Q 1 - I have a student with stenosis. (I gave her Indra Devi’s diet - something you suggested when I asked about her before. Unfortunately, she hasn’t tried it.) Now her left hand often becomes numb in down dog and her neck sometimes bothers her in between classes. I recommended JFS which she knows because we have done it in class. I also tell her to ease out whenever she feels nerve twinges or numbness. This also happened in cobra, so it seems there might be some spinal compression in the upper thoracic and cervical spine. She can’t adduct her scapulae very well in spinal extension. Can you guide me? Her issues occur on her left side which is tighter and weaker than her right.
Have her emphasize pulling elbows in to her sides in cobra and using her upper arms and chest strength. That will tone the middle and lower trapezius as well as her pectorals. Don?t concern yourself with side to side differences. Mainly get her to be stronger and more decompressed as she elongates her spine. Keep her extending, that is lengthening, her neck as she does all the JFS motions. That is the major need for stenosis.
There is one other really odd thing. Her left quadriceps are very tight and limit her external rotation. This is especially apparent when the knee is bent (Supta Janu Sirsasana). Her adductors are strong; her external rotators are very strong. Hamstrings are moderately strong. Could you explain what is happening and what could be done to release the quadriceps?
Quadriceps do not do rotation so they cannot limit external rotation of the hip. It must be the adductors tightness (excessive strength, is the same) for they are hip rotators. To release the thighs and groin what is needed is lunge pose and the groin stretch with pelvic tilt variations and on the hands, Elbows, and belly that I have shown in class previously. Also the wall hang can assist in this, in fact the entire isolation exercise series, shown in chapter 17 of my book, could be given to assist her.
You might try giving this student an Alexander Technique variation on Constructive Rest (Bent-Knee Savasana) pose.
[Note: This pose is appropriate for clients with normal to extreme cervical lordosis; it is NOT indicated for those who have a very flat cervical curve.]
Have the student lie on her back, knees bent, feet placed rather wide apart (almost at edges of yoga mat). No bolster under knees – let knees fall inward toward each other (they may or may not touch), or find a position for the feet and legs w. bent knees, so that the pose becomes effortless. Feet may turn slightly outward (but not too much).
Place one or two books under the head, with the lower edge of the books at the occiput (NOT under the neck - there is no support under the neck at all here).
Place enough books (usually 1 or 2 books) under the head so that the face becomes level with the floor, and the head neither is tilting into flexion, nor bending back into extension – the neck is now neutral.
2 options for arm position: out to sides, with palms up (you can place an eye pillow under each wrist w. the palm up, to give the hand the most relaxed position possible), OR hands on the body wherever this is comfortable for the student. In this position (hands-on-body), if needed, support underside of arms with blankets to give more comfort to the shoulders and chest, and to make the posture as effort-free as possible.
Gentle Wave Breath; let client choose top-to-bottom inhalation, or bottom-to-top inhalation – whichever gives the sense of greatest spaciousness.
Stay for 10-15 minutes.
This pose provides gentle traction for the C-spine; this can alleviate some of the compression causing the neuropathy. Often, this pose can alleviate the numbness, tingling, etc. It won’t change the actual stenosis, but it can help take pressure off the C-spine, and this, in turn, can provide a more spacious pathway for the nerves as they run through the cervical spinal canal.
Blessings,
Hamsa