The Hot Yoga Doctor – Free Bikram and Hot Yoga Resources › Hot Yoga Doctor Forum › Injuries, Restrictions, Ailments, Pose Modifications › Injuries › Shoulder injury
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I hurt my left shoulder a couple of months ago attempting to do floor bow. Before I tell you about that particular injury, let me tell you the entire history of that arm.
The day before my 13th birthday I broke my left arm just below the shoulder. It wasn’t a complete fracture, so they immobilized my arm by tying it to my body with an ace bandage and stuck it in a sling. About a month later we moved about 2000 miles from Tennessee back home to California. As a result (an perhaps because it was the 70s) I never got proper physical therapy on that arm.
I also have tendonitis in my left wrist which I got from hefting 9 & 10 lb newborns.
Fast forward 30+ years to January. I somehow injured my left knee so badly I could barely walk. While I was waiting to see the orthopedic surgeon, I went to see a chiropractor who specializes in extremities to help manage the pain. As well as adjusting my knee, he recommended going to hot yoga to rehab the knee. I started doing hot Hatha in February, and I’ve been doing it about 3x per week since then. However, I did not do floor bow because of my shoulder.
One day, I decided to give it a go and it hurt really badly, so I decided I shouldn’t be doing the pose. Then a couple of months ago I went to class and I was feeling particularly strong, so I decided to try again. I pulled my triceps so badly, that I spend the rest of class crying and trying not to scream out in pain. By the end of class the pain went from my neck down to my wrist. Immediately I went to see the chiropractor and he’s been working on it ever since. He says I can come every three weeks, but I come a lot more often than that. He showed me how to adapt some of the poses so they’re not so painful. The last few weeks I’ve been doing the poses normally.
This week, however it seems to have gotten worse. I can hardly get through half moon before that arm starts hurting. Even having my arm at parallel while doing the warrior poses is excruciating. Today having my arm in front of me during unsteady hurt and I had to put them down between parts of that pose. I’ve ended up laying on my mat for most of the class because of the pain.
So, I’m wondering what to do that will not strain that arm and rehab it during hot yoga. If I’m not in class at least twice a week, my knee starts hurting.
Hi Beverly
Humble apologies. We’ve had a family bereavement and my rate of reply has been dismal.
Can you please give me an update. I just answered another one about standing bow with information in there that could help. There’s more to do but I just need an update and to hear if you’re still ‘in there’
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂Thanks for thinking of me and asking. I’m very sorry for your loss. I’m sure things are worse since this happened on the other side of the world. When my dad was dying, I lived 3 hours away and I thought that was a terrible distance. My husband keeps hoping to get a job in Australia and I can’t imagine losing a family member while we were there.
Things have been crazy lately! I finally decided to go back to my class to see if there were modifications I could do. We worked something out and I tried the class that same day. I was so sore that when I went to PT later he decided to ease up on some of my exercises that day and I thought it would be better to wait until I was finished with PT to start yoga again. I had only one session left so I figured that wasn’t too bad.
My arm has been feeling much better and I was ready to go back, but things have been complicated by some female problems I’ve been having. I’ve been bleeding heavily for nearly 2 months and all I needed was to gush in the middle of class. However that has stopped for now and I went back yesterday. I did most of the poses with the modifications we’d come up with. I came out a little sore was feeling good enough that if I didn’t already have a chiropractor appointment, I wouldn’t have made one.
Hi Beverly
Thank you for your kind words. We’re all feeling more strong now. Distance makes it difficult for sure.
I would be interested to know if there is anything physical in your shoulder that is impeding your practice or healing.
It does appear to me that those decades ago when you hurt your shoulder – and this is pure conjecture based on what you’ve described – that you were not given the best rehabilitative program for the healing of the muscles in that area.
I do believe there are great ways for you to improve the way you do the poses by simple modifications that sometimes will just be less depth. I will need to explain a good few things. So, although this is possibly drawing out a little more, would you please tell me:
>> Are you still feeling that problem half way through half moon?
>> What problems have you got with Pranayama prior to half moon?
