Yoga Medics

I had laminectomy surgery 3 years ago. My lower back was really weak. I was experiencing frequent back spasms, sometimes tingling in my legs. Oh, and standing up straight was a challenge too. Now that I'm on summer vacation, I've been trying to come at least 2x a week. I've been practicing since September '06.
My lower back doesn't feel weak anymore. I've increased my general flexibility, and I tend to have lots of energy in the days following my practice.

I had a major auto accident in December, 2005. At that time I was diagnosed with major injuries, had limited mobility and was seen by doctors, therapists, and neurosurgeons who wanted to and swore that if I did not have back surgery, I would probably lose the ability to walk. Two well known local surgeons agreed that surgery was a must for me. I decided that I just could not do that and would have to find an alternative way to heal. I was a person who practiced yoga (even taught it for Bally's) prior to the surgery. I also did spinning, played tennis, ran, roller bladed, not to mention going to school full time, working on my Ph.D., teaching at OCC and working full time as a marketing manager. After the accident I was in incredible pain. In fact, I was bedridden for days at a time. I was on darvacet, mobic. and flexeril daily.

My decision not to get the surgery was considered somewhat courageous since I had been told that not being mobile at all (as in paralysis from the waist down could be the result if I did NOT get it). After about a year, I decided to try yoga as an alternative as I was familiar with its healing properties. I drug my stiff, inflexible body to Yoga.My mobility began to improve drastically over just a few months. I no longer had to take the same amounts of Mobic and Flexeril for pain and started gaining back the mobility that I had prior to the accident. I was in dire pain for over a year, unable to resume many activities that had been a staple of my health regiment.

About 15 years ago I had a laminectomy due to a ruptured disc in my spine. We had tried physical therapy, injections and massage for 1-1/2 years to avoid surgery to no avail. Yoga has strengthened my spine as well and I do not modify my exercise regimen nor do I think of myself as having a back problem. At the age of 65 I still work my job as a sales rep and carry samples into clients and drive long distances, both very physical. In my head, I think and feel like I am in my forties.

Yoga also has made a significant difference in the way I process stress and is a great diffuser when the daily grind heats up. All in all, yoga has given me a great sense of well being, stamina, and pure enjoyment. I especially like seeing myself progress, getting more in depth with the poses and the process. Years ago, I wondered will I still be able to be energetic and fit when I get older, and now at 60, the answer is definitely yes.

I definitely am helped by yoga. I have been practicing yoga twice a week for about ten years. I suffer from a fairly severe scoliosis and a herniated disk in the upper thoracic area. Most of my pain is in the sacrum area. Hip openers are very helpful. I am religious about attendance. I schedule everything around those two sessions a week. I will never be healed, only relieved of tightened muscles for a day or so, and additionally, it keeps me limber. I am 75 years old, but very limber and agile, especially considering the degree of curvature of the spine.

I was in an unfortunate car accident in December 2005 and spent more than a year in physical therapy. I visited a handful of doctors who focused on my cervical and lumbar spine to no avail. Then, I made an appointment with Steve Arbit, a Physiatrist and member of the Yoga Shelter family. Steve diagnosed my Thoracic Outlet Syndrome and scans of my thoracic spine revealed a compression fracture from the accident. Without the strength (and peace of mind) that I acquired through Yoga practice, my injuries and pain would have been unbearable. I'm happy to elaborate on this in more detail for YogaMedics.

One of the reasons I did yoga was because I hurt my back and being an active person it made me slow down but worked out more than my body. I wake up EVERY day with pain in my back and it's been 29 years. It feels better when I move and stretch. It changed my life and I'm even more flexible now than when I was a kid.

Seven years later, I can certainly emphasize the changes in my respiration, energy, strength, flexibility, stamina, posture, weight, and well being. When enjoying weekend activities of sports and yard work, it is very unusual for me to suffer from back pain, muscle pain, or an overexerted body. The improvements are noticeable. My awareness and focus to health are vastly improved. I look forward to the weekends to go to the morning yoga and I don't miss sleeping late.

