I’m finding that protracting the scapula and or internally rotating the GH joint is causing tenderness on the right side of the sternoclavicular joint. When I touch the SC joint, it feels as though there’s a bruise there. When I leave it for a day or so, this goes away.
The only thing I can think of is that this tenderness follows handstand practice.
I’m wondering whether tenderness in the SCJ is a classic symptom of overloading?
Grateful for any insight into this.
Thank you in advance!
Y
Just to make sure we’re all on the same page here …
You are having soreness on the right side of your chest where the clavicle (or collar bone) meets the sternum. This soreness is felt when you rotate the right arm internally (or medially) AND when you move the right shoulder blade away from the spine.
Is that correct?
Hi Inner Athlete
We are 100 percent on the same page here.
Thanks
Y
Are you palpating the area between the 1st and 2nd rib?
No - I’m palpating the clavicle - just under my chin. Should I be palpating the area between ist and second rib? I’m doing it now, and I suppose I feel a bit of muscular fatigue there. I wouldn’t have noticed unless I palpated though. I don’t notice the same fatigue on the other side.
Thanks for your time Inner Athlete.
Y
Personally Yonita, I wouldn’t get too hung up on this anatomical stuff. There are two basic things that happen with anatomy within the yoga field. The first is that we as teachers and students, don’t know or learn anything at all about the bodies in which our soul dwells. We could not tell the humerus from the femur, the biceps from the quadriceps.
The second things that happens is at the other end of the continuum; we become overly occupied with anatomy and anatomical references such that it becomes a distraction from the practice.
I don’t believe what you are outlining is a “classic symptom of overloading” in Adho Mukha Vrksasana. Further, I would be curious what overloading is? Are you carrying additional weight when you are inverted in the pose? A weight vest, ankle weights, etcetera? Are you remaining in the pose beyond your capacity? Are you losing the intention of or the integrity in the pose?
Generally these sorts of things are best ferreted out through self-exploration rather than The Anatomy of Hatha Yoga. Howeverrrrr, it’s fun and often helpful (for me in my practice) when I can use the latter to facilitate the former.
Thanks Inner Athlete.
Overloading, would be to bear a load that’s heavier than what my body can safely bear at this moment. I’m trying to work out whether the clavicle is hurting because I’m staying in the posture for too long.
Yes, we can get lost in anatomy. We can get lost without it too. A bit of anatomy certainly helps me practice safely. When I first started yoga, I went to some yoga teachers that were big on ‘surrender’ and proud of being bored by anatomy. I was a beginner and didn’t know any better. I was told to not overthink it. To ‘just do it’. I’m flexible and small. I surrendered and I’ve learned the hard way how yoga can injure as well as heal.
I don’t think I can safely assume most yoga teachers know about anatomy, or how to practice safely. I take responsibility for understanding my own body and try to learn more about anatomy myself. Along the way, I’ll encounter obstacles that I can’t figure out which is why I occasionally come to this forum for assistance.
Thanks for your time!
With gratitude
Yonita
In order …
Decrease the duration and you’ll find out.
Agreed, lost with and without. A beginner can only be a beginner and we don’t know what we don’t know.
Surrender is certainly both relevant and important. However it’s application and breadth are also important and we never toss out the baby with the bathwater. Instead we are always balancing mobility with stability, safety with effect, contraction with release. And unfortunately there is a mental and energetic surrender but due mostly to poor training this isn’t conveyed to teachers so they misinterpret surrender as flopping - which it is not.
Safely assume nothing at all about yoga teachers. Ours is an unregulated industry with no license. It is wholly up to the consumer to ferret out the quality teachers. Due to the sheer number of teacher trainings and the rampant lack of hours and integrity, good teachers are harder to find than ever before.
Inner Athlete
Thank you. Self exploration. The best method. I forgot about it.
I suppose I got worried about doing myself more injury in the course exploration so turned to anatomy to figure it out, to give me clues as to how to practice better.
But yes, in looking to anatomy I did quite forget to keep experimenting. A valuable reminder. Thank you!
With gratitude again
Yonita