Hello everyone. I’m completely new when it comes to yoga, and was wondering what poses I could do to correct my kyphosis. It’s to the point where it still looks like I have a hunchback even when trying to stand as straight as possible. I’m starting to think I’ll have this forever :(. Please help me you guys.
Unfortunately most practitioners and teachers without therapeutics training simply belch out “backbends” in reply to such a question. And while that is not untrue it is not a very robust response to kyphosis.
There are several things that need to happen in the living of a student with such a temporary issue.
The first is to begin to unwind muscles that have become used to being very, very tight. I’ll call them hypertonic for lack of a better word. The second is to create space in the spine through traction, in order to facilitate rudimentary backbends. The third is a requisite shift in lifestyle and nutrition. The fourth is the inner work which I will loosely refer to as meditation, connecting to the spirit, utilizing light and color, and churning up the unprocessed for processing.
If only it were just a “pose”…
I would suggest finding a highly qualified teacher (not instructor), and making a long-term commitment to eliciting change through a robust or complete Yoga practice - if those are the tools you choose to use to support your healing.