I am 62 and have had a long success streak with yoga helping me feel great. I am very disciplined and do yoga everyday for decades, but I believe that must be my current problem as my routine was pretty much the same everyday and very centered on hip openers. Though I have had a double herniated disc for decades and yoga has made it a non-problem. Now I have sciatica for 3 weeks with no improvement- the doctor who had been a major college sports medicine therapist for athletes told me I had especially tight IT bands which could account for my pain. In the exercises that you can pull up for IT and yoga - I do everyday, like pigeon. Suggestions to loosen up my tight IT ? I am doing the few the doctor gave me , on my second day… sure hurts, Thanks
Well that M.D. feedback I’m going to question. Why? Because 4 weeks ago you had the same tight IT band and no sciatica. What, pray tell, is the western medical model’s explanation? One day these tight IT bands simply caught up to you? Makes little to no sense.
If you have time, and a mind to, take a gander at the book on back pain written by Dr. John Sarno. It’s an eye opener.
That having been said, the IT Band is a hip stabilizer. Unfortunately most “fitness” professionals either don’t know this or don’t appear to care. However, the muscle CAN need opening. Point? Do so carefully, in brief action, lasting three breaths. Either way, I highly doubt the IT band is the instigator in the sciatic pain.
As for sciatic pain itself there are two kinds - one originates in the spine where the sciatic nerve passes through L4-L5. The other comes from issues with the piriformis muscle as the sciatic nerve passes by (or in a small percentage of the population through) it.
If it’s the latter Tony, see if some daily work in what some call half pigeon, reclining pigeon, or thread the needle will work for you. As you do it pull one leg toward you while gently pushing the opposite knee away. I’m sure you can find something on the net as to the hows though I cannot speak for the veracity of said data.
If it’s the other, it is more complex and requires a different approach.
gordon
Thanks Gordon, I think they are wrong too-I will see a PT today and probably get x-rays soon. I have had a double-herniated disk L 3-4-5 for many years that yoga keeps away- with among other poses pigeon and thread the needle. I don’t think it is a tight IT either unless there is a imbalance between the IT and the inner thigh ( It’s opposing muscle ? )abduction vs. adduction- I do a lot of hip openers. He was a sports medicine guy for Duke university athletes and immediately upon feeling the IT said it was way too tight. I am thinking it might be an effect rather than a cause of my problem. I’ll keep you posted and again Thanks - you are an extremely dependable and valuable source of info- Namaste
I spent some time in the Duke fold and while I have a real affinity for Coach K and the program he’s put together I didn’t find their support staff to be particularly receptive. Actually initiated a conversation about some training there. Sadly their stature seems to have placed them in a position where they think they know everything already.
Herniations should heal, go back from whence they came. They should not remain over time. Have you had this re-examined to determine the current nature of the dura mater or are you simply presuming? The discs should absolutely go back and the yoga therapy protocol (IMHO) mandates traction of the spine.
I would also add that there is a distinction, not often drawn in the yoga world, between that which opens the hip and that which requires hip opening. For example Eka Pada Rajakapotasana requires opening while supta padangusthasana provides it (without requiring it).
Do look into it further.
gordon
I had an x-ray today and a nurse relayed just the name and not any depth to what they found , which was multi-level degenerative disc disease; how much I don’t know yet but googling I found it can account for the sciatic-type pains and that it happens to some degree to most above 60 and it can be bad or not so bad, it can be painful and the pain over time can lessen and not be bad. It’s name is a misnomer as it’s as degenerative as life in general is and it’s not a disease. I will get more info. The bad part now is that the first ways to cope non-invasively, I’ve been doing most of my life with my yoga life style, stretching strengthening good posture. My wife is more worried than I am. I know I will adapt because that is mental yoga.
Yes, a fine example of how labeling in the western medical model does not foster health, well being, or positive thoughts. Thank you for being so thorough with this post, Tony.
Please PM me and I’ll provide some suggestions, if you are of a mind to receive them AND act on them.
