Sore shoulders

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

HI!

I’m new to the forum and new to yoga. I started some 6 weeks ago and due to lack of funds I try to teach myself. I usually practice everyday, 40-60 minutes. I read articles, watch various videos, trying to find poses/style that are suitable for my body and temperament.

My shoulders, especially the left one, and neck get quite sore, and often. The way I understand it is just that it is I’m not in shape and need some time to build up strenght in that region. Ive always had a lot of tension there I don’t want to strain/injure those muscles by exercising more, but at the same time I would like to keep practising every day.

Could you please recommend what I could so while the shoulders recover?

I will appreciate any advice. Like I said, Im new to yoga so not sure what else you would need to know…

#2

Ive had the same problem, it is most probably related to a weak spine in the first place. What worked for me was lots of spinal twists and asanas for strenghtenin the back and abdomen. Ask you teacher if he/she can show you. If you have done spinal twists and are familar with it , do it when you wake up and before bed time. It will take time for improvement but there will be a feeling of ease rather quick.

If you pm me i can give you some asanas that dont require 1-1 teaching.

#3

Btw which part of your shoulder is it front, backside?

And now is see you self practice i would suggest that you go to some classes so that a techer can correct you. Its hard to see your self when doing the postures.

#4

Hey, thanks for your reply.
Unfortunately I dont have money at the minute to sign up for a class…but I will as soon as its possible, but for now its just me - I guess I need to correct myself.
The pain is in the back and on top of shoulders,between shoulder blades and also in the neck, mostly on the left. I occasionaly get sore muscles in other places, but that just because im not fit and it goes away after a strech or rub.
Thanks for the tip, I will start doing twists regularly. I do try to strenghten my abdomen in general.

#5

Yoga can be expensive if done at class also some styles are not easy doing at home. The idea for you would be to take some classes and then do it at home regularely, where you live how many different styles are there to choose from?

Which city do you live in?

#6

Welcome.

It would be more helpful (for me) to know what you are currently doing and how you are doing it. I’m specifically referring to the poses you’ve elected to link together and the order in which you’ve done so.

gordon

#7

Thanks guys.
Im in Barcelona. I would love to take a class but simply cant afford it right now.
I would like to practice Hatha yoga. So, I first do breathing, then sun salutions, leg raises after that no set routine, but I try to always do a counter pose. If I get tired, I would rest in corpse pose. I also do trikonasasna, warrior, half spinal twist. I try to do pidgeon, into which I get from downward dog. I need a folded blanket for this one, as well as for the half spinal twist. I finish in the corpse pose. I am very new to this. I just try to learn step by step and not to injure myself.

#8

I’ll rephrase my question.

What is it that you are doing that you believe is taxing your shoulders and neck as mentioned in your OP? Sun salutations?

#9

Yes, I think its the sun salutations. I do them every day. I would like to do the shoulderstand, but havent in a while. I havent done anything for the last few day, as today is the first day that my shoulders are not sore.

#10

In the 17 or 18 versions of Surya Namaskar (sun salutaiton) there are poses which require you to support your body weight on the upper extremities. In the classical version Phalakasana (plank), Ashtanga Namaskar (eight point pose), Bhujangasana (Cobra), and Adho Mukha or Urdhva Muka Svanasana are included.

For a person not used to using such muscles there would be soreness from the doing for perhaps three days. Anything of a longer duration would warrant a deeper look. However this should not continue. After a few weeks there should be no more such soreness from the practice of Surya Namaskar unless one is holding the individual poses within the series for long periods of time.

If the series you are doing includes Chaturanga Dandasana AND you are doing this over and over, every day and so on…then the risk for injury to the shoulder joint is compounded significantly.

Perhaps you might shed some light on the SN in question?