Hi there-this is the first time I’ve posted, but sometimes read the posts here and think the forum is great. I have various issues with my back and saw an Osteopath yesterday. He told me the biggest problem is with the thoracic verterbrae. Where the upper ones should be further forward than the ones underneath, they are actually further back. He said these top thoracic verterbrae are already kind of doing a backbend naturally at the moment and that I should at all costs avoid backbending them until they are realigned. He said I can backbend only if I can feel joint-by-joint which part of the back I’m bending.
He also said due to neck issues, I should not put my head all the way back in preparation for camel and the half moon backbend, for at least a few weeks.
He also said I should be very careful with all back and forward bends. To me it sounds like he’s almost saying don’t go to yoga at all until it’s better. I’ve practised for 4 years usually 5 times a week and really don’t want to take a break from it due to all the other benefits I get from it! I’m also confused about what to do in backbends based on his advice. I can definitely isolate either upper or lower back, but I’m not sure if I could completely avoid bending those verterbrae.
Has anyone received similar advice to this, and should I just sit out deep backbends or only go into them a tiny bit? and how do I handle teachers when they insist I put my neck back (as has happenned in the past when I tried to act on that same advice)?