My decision not to get the surgery was considered somewhat courageous since I had been told that not being mobile at all (as in paralysis from the waist down could be the result if I did NOT get it). After about a year, I decided to try yoga as an alternative as I was familiar with its healing properties. I drug my stiff, inflexible body to Yoga Shelter. My mobility began to improve drastically over just a few months. I no longer had to take the same amounts of Mobic and Flexeril for pain and started gaining back the mobility that I had prior to the accident. I was in dire pain for over a year, unable to resume many activities that had been a staple of my health regiment.

I started Yoga Shelter hoping that I could get just a little better. I am better and well on my way back to the life that I thought was lost. I practice anywhere from 2-3 times weekly. Lately I have fallen off and have begun to notice the pain coming back. My goal is to attend yoga at least twice a week as it has and continues to bring me comfort, rids me of pain, and give me the ability to move and live in a way that doctors assured me would be forever lost. Yes! I would love to take part in the clinically based yoga program.

I have periodic lower back pain due to degenerative discs. I started doing yoga when you opened the Yoga Shelter. Since then the muscles in my lower back have become stronger. I attribute that to doing the "slow flow" classes. I try to go to class at least four times a week when I am in town. The positions that have helped me the most are the ones that work the core muscles.
Yoga has helped me to fight the Crohn's disease I was diagnosed with in the fall. After two hospitalizations, I decided it was time to supplement standard medicine with yoga. The practice of yoga has led me down the path towards healing and freedom from pain. It has allowed me to feel that I'm fighting this disease, and I feel better than ever for it!
I started in February and at that point I think I weighted like 130?! And I'm 5'11". At that time I was in a lot of physical pain and yoga provided relief from that without pharmaceutical drugs. I noticed improvement after my first or second class.

Before practicing yoga, I had chronic back pain, disc problems, and sciatica, which at times even resulted in walking with a cane for weeks at a time. The pain could be brought on by picking up something the wrong way, or simply by having a stressful day. On bad days the pain was quite debilitating, but I was determined to avoid any surgery.
I started practicing at the yoga shelter shortly after you opened, after doing some yoga based video's at home on my own. I very quickly noticed some reduction in discomfort. After practicing for the last two years, I am now literally pain free, no sciatica, no aches, no back pain. My flexibility is better than my grandchildren's and my strength has grown considerably. I can lift things that I couldn't even consider lifting before. Yoga also has made a significant difference in the way I process stress and is a great diffuser when the daily grind heats up. All in all, yoga has given me a great sense of well being, stamina, and pure enjoyment. I especially like seeing myself progress, getting more in depth with the poses and the process. Years ago, I wondered will I still be able to be energetic and fit when I get older, and now at 60, the answer is definitely yes.

Yoga has helped my lower back pain enormously. I started practicing in January 2006.
I was a horseback rider for 12 years as a child and I was told by numerous chiropractors that this had caused damage over time. X-Rays showed that I have a compressed disc between L4 and L5, plus sciatica. Add to that enormous life stress and that accounted for what felt like unbearable pain that would never go away.
Yoga has helped to strengthen my core, calm my mind and balance my life. In fact, I can't imagine living without my practice. I absolutely love Yoga Shelter and all the teachers. I moved away just recently and miss the Shelter tremendously. Thankfully, I have found a wonderful place to practice where I now live!

All postures have helped move me through my pain. All moves that stretch out my back, neck and shoulders and strengthen my core have helped the most. Exptended Child's pose is my safest place to go when I'm feeling back pain, Scared Cat moving into arched back brings relief as does working with blocks and bolsters.
Least helpful are poses that call for me to arch my back for extended periods - up dog, cobra as well as going into swan dive when standing. Those hurt tremendously.

As mentioned, I've been practicing for about 18 months. I was going about 5 times a week and now average about twice a week. I've noticed greater flexibility in my body overall as well as the ability to handle stress much better to create balance in my life.

I'm glad to see local interest in measuring the results of yoga and back pain. I work as an ER nurse and certified Bikram yoga teacher, and it is really frustrating to see so many people seeking medicine to mask their back pain issues rather than curing it with yoga practice.