DDD in my case , after seeing the actual xray evaluation was mild spondylosis which almost everybody has at my age and my back feels as good as ever. I believe it must be a muscle tear from attempting to over-stretch my foot behind my neck and that is about all that currently hurts. I will just wait on it to give less pain and if it doesn’t I’ll go to a orthopedic dr to clean it up. Thanks Gordon. I would love to take some classes with you and a few other yogis. as my own private efforts are starting to seem inadequate and wrong headed lately. I will retire at the end of this year and hopefully go to some classes and retreats. In my geographic area of North Carolina. I am happy to have you here to question. Namaste
I’d suggest a visit to Clayton.
I am getting a cortisone shot on Monday but I am now believing that after many years concentrating on opening up the hips , I have stretched some ligaments thin and at 62 it is causing me this pain. I read an article that says this happens a lot in older yogis. I will quit doing extreme stretches like hanumasana ( sic ) and see what I can do to shorten and strengthen them, if it is possible. I have hopes that a good chiropractor , maybe with that electric deep tissue stimulation may help or maybe he knows something. Obviously , I have not been doing my yoga correctly if this is what has happened to my ligaments. I didn’t get an mri because it would cost me about 700. Your thoughts would be appreciated Gordon
I have done some yin style yoga for a good while now
My thoughts are that lying around in passive poses without any alignment is not in the best interest of tendons and ligaments.
I do believe I had some alignment and I did try and keep a dynamic blend of active and passive. The question I am looking for answers to is what do I do now. I realize my mistake, I believe, which apparently happens to enough older yogis as to merit an article about it ie that I extended too far too long and thinned the ligaments connecting to my hips . Besides bending my knees in forward bends and down dogs , is there anything you’d suggest that would correct what has already happened ? Looking forward to what I can do ? I acknowledge that I overdid my past practice but I need to know how to shorten and strengthen the ligaments to the hip. I have pain hear my cry for help.
Roger that, Tony.
So to recap, this thread began as an IT Band inquiry. In that process you made an assertion that your hip opening practice has resulted in connective tissue laxity in the hip joint.
So for me, as a responsible yoga therapist, I require assessment (by me) in order to determine a protocol for well being. Since that is unlikely, I would at very least like to know what regimen you were doing in terms of hip opening and how, over what duration, and what you’re using to draw the conclusion that you have laxity in the hip joint?
The x- Ray showed nothing wrong with my back and I’ve had no other diagnostic other than weakness and pain especially as I lift the left leg backwards as in locust and standing on my head hurts the insertion of the left leg in the hip, most likely the doctor said in the trochanter . Standing for more than a minute hurt as does walking for a while. I think it is a thinned ligament from many years of doing deep forward bends and splits. I am almost 63 and about the same time this happened I had been putting my foot behind my head, which I am not accustomed to. The doctor did not think I tore anything as he said I would have heard a pop and seen a bruise, which I didn’t .the pain hasn’t let up for about 2 months and it has been48 hours since my shot. I am going to see a chiropractor tomorrow to see if that has anything to offer in remedial ligament thickening/ strengthening
I am in Winston-Salem,NC Will go to a physical Wednesday and talk about prolotherapy. I am about half better after my shot and 3 visits to a chiropractor.
My pain is getting better but is still there. It hurts worst in a headstand right at the left butt . It hurts in the morning but gets better during the day. I certainly can stand about as long as I used to before this though I can tell the leg is weakened. When I go up steps or carry something heavy it is obvious that it is still weak. The doctor says he’s confident that it will heal but it will take time. I miss my regular routine but I guess I will just have to practice patience. Thanks for the listen, Gordon
I got the definitive X-ray yesterday. My L-3 is narrow and probably squeezing tissue causing the hip pain. The good news is herniated disks can naturally heal- apparently my L-4 to L-5 healed- I had a double now it is just a single herniated disk. I think I also read some time ago that herniated disks can go through stages and eventually when all the tissue is gone- there is less mobility but also less pain. I am taking aleve for now- which I hate to take anything but I paid $50 for a specialist - I am going to listen to him- then I am going to therapists and hopefully they will take the new info and show me how I can live happily with this. I am almost retired and I will be off my feet so much.