Ankylosing Spondylitis and Yin Yoga

There are often many questions about Yin Yoga and specific spinal conditions. Feel free to ask your question here, or check out other posts or contribute input from your own experience.
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SallyJ
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Mar 31, 2009 7:35 am

Ankylosing Spondylitis and Yin Yoga

Post by SallyJ »

I have AS (not a dinosaur - a type of inflammatory arthritis) and have recently discovered Yin Yoga. I run 3 times a week and do core and strength exercises on alternate days. Anything to keep flexible and fit. I have also been practising various forms of Hatha yoga for 30 years. My first question is about backbends: I have fairly constant inflammation in the sacroiliac joints and neck and I can't figure out if backbends are a good idea or a bad one?! I would also like to know if there any specific poses that may be good for runners.
Many thanks,
Sally
Bernie
Posts: 1293
Joined: Sat Sep 23, 2006 2:25 am
Location: Vancouver

Ankylosing Spondylitis

Post by Bernie »

Hi Sally

Nice to know that you are not a dinosaur. I am not sure how well Yin Yoga would work for big reptiles.

Of course, as always, you should first check with your health care provider to make sure yoga is okay given your situation. I am certainly not an expert in this field, and am not aware that there is a cure for ankylosing spondylitis, but often physiotherapy and yoga can help with the symptoms. In the worst cases, AS can lead to a complete fusion of the joints of the spine. You desire to keep flexible is well founded.

You mention that you are already doing Hatha yoga, and by that I assume you mean the more “yang styles” of moderate holds of the postures. For AS, restorative yoga is generally prescribed. Yin Yoga could help you strengthen the bones of the spine and hips, and make the sacroiliac joint more mobile. Applying a stress to these tissues and letting the stress soak in, is the way to stimulate and activate the cells in the bones, ligaments and other connective tissues (the osteocytes, osteoblasts, condrocytes and fibroblasts). The question for you is – when is it too much?

To work the lumbar/sacrum you may want to start with the easy backbends of the Sphinx pose. Hold just 1~3 minutes and see how it goes. If you have no problems with this after a few weeks, then work towards longer holds (perhaps 3~5 minutes), and then work towards the deeper backbend of the Seal. Eventually you may want to add the Saddle pose, which can provide a nice compression right to the sacrum/lumbar area. To work the sacriliac joint, the Twisted Root reclining twist may be good for you.

For your neck, the same principle applies. Start with shorter and less intense postures and work slowly towards deeper/longer poses. The neck has 6 basic directions of movement, so you will want to work all of these: while sitting, try circling your head slowly a few times, then hold in the four main directions: forward, both sides, and backwards. Then you can add twisting left and right. Be very carefully of the backwards movement of the head…go very gently there for now. Pay attention to the feelings both during the practice and the next day, to make sure this exercise is not too much. Eventually you can add these positions while in the other Yin Yoga poses like Saddle (rest on the top of your head) and Sphinx (relax your head down, or turn to one side resting a cheek in the opposite hand, as you rest on the elbows.)

Before you try any of the above, make sure your health care provider is onside with the plan! Do explain to him/her the principles of Yin Yoga. We are exercising the joints but we are not moving the joints.

You also asked about postures for running and that is a whole other big topic, but generally runners get really tight in the lower body. There are lots of yin postures to help the hips and the legs. The Dragons are especially delicious, especially Winged Dragon, which works both the hip joint and the hip flexors. Swan works well too. Saddle pose can also work the hip flexors if you sit between the feet, rather than on them. Finally, for the fascial restrictions in the hamstrings that get really tight in runners, try Caterpillar and Straddle. Check them out in the section of YinSights where Asanas are described.

Just one final point: again, I am not an expert in AS, but I understand that folks who have moderate to severe AS are advised to avoid jogging due to the large dynamic stresses that running puts onto the joints. Are you sure this is a good idea? Again, best to ask your health care pro.

Let us know how it goes!

Cheers
Bernie
SallyJ
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Mar 31, 2009 7:35 am

AS and Yoga

Post by SallyJ »

Thank you so very much for such a helpful reply to my AS question! That is some of the most helpful advice I have ever received and I have made note of all of your suggestions. I know the issues with running and AS, but I love it and I am very conservative, using the Run/Walk method of run 2 min, walk 1 min and ending with a gentle stretching/yoga routine. Thanks again for your excellent advice!
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