Don’t mind my feet! But do you mind your feet?
I’m just opening up the neural gaps, increasing circulation, and improving the communication pathway from my feet to my brain.
Unless you go out of your way to shop for a shoe with a wide shoe box, not to be confused with a wide shoe, your footwear is compressing your toes.
Weak feet give you a poor foundation for your joints above, so adding footwork into your practice is always a good idea.
My son has been asking for toe separators after seeing my various toe socks. They can be worn for a few minutes initially to build up your comfort level. These will help your balance and foot pain.
If you’d like to receive my list of Healthy Foot Tips, send me an email, so I can share it with you.
National Scoliosis Awareness Month
June is National Scoliosis Awareness month.
Increasing awareness may happen through:
* education about the prevalence of scoliosis
* encouraging screening for early detection
* supporting our fellow scoliosis warriors within this community
I had a good time this morning supporting my fellow scoliosis and fusion warriors by teaching my workshop: Scoliosis & Fusion Daily Yoga.
I will be sharing many of my thoughts on this topic throughout this month. Let me know what thoughts or questions come up for you?
Signs of Scoliosis
My mild childhood scoliosis became visible when I was trying on bathing suits for Spring Break when I was a freshman in high school. If you wear baggy clothing as I did at the time, it can be difficult to notice some of the signs of scoliosis. For this reason, scoliosis can be easily missed by parents, caregivers, and even doctors.
If you have reason to suspect scoliosis—for example, your child was told that they had a ‘mild’ curve when they were younger—take a moment to look at their back periodically. If you suspect scoliosis, ask your doctor for an evaluation. Even if a child is active, they don’t “grow out” of scoliosis in time or by participating in sports.
Many public schools no longer provide scoliosis screening.
Early detection offers more treatment options.
True or False?
I have to ask this question because I commonly hear comments about not being able to do yoga because the person can’t touch their toes.
But here’s the thing... The only prerequisite for practicing yoga is that you are able to breathe.
At the end of the day, we all have some compression from the effects of gravity. Those who are more flexible are more likely to collapse in their curves and further compress the collapsed (concavities) areas of their back. Instead, our goal is to stay upright and elongated, and we do that by working on our control and stability of the spine.
A new client called himself a “skeptic” until he actually tried yoga, and then realized that it truly did help with aches and pains.
Scoliosis and Fusion Friendly Back Strengthening
This pose may be called:
4-point Stabalization
Tricky Cat
Bird Dog
This pose is great for strengthening your back and core muscles, as well as challenging your balance. Don’t progress until you feel you have the strength to maintain length and expansion in these variations. You may repeat these movements as you build your strength, and also practice longer holds.
Get relief for lower back pain!
The amount of pressure we put on our spine is greatly affected by our position. Have you ever noticed how your lower back stiffens after a long flight or car ride? 🖐️ If I had to choose, I much prefer to stand than to sit, and this chart breaks it down beautifully how the low back is loaded differently in these positions.
What’s the takeaway? Switch up your posture! But let’s focus on that very first