Skeletal Health

Yin poses are typically held for at least 3 to 5 minutes, though some can last for much longer than that. This longer holding time puts minor strain on the connective tissues surrounding the spine and joints. When the muscles, tendons, and ligaments are stressed in this manner, they will stretch if they are relaxed, allowing for greater flexibility and range of motion. Because these connective tissues cannot stretch if a joint is tense, these poses must be done in a relaxed state and position or they will not be effective. The movement of these tissues and the increased flow of oxygen through them also enhances the blood flow and circulation to various parts of the body.

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Yoga poses align the body and improve balance. Because yoga allows the use of props, people with disabilities or physical ailments can perform poses that otherwise would be impossible. Yoga instructors familiar with the proper use of props are able to individualize the various routines to fit each person’s age and condition.

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As a teacher, you should have learned this during your foundational 200-hour yoga certification course, but most students know very little about spinal or skeletal health, unless they have experienced chronic joint pain. Let’s go over the basics, just in case you want to have a short workshop for your students to have a deeper understanding of why and how they are feeling better after a class at your yoga school.

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Therapeutic Hatha Yoga for scoliosis can help address these imbalances because, even though each scoliosis patient is unique, there are common patterns. The spine often moves to the side and rotates. This shift creates a rounded back, the ribs compress toward the front, while the pelvis and lower back rotate toward the back. Yoga can help to relieve the discomfort brought on by the results of the curving spine. For example, compression in the vertebrae can cause one hip to be raised. This imbalance can find balance with the breath awareness and postures that emphasize hip alignment.

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The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, a part of the US Department of Health and Human Sciences, states that research studies have showcased that yoga can be beneficial for people with low-back pain. In 2009, the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), again a part of the US Department of Health and Human Sciences, funded research activities to examine the impact of Iyengar yoga, a form of Hatha yoga, on chronic low-back pain. Research studies revealed that yoga reduced functional disability, depression, as well as pain in people (research participants) suffering from chronic low-back pain.

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