Arthritis of the Spine, Part 2

by Nina

With Baxter’s blessing, I’d like to add my two cents to his post yesterday on Arthritis of the Spine. You see, he forgot to mention hanging upside down! Yes, there is a whole group of poses that can provide great relief to those of you with arthritis of the spine (as well as other types of back pain), where you hang upside down and allow gravity to lengthen your spinal muscles and create space between your vertebral discs. You can use these poses at any time for relief from back pain and to help maintain the health of your spine. You can also use them to lengthen your spine at the beginning of a yoga practice.

Caution: If you are experiencing acute pain and your muscles are contracting, before hanging in an inverted pose, it is a good idea to start by relaxing and releasing your muscles in supine or prone poses.

If you’ve ever been in an Iyengar studio that has wall ropes, you may have seen people hanging upside down on the ropes with their legs in Cobbler’s pose. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, you can take a look at this the first pose in this video:

Other yoga studios have a yoga horse that you can hang from. Most of us can tell intuitively, just by looking at these hanging poses, just how good our backs would feel in them (kind of like looking at a recipe and being able to tell how good the dish would taste). And both these hanging poses, along with other variations, are excellent options for you if you have access to the appropriate props. So definitely try them out sometime in your local yoga studio. But what if you do yoga somewhere that doesn’t have these special props? And what can you do when you’re on your own at home? 

One good possibility is doing Downward-Facing Dog pose with a strap and a doornob, as shown in the photo below (taken from Back Care Basics by Mary Pullig Schatz, M.D.). Having the strap support you in the pose takes the weight off your arms and shoulders so you can just relax in the pose and let gravity do its magic.

 

Here's how to do it:

1. Find a door with a knob that is sturdy enough to support your weight.
2. Take a rope or yoga strap and make it into a loop.
3. Open the door half way, and hook the loop over both sides of the doorknob.
4. Step inside the loop and place the strap or rope at the tops of your thighs, at the point where your hips bend when you bend forward.
5. Lean forward into the rope until it supports your weight, bend forward and place your hands on the floor.
6. Using your hands to stabilize yourself, walk your feet back into Downward-Facing Dog position, with one foot on each side of the door.

Stay in the pose for several minutes, keeping your arms extended and your legs active. To come out of the pose, walk your feet forward out of Dog pose, then bend your knees and slowly roll up to standing.

Another possibility is lying on a table, with your legs on the table and your torso hanging off the edge, as shown in this photo (also taken from Back Care Basics by Mary Pullig Schatz, M.D.). For this one, you’ll need help from a partner. You will also need to do some experimenting to see whether the table is high enough for you to hang from without your arms touching the floor. If it isn’t, place a folded blanket or a stack of folded blankets on the surface of the table, as shown in the photo.

Here's how to do it:

1. Place a chair about one foot from the table, with the seat facing the table.
2. If you are not using blankets on the table, fold a sticky mat and place it over the edge of the table, to create a softer surface over which to bend.
3. Sit on the table and then use your arms to bring yourself to a side-lying position.
4. From your side-lying position, roll onto your belly and scoot yourself to the edge of the table.
5. Have your partner hold your thighs or calves as you hold onto the chair seat and gradually move your torso off the table until the tops of your thighs are supported by the edge of the table.
6. When you are in the full position, fold your arms overhead so you can hang comfortably (your head and arms should not be touching the floor). Stay in the pose for several minutes, as long as you are comfortable.

To come out of the pose, bring your hands to the floor to support you as your partner releases your legs and comes around to support the chair for you. Then, place your hands on the chair for support. Slide your legs toward the side edge of the table. Then slowly put one foot down on the floor, then the other. Use your hands on the table to help you come up.

Do let us know if you try any of these poses! We'd love to know if they provide you with any relief.