>> Standing bow: What does yours look like, where is your foot and where is your front arm positioned? Where do you hold the foot with your ‘back’ hand? And how do you hold it?
>> Are you still experiencing the same issues in warrior poses?Based on those answers and anything else you feel is relevant I am confident I can give you some milestones by which to progress your practice.
I can’t promise there won’t be more questions! :cheese: but I can certainly give you some good things to do in class to participate more fully AND experience some well deserved healing.
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂Hi Gabrielle,
Thank you for your reply. My chiropractor and I were talking about you the other day. It was he who put me on to both hot yoga and you. He says he he emails you occasionally and appreciates it because you always get back.
Now to try to answer your questions. I am marking my responses with “EB.”
I would be interested to know if there is anything physical in your shoulder that is impeding your practice or healing.
EB: As I mentioned in another post I have tendinitis in the supraspinatus and in my left wrist. Aside from that & the decades old injury there is nothing else as far as I know.
It does appear to me that those decades ago when you hurt your shoulder – and this is pure conjecture based on what you’ve described – that you were not given the best rehabilitative program for the healing of the muscles in that area.
I do believe there are great ways for you to improve the way you do the poses by simple modifications that sometimes will just be less depth. I will need to explain a good few things. So, although this is possibly drawing out a little more, would you please tell me:
>> Are you still feeling that problem half way through half moon?
EB: Modifications I’ve made with my instructor was to have my hands on my hips, so there’s no problem when I’m doing it that way. The other day I had a different instructor and she suggested having my hands in prayer position. I didn’t have much trouble with that either. A couple of weeks ago I was feeling strong and had been for a week or so, so I decided to give the arms above head a go. That seems to have been a mistake. I was able only to bend one direction in that postion in the first set of that pose before my shoulder started twinging and the repercussions have been worrisome. There’s not been a day since I did that but I’ve had some kind of pain in my shoulder. Sometimes it stays there other times it radiates down to my wrist. I’ve also been experiencing pins & needles in my hand on a daily basis. I recently had my annual blood test and though my triglycerides are high, my sugar is good, so I don’t think I have diabetes and the neuropathy related to that.
>> What problems have you got with Pranayama prior to half moon?
EB: That is going well I no longer have concerns there. I started out modifying this by not raising my arms above my shoulders. While I am not completely framing my face with my arms, I am now doing as well as I’ve ever done in this pose.
>> Standing bow: What does yours look like, where is your foot and where is your front arm positioned? Where do you hold the foot with your ‘back’ hand? And how do you hold it?
EB: Not being able to completely see myself, I can only guess at the answers here. I am using a strap to assist. It is all I can do to get my foot in the strap and stand there for the prescribed amount of time. There is no back bend going on at all. Also, I’m having trouble keeping palm forward while in this pose. While the strap seems to make things better for my elbows, it is just hard to have palms forward while using the strap. My front arm is either in front of me at a maybe 60 degree angle to my body or finger tips touching the wall to assist my balance. In the 10 months I’ve been doing yoga, I’ve only been corrected three times.. Once was to tell me how to position the strap on my ankle in this pose. The other time was to correct how my hand was positioned in the early days. My instructor says I’m improving, but it certainly doesn’t feel like it.
>> Are you still experiencing the same issues in warrior poses?
EB: My warrior poses are all right as long as I start out the class with my arms no higher than shoulder level.
Thanks again for thinking of me. I really appreciate it.
Beverly.
Hi Beverly
Can you contact me via PM?
There are some great things you can do for Standing Bow and I am sure I can help you with Half Moon.
I can actually explain what to do with Standing Bow but I have a couple of questions for you first:
EB: … I am using a strap to assist. It is all I can do to get my foot in the strap and stand there for the prescribed amount of time … Also, I’m having trouble keeping palm forward while in this pose. While the strap seems to make things better for my elbows, it is just hard to have palms forward while using the strap.
Because I need a little clarity … Can you please tell me when you hold the strap is it with elbow in or out, wrist in or out? Are you able to let your leg just hand in the strap? Or do you feel you are fighting it somehow with your arm? It’s possible we can refine this grip.
