoga Sutras on ahimsa II, 34-36).  if yoga does not follow this experience how can it be called yoga (harmony?)  namaste mukunda