Tension Tamers – Shoulder Solutions

As with all yoga, you should not feel pain.  If you are experiencing pain, back off from the asana.  Only go deep enough that you feel the stretch.

Shoulder Circles

• Begin with your arms at your sides or your elbows bent
• Bring your shoulders forward then, up, back and down
• Moving in a counter clockwise direction
• Breath
• Repeat 3-5 times
• Switch circles to a Clockwise rotation
• Repeat 3-5 times

Shoulder Shrugs

• Begin with your arms at your sides
• Inhale, tense your muscles – curl your fingers into tight fists, bend your elbows and squeeze your shoulders up to your ears
• Exhale, relax and release your shoulders, hands and body
• Repeat 3-5 times

Shoulder Blade Pull Backs:

• Begin In Mountain Pose, arms at your sides
• Inhale, bring your shoulders to your ears
• Squeeze shoulder blades together (while holding your breath)
• Exhale, relax and release shoulders
• Repeat 3-5 times

Bird Wings

• Come to a low kneel
• Arms at your sides, fingers touching the floor
• Inhale, bend your elbows (arms at a 90 degree angle to the floor)
• Exhale, squeeze your shoulder blades together
• Inhale
• Exhale and release
• Repeat 3-5 times

Arm Swings

• Begin in Tadasana, arms at your sides
• Swing your right arm in an arc in front of you, into the air
• Bend your elbow and pat your self gently on your back
• Return your arm to your side
• Repeat 10-12 times
• Repeat with your left arm

Cow Face Arms

• Inhale, raise your right arm into the air (forearm next to your ear)
• Exhale, Bend you elbow and bring your hand to your back
• Bring your Left arm behind your back
• Bend your elbow (left hand up)
• Clasp fingers-Bind (if you are unable to bind, use a strap:  hold the strap in your right hand. The strap dangles down your back.  Grasp the strap with your left hand)
• Straighten your spin, right elbow pointing up
• Hold for several breaths
• Switch sides

Eagle Arms

• Bring your arms to shoulder height
• Wrap your right arm under your left arm, elbows bent
• Try to bring the palms of your hands together
• Inhale, lift your arms
• Exhale and lower
• Repeat several times
• Repeat on opposite side with Left arm Under Right arm.

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Pain as a badge of honor … Life lesson learned today

Since January, I’ve had a lot of back pain.  I slipped a disc and I am still not totally feeling better.  This pain has become a part of my daily life and has really hindered my lifestyle.

My Mother and Grandmother both have back pain.  Interestingly, both were recently told by two different doctors that they each have one leg that is longer (or shorter) than the other.  The damage can’t be reversed, but by simply adding a lift to one shoe, the pain will be lessened and the damage won’t increase.  My mother, excited by the news and ready for some relief, added the lift.  My grandmother thought it was too much trouble.

I had a doctor appointment today.  I relayed the above story to my Doctor and asked her if she could tell if my legs are the same length.  She had me walk, sit, lay down and generally compared my legs.  I told her I couldn’t believe my grandmother, suffering all this time when there is an easy way to feel better.

Test to see if your legs are uneven Here.

It turns out, my legs are about even.  That is not my issue.

She then said I should have a foot scan to determine if I need orthotics.  She said, if i needed them and got them they would really help.  I told her that I had the scan (as did my husband) in the beginning of the summer.

Bob’s scan was (mostly) fine.  No special orthopedics recommended at this time, but my scan showed a big discrepancy in how I stand on my feet.  My stance makes my hips lopsided and with every step I ma getting more and more out of alignment.    This has a huge impact on my hips and back causing pain

The foot scan doctor went over all the options for custom orthotics.

I didn’t want the cheapest junky pair, and I don’t do leather, so that left me with one option.  They cost about $300 and are totally customize to help with my specific stance.  I didn’t order them at the time.

My Doctor looked at my like I was crazy!  She said, ‘um, what did you just tell me about your grandmother?  You were upset that there is something that can help and it’s as easy as sticking something in her shoe and instead of doing that she walks around in constant pain???  WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING????’

She was right.  I am the same.  I used the cost as my excuse to not order the inserts…

$300 seems like so much money.  Since my back issue started, I get regular adjustments from the chiropractor and I have regular physical therapy  appointments to keep the pain bearable.  Insurance hasn’t covered these visits since about Feburuary. the appointments cost $70 bucks, and I have been paying this out of pocket regularly for 8 months to make the pain tolerable.  The inserts could potentially resolve the issue.

UGH.  Do I want the pain?  Do I think it makes me better than people that seem to walk around pain free?

Lesson (if not learned) at least accepted in this instance-I ordered the orthopedics.

I hope they help the pain and I hope I can what?????

Learn to accept help? Realize I don’t need to be in pain? That carrying around an unnecessary burdon makes me: stupid. Not strong. Not better.

• What are you carrying around that you can set down?
• What do you have that someone else can help with?

It is ok to be happy.  It is ok to ask for and take help.

If you can relieve your pain be it mental or physical, let it go.

Let Go.
Let Go.
Let Go.

I am crying as I write this.  Realization can be painful.  It is hard for me to admit that i am doing the same things as my grandmother.

Try this simple little meditation:

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Hip Help with Pigeon Poses

Seated Centering

Torso/Hip rolls, press down on knees to anchor sitz bones (each direction)

Rainbow Side Stretch (each side)

Seated Eye of the Needle :  toe stretch and ankle rolls>
Lower legs to > Half Lord of the Fishes Twist (each side)

Table, wag tail, and allow hips to lower towards the floor

Down Dog
Left foot back, drop back knee, hip flexor stretch
Modified lunge, inner thigh stretch (each side)

Rag Doll, roll to mountain

Recenter

Pigeon Flow
*Beginning of sun salutation A to Down Dog…
Down Dog, RIGHT Leg up > 3 leg Down Dog (7 breaths)
Dog at a hydrant  (3 breaths)
Right knee to Half Pigeon  (7 breaths)
Pigeon Cobra  (3 breaths)
Sleeping Pigeon  (7 breaths)
Twisted Pigeon  (3 breaths)
Hands to floor for half pigeon, curl Left toes under and step back to
Down Dog (3-5 breaths)
Step Right foot forward, then left
Lookup with a flat back
Fold Forward
Roll up to Mountain
Repeat from * with LEFT leg up in 3 legged Down Dog

Fig. four balance (forward fold)

Portrait pose legs  :  twist to each side & back bend (each side)

Cobblers Pose  :  Balance

Seated Straddle, Right knee bent, side stretch, backbend
repeat with left knee bent

Forward fold

Roll back to mat

Bridge :
*Eye of needle variation with Right leg up, lower hips
Cross leg twist
Reclining tree
Repeat from *

Full Bridge or wheel

Happy Baby

Inversion of choice

Savasana

More Poses for Hips, Click Here

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Yoga for the Hips and Hams

Savasana for Centering

Neck Rolls

Active Bridge Pose

Knees to Chest

Eye of the Needle Pose & Twist (Both Legs)

Knees to Chest

Spinal Rolls

Table

Down Dog

3 Leg Down Dog & Hip Opener (Both Sides)

Mountain – Recenter

FLOW:

*Sun Salutation A to Down Dog

Right Foot Forward…

Warrior 1

Lunge (one hand on each side of right foot)

Lift Right Arm into a Twist to the right (Remain up on toes)

Hands to floor, Drop Left Knee & Toes to floor

Modified Crescent Lunge (Keep hips sinking forward)

Bring hands to the floor on the inside of the right foot

Allow your right knee to the move out to the side, rolling onto the outside of the right foot-look up

Bring right knee back to center

Bring one hand to each side of the right foot (Modified Lunge)

Begin to shift Hips back, straightening the right leg

Lower hips to floor

Half Hero-Forward fold

Inhale-look up

Right Knee to HalfPigeon

Sleeping Pigeon

Come back to Half Pigeon

3 leg Down Dog

Dog at a Hydrant- look up

Down Dog

Feet to hands

Look Up

Standing Forward Fold

Inhale arms up

Mountain Pose

Repeat from * with Left leg forward.

Dancers Pose to

Figure Four Balance (Both Sides)

Come down into a Squat

Cobblers Pose

Rainbow Side Stretch

Cobblers Forward Fold

Seated Straddle

Forward Fold

Cobbler’s Pose

Cobbler’s Balance

Release Legs, windshield wipers

Hero

Reclined Hero

Hero Forward Fold

Release Legs, windshield wipers

Seated Forward Fold

Fish Pose

Lay Back

Happy Baby

Knees to chest

Twist (both Sides)

Savasana

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