My front arm is either in front of me at a maybe 60 degree angle to my body or finger tips touching the wall to assist my balance.
When you stand at the wall, can you tell me which way you face? Are you for example at a side wall and you use it for lateral balance and you face the front or back wall?
I am not surprised you haven’t been corrected. Sometimes it’s better if the instructor doesn’t know what to do, that they leave you alone. This is a serious injury or at least posing serious limitations. I am positive we can get you somewhere with this.
Say hi to DC for me! Actually I speak to a few chiros from time to time, but I am pretty sure you’re talking about D!
Happy holidays
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂Dear Gabrielle,
Thank you so much for all your help. I know it’s hard to “diagnose”
and “treat” long distance and sight unseen.When I am holding the strap, I am attempting to have my arms is Savasana
position. So my palm, palm side wrist, and palm side elbow are facing out.
My elbows are in my back pocket. I’m not sure what you mean by “leg just
hand in the strap.” Sometimes I can make a loop of the strap and slip my
foot right in. Most of the time, I have to wrap the strap around my leg. I’m
not sure I’m fighting my leg with my arm, but I am fighting to keep my arm
rotated forward.I’m not sure, but I think part of the problem is the strap itself. It is one
I bought at my studio and is quite elastic. I’ve used my dog’s lead a couple
of times when I’ve forgotten my strap. The leather has very little give and
the times I’ve used it I feel like I have more control.When I stand at the wall, it is indeed a side wall and I face either toward
the front or back of the room depending on which foot I’m standing on.When you stand at the wall, can you tell me which way you face? Are you for
example at a side wall and you use it for lateral balance and you face the
front or back wall?I hope I’ve been specific enough
Have a Merry Christmas,
EagerBeaver
Oh dear, Beverly
I meant HANG in the strap. Dang So, “Are you able to let your leg just hand in the strap?”
Maybe that will mean more to you now. 😆 Sorry ’bout that one chief!
But because of what you wrote in your response I do get a sense of more of the situation now. You must NOT use an elastic strap.
Re the wall: Now what I want you to do is face the wall, and definitely do not stand with it at your side for both sides. You’ll feel far safer. As you progress you may choose to face the one or both sides again. Wait for some progress on either or both sides.
>> Get your balance while you slip the strap onto the foot. Feel free to use the wall for assistance.
>> Now, while you’re in position ready to set up for the pose, get your balance with your hand on the wall.
>> Keep your shoulder in efficacious position ( 😉 )
>> To start with, your fingers or possibly your whole hand (of left hand) will be at your chest height or lower, it really doesn’t matter. Of course this means that your arm will be bent.
>> Over time you are to find a hand position on the wall that is progressively higher and higher. One day it will be high over your head and straight in traction. (It will not be out in front of you parallel to the floor.)
>> When you’ve got your left foot in the strap your right hand will be high. It’s highly possible that your right shoulder is not as open as it could be because of your left sided injury and consequent developed movement habits.Remember to keep the shoulder down and back. You will be sort of leaning into the wall a little as you find traction. More correctly, it’s one of your anchor points that will help you find function again, over time. You will feel that you are using your shoulder well and that it is opening up and it should feel good to sense the healing.
To start with however you mentioned that you have no backbend. So the backbend you create is by: Standing up straight and getting your foot hooked in the NON-ELASTIC strap/sling. Your arm position is correct by your description. Use the wall by placing your hand as described above. AND then simply move your right knee behind the left knee to the extent that you can that doesn’t compromise body position or left shoulder.
The greater your “Bow” develops the further away from the wall you will stand. You should always feel opening, not using the wall as a crutch. My guess is that you’ll be quite close to the wall to start.
That ought to do you for a while. See you soon. Let me know if that needs better/further explanation
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂Hello Beverly
How did you go using the strap in the manner in which I described? I hope everything is going well
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂Hi, Gabrielle,
The biggest problem I’m having with the strap is remembering to bring it with me! The answer is, yes, it works very well. I’m also using it for tree so I’m not standing cock-eyed and am able to open my hips better than when I just rest my foot on my leg.
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