Yoga Therapy and Private Instruction

Yoga Discussion General Yoga
#1

My main yoga teacher also has a degree in yoga therapy.

I had had some problems with planter fasciitis (I never can remember how to spell it and didn’t know the word until recelntly–just that my foot hurt like %$@*! most of the time).

For a couple of years the pain in my foot would come and go, and often I would feel pain every time I took a step, and was considering buying special shoes and/or finding a doctor who could help.

But when I shared the problem with my new (at the time) yoga teacher, she said I should consider doing a private class with her and she would give me exercises that would help.

I was skeptical and didn’t want to spend the extra money, but did it anyway. She gave me several exercises to do that started to work right away, and now three months later, I’m 99% pain free in my foot, though I have to make sure I continue doing the exercises, which don’t take that much time–a few minutes at a time two or three times a day.

So I’m very much sold on yoga therapy and private lessons.

In subsequent lessons she helped me with my posture, how to walk properly (I had been locking my knees unknowingly), how to do headstands and other postures better, how to work on my abdominals, which because of some weakness were throwing some of my poses out of kilter.

Though I have learned much from regular classes, I see a tremendous value in one-on-one instruction, and I have found it to be well worth the time and expense.

#2

If you don’t mind sharing, could you post some of the exercises she did with you? I’m always looking to learn new ways to help my students. Thank you!

Private lessons are wonderful and so beneficial to yogini’s. I love doing private lessons. There is just something about the one on one that works so well and I enjoy so much! I’m glad you took advantage of the opportunity and that you are now almost pain free! And there way much rejoicing!

I’m sure Gordon will comment also as he is a yoga therapist and as you can tell, very knowledgeable. He’ll be very happy!

#3

The exercises for my feet were:

  1. dangle my leg freely and rotate my foot from the ankle, and instead of doing just circles, try to slowly draw the alphabet one letter at a time with my little toe.

  2. scrunch a towel with my toes (which I ususally do without a towel)

These two seem to do the most for me, but she also wanted me to roll a tennis ball on the soles of my feet too, which I often neglect.

  1. I should do this more often, and forget to do it as much as I should–she had me do what she calls a “moon walk,” which is walking very very slowly with knees somewhat bent, going from one foot to the next almost as if each step is a balance pose. I know this is effective and I can really feel it working.

And even though it was primarily one foot giving me the problems, I do the exercises on both feet.

Anyway, it’s like a miracle to be able to walk pain-free.

As far as headstands go, I have an issue with my ribs wanting to pop out doing headstands and many other poses, and she’s working with me on that and has given me some good abdominal exercises. She had me do my headstands against a wall so I could bend my knees and press my feet against the wall, so I could align my back properly and work the abdominals, and that has helped a lot, and I can now do a good properly aligned headstand, though after about three minutes I feel my back wanting to curve in, so I do need some more work with my core, but I’ve made a lot of progress.

#4

Thank you Thomas for sharing these!

And way to go with the headstand!

#5

[QUOTE=lotusgirl;39249]Thank you Thomas for sharing these!

And way to go with the headstand![/QUOTE]

You’re welcome.

Do you have any pointers for doing HANDstands?

#6

Sorry Thomas Handstand is a pose not for me! I have a fear of becoming unsteady and falling backwards and with 2 herniated discs, and the amount of pain I HAD, I honor my body and don’t attempt it. Wheel is not a problem as I am more grounded.

I’m sure someone will give you some pointers though. How’s your upper body strength? Do you fear the pose? Some things to ponder in the meantime.

#7

I don’t fear the pose but do fear falling over.

I’ve fallen over lots of times doing headstands, though, and no longer fear falling because I know I can handle it.

But a handstand is different. What is most fearful to me is that my arms would collapse and I would land on my head–or that I would fall and land too hard. I probably should work with a couple of spotters to get the feel of “cartwheeling out of it.”

But overall, my desire to do a handstand outweighs any fears. I have the strengh to support myself. I can kick up into a handstand against a wall, or go into a hallway and walk up one side and then kick over. Sometimes I can push away and balance for a few seconds.

I have the strength to hold it, but not very long, so as much as I would like practice doing handstands for a long continuous period of time, I am soon pooped out.

#8

For weeks I had been pain free in my foot thanks to the exercises my yoga therapist gave me.

However, yesterday the pain came back.

I am wondering why this would be. I have been doing my exercises without fail.

The only thing different is that I have been on the road driving for two days, and the troublesome left foot just sits there for hours. Could that cause some kind of aggrivation?

#9

yes

#10

[QUOTE=thomas;39505]The only thing different is that I have been on the road driving for two days, and the troublesome left foot just sits there for hours. Could that cause some kind of aggrivation?[/QUOTE]

I’m surprised it’s just your foot! My whole body is cranky on road trips. If you’re going to continue to travel for any more days, make it a point to keep your left foot moving a little if you can. Flexing and extending the ankle every once in a while, or stopping frequently and going for short walks will make a big difference to your body.

#11

Hi Thomas,

Where did the [U]therapy[/U] part of your Yoga Therapy come in? It sounds like you just received 1-2-1 yoga?

Also, do they now do degrees in Yoga Therapy, or do you mean she has a degree in Psychology?

#12

Omamana Thomas’s teacher applied physical practices (informed by her knowledge of yoga) -->therapeutically <-- to prevent, reduce, or alleviate a structural or physiological limitation. - sounds like yoga therapy to me.

#13

Thomas, did your teacher give you stretching exercises as well? such as flexing the foot to stretch back of legs etc? or bending toes back to stretch feet? This is generally what the Doctors give and i’m curious to see if there was an overlap. Thankyou for sharing

#14

I had read about flexing and was doing that on my own before I saw her, but she did not say anything about doing that.

What she gave me to do worked great.

Also, while on my long trip, I found that if I removed my shoes while driving and kept moving my feet and scrunching them from time to time, it worked to get rid of the pain and prevent it from coming back.