I started practicing Yoga at the Shelter 2 1 years ago and started taking classes at LifeTime Fitness about 6 months prior to that. I was in an unfortunate car accident in December 2005 and spent more than a year in physical therapy. I visited a handful of doctors who focused on my cervical and lumbar spine to no avail. Then, I made an appointment with Steve Arbit, a Physiatrist and member of the Yoga Shelter family. Steve diagnosed my Thoracic Outlet Syndrome and scans of my thoracic spine revealed a compression fracture from the accident. Without the strength (and peace of mind) that I acquired through Yoga practice, my injuries and pain would have been unbearable. Im happy to elaborate on this in more detail for YogaMedics, your clinically based yoga program.

I have arthritis, noticeable in just about every joint in my body. I am 58. I practice yoga about 1-3 times a week. I would say the yoga has a positive affect on my arthritis pain. I also have numbness in my hands and I think the downward facing dog pose helps that because it stretches out those nerves and ligaments in the wrists. Also, the downdog helps with the foot pain, stretching out the muscles and the plantar ligaments. I hope this helps.

One of the reasons I did yoga was because I hurt my back and being an active person it made me slow down but worked out more than my body. I wake up EVERY day with pain in my back and its been 29 years. It feels better when I move and stretch. It changed my life and Im even more flexible now than when I was a kid.

I have been practicing yoga for almost a month now and I love it. I have been having problems with my hips lately. I get a little freaked out by that since I am only 23. I sit in front of a computer all day long and often times do not have time for any exercise. My hips started bothering me a couple years ago. Sometimes it got so bad that it hurt to stand on one leg to put on pants. And just walking seemed like a chore. A friend taught me how to do the pigeon pose and child's pose and said it would help. And it did. I decided after a while that maybe yoga would be helpful. I was pleasantly surprised that after the first few days my hips have been pain free. I also feel stronger and have more energy. I am very surprised also that I after one week I could put my hands all the way on the floor and before I could just barely touch my toes. Yoga is awesome and I absolutely love the classes and the atmosphere.

Seven years later, I can certainly emphasize the changes in my respiration, energy, strength, flexibility, stamina, posture, weight, and well being. When enjoying weekend activities of sports and yard work, it is very unusual for me to suffer from back pain, muscle pain, or an overexerted body. The improvements are noticeable. My awareness and focus to health are vastly improved. I look forward to the weekends to go to the morning yoga and I don't miss sleeping late.

I don't how scientific this is, but I have had an intermittent sore shoulder underneath my should blade for years. Mostly this came about from playing baseball. While it never prevented me from playing other sports, I have noticed a dramatic range in motion and virtually no pain at all. This is tested each week as I have been routinely playing tennis. I have always had a strong serve, but would always need a lot of time to warm up to ensure little pain. Now, the warm up is quicker and no pain with the ability to put much more on the serve.

I began practicing yoga this past December and go typically 1-2 times per week. I thoroughly enjoy the practice as it has done a lot for me both mentally and physically.

I came into yoga with moderate/severe back pain on a pretty consistent basis. As you know, Ive been practicing for about 4 months now and do Vinyasa at least once a week and try to do a fusion or a slow flow once a week as my schedule permits. I can say without a doubt that it has increased my flexibility and helped strengthen my core without putting a major strain on my lower back. I never feel worse when I leave yoga. I actually just had a really good session with Linda K. and we did a lot of lower back work. My back has felt great over the past 24hrs since the workout.

I was a nurse so I have a unique perspective of both eastern and western medicine and I am an Esalen Certified Massage therapist. I work with people who have injuries using Strain/Counterstrain to correct injuries with 100% success. I was very disabled myself from several injuries and so I know first hand what it can be like. I am now completely recovered. I love working to assist people to wholeness again.

I don't have a back problem, but I did/do suffer from a dislocated right shoulder. Before I began my yoga practice I was dislocating it 3-4 times a year. I began yoga about six months ago at the shelter, and haven't dislocated it since (knock on wood). I know you are looking for back issues, but let me know if I can be of any help.