Straining neck during Sun Salutation

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

Hi, I am an absolute newbie and have been trying to get into yoga for a long time now, but have been unable to get a routine and fairly succesfully do the poses. I am on medication for Generalized Anxiety disorder, and besides that I suffer from chronic constipation. I’d prefer to become suffient in yoga and substitute that for the medication.

Anyway, when I do sun salutations, my neck always strains and goes hard. Probably hold a lot of tension in that area plus my shoulders. However it means that my neck becomes tense during and after sun salutations, and this gives me tension in my head. It makes me discouraged in my practice. I have no local teacher right now who can help me in this. There is a yoga class in the local gym, and I asked the teacher, but she didn’t give me any particular advice besides saying that I probably hold a lot of tension in that area. Anyway, that class is so close to fitness yoga, which dosn’t really realise the depth of true yoga practice I think.

It’s probably mainly in step three, and step six that my neck is strained.
step three and six according to this site.

Suryanamaskar - Sun Salutation - Yoga Postures Step-By-Step

#2

Anyone please? I would be really grateful for some advice on this.

#3

Based on your link it appears you are doing the classical Surya Namaskar.

I would simply suggest NOT following the illustrations relative to tossing the head back in steps 4 (vanarasana), 7 (bhujangasana), and 9. Additionally, try a milder arch in step 2 (ardha chandrasana) and 11.

Beyond that I’d have to see you and assess you to give you a well-rounded reply for your situation.

By the by - 24 hours is not a very long period to wait for a reply. I’d advise giving the membership a bit of time to find your post and compose a thoughtful reply - especially on a weekend.

#4

Namaste Tal,

It is very difficult to say what you are doing wrong or not as we have no means to evaluate your practice apart from what you are telling us and by your description it is difficult to image the dynamics of your body that comes into play when you do the SN.

So, I’ll just draw your attention to a few contra-indications in pose 3 & 6: Pose 3 - People with back problems or who are still new and inflexible should just bend forward as far as they can or as is comfortable. Also ensure that you bend from the hips and try to keep your spine straight, focus your concentration on your bending and bend only as far as comfortable and relax the neck, just allow it to follow with the spine down. You don’t really tell, but do you suffer from any back aches or pains?

Pose 6 - It is important in this pose that the knees, chest and chin should touch the ground or mat simultaneously, if this is not possible then first lower your knees, then the chest and then the chin to the ground and then flow into the Cobra or next pose. I must say I am at lost here as to why you find this asana stressful on the neck, I have done it today many times to establish the stress point and for me it is not in the neck. Perhaps some of our other members with more experience and medical knowledge may throw some light on this.

About your constipation, if you search it on this Forum you will find very good Threads here on this topic with excellent advice.

Good luck, I am not sure if this helps, hope that some other replies will help you.

#5

Hi, I apologize for my impatience. With regards to your question about back aches, I’m very sway- and hunchback due to many years of bending forwards infront of a computer, and my stomach distention from the constipation also poorly affects my posture. I saw chiropractor twice but never got around to see him the third and final time, but due to poor finances and major depression crisis, seeing him again right now is out of the question. It was my first yoga teacher who urged me see a chiropractor, she also pointed about one of my legs was slightly longer than the other. Due to unsatisfying coping methods to my CC, anxiety and depression, I cannot unfortunately ask my family for a loan for the chiropractor since I’m already seeing a psychiatrist and a psychotherapist with unsucces results though, so seeing a chiropractor untop of it all would seem a bit excess, especially since we are all low in money at the moment. I cannot help but wonder though I just had my back and neck aligned and my digestion restored whether that wouldn’t sort out more than you could expect.

#6

Tal - when I first started my practice, and on occasion now, I have a strain in my neck in the step three that you posted.

Don’t try to touch your head to your knees.

Focus more on bending forward from the pelvis and stopping when its no longer comfortable to go further. Its not important to look like the photo.

Keep your head in line with your spine if relaxing it gives you any strain. Its o.k. if you can’t relax it all the way, for years I was unable to and had to keep it firm.

Good luck!