Which asana can injure this woman in your yoga class?
Let’s say this woman finishes her day of work and hurries to your yoga class. Which asana would probably be unsafe for her to do? And why?
Well, of course we cannot tell only from a photo, but due to her work in front of a computer which she extends her chin towards, we can guess that this woman’s front and back neck muscles are imbalanced. Due to that, she might be suffering from a common condition in modern societies: a postural imbalance called “Forward-Head Posture”.
Forward-Head Posture is a postural imbalance that consists of the head leaning forward in this way:
It is very common nowadays in modern societies, because of the excessive use of cellular phones and computers.
When we work in front of the computer, or look down into our phones, we extend the upper neck and contract its muscles.
The Problem
A physiological principle says that when one muscle is contracting, the opposite muscle is relaxing. So, the frequent contracting of the muscles of the back of the neck cause weakness of the muscles of the front of the neck (the longus colli muscles). As time goes by, this becomes a fixed posture, and the vertebrae of the upper neck (C1, C2) get compressed. This also affects the shoulders and the upper back: the chest muscles (pectoralis minor and major) becomes tight, rounding the shoulders and making the thoracic area of the back weak.
So, yoga is perfect for that! Right?
Well… Yes… and no. Yoga can be helpful for people with Forward Head Posture, if you know how to practice in a safe way. But it can also be harmful.
The asanas which can lead to injuries are mostly those that put pressure on the neck, like headstand.
In headstand, if the muscles of the thoracic area aren’t strong enough to carry the weight of the body, the weight shifts onto the vertebrae of the neck. As said before, in Forward-Head Posture vertebrae C1 and C2 are already compressed, and in headstand, they carry even more pressure! The muscles of the neck often contract, trying to balance the body and compensate for the postural imbalance. All this can cause neck pain, due to severely contacted muscles or to injured vertebrae.
What can you, as a yoga teacher, do?
First, if you notice your students suffer from Forward Head Posture, or if you know that they work with computers all day, DON’T ADVICE THEM TO DO HEADSTAND.
"Not even with props?" Props can help put less pressure on the neck, but that does not help your students change their muscular imbalance. It’s like giving a pill to relieve chronic pain – it can help the symptom, but not solve the cause.
You, as a yoga teacher, can do much better than that!
Instead of pushing your students into an asana that can cause them pain or even harm, give them the gift of honoring their bodily restrictions and working to fix their true problem!
How can I do that?
There are many ways to work towards balancing postural imbalances. I divide them into four:
Developing awareness and deepening it
Strengthening muscles that are weakened due to the imbalance
Stretching and releasing muscles that are tight due to the imbalance
Developing healthier life habits
ONE - Developing awareness and deepening it
Many people that have Forward Head Posture don’t even know they have it. You, as a yoga teacher, can help turn their attention to the way they hold their head, and with that you can help them - literally - change their lives. If you offer them to stop at certain designated times (say, every hour) and check, how they are holding their head – their awareness of their posture will increase, and moreover, their connection with their body will deepen.
TWO - Strengthening muscles that are weakened due to the imbalance
A)) Strengthening the deep flexor muscles of the neck (Longus colli muscle)
Lie on the floor, tuck in your chin and elongate the back of the neck, looking down towards your feet. Raise your head from the floor ever so slightly, hold for a few seconds, and lean your head back down. Repeat this for a few times, resting as much as you need in between. As you practice this more, try to lift your head for longer periods of time.
B)) Strengthening the rhomboid muscles
Lie face down and lay your arms out to your sides, parallel to your body. Your palms can face the sky. Squeeze your shoulders blades together, lifting your arms 10-15 cm from the floor.
THREE - Stretching and releasing muscles that are tight due to the imbalance
A)) Stretch the pectoralis muscles A good asana for that is Purvottanasana (upward-facing plank):
B)) Release the tension in sub occipital muscles
Lay down on your back and place a lacrosse ball (or any other hard-surface ball) under the area that connects your skull and your neck. Let your head rest, allowing it to sink downwards onto the ball. This can be a bit painful, so take it easy. Breath and relax.
FOUR - Developing healthier life habits
This, of course, is a key ingredient in any change you wish to make consistent...
Try to make your environment supportive of a healthier posture. If you work with a screen, make sure it is set in front of you at eye level, so you don’t lean forward to gaze at your screen.
Typing into cellular phones makes us lean with our head in a way that increases the tendency to Forward Head Posture. Be aware of how much you use your cellular phone and try to decrease it as much as possible. This will not only help your posture, it will also contribute to your peace of mind :)
If you want to learn more about safe yoga, join us in Yoga, Anatomy & Alignment Course, taught by osteopath Oren Dotan, D.O.
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email us at: osteopathy.yoga@gmail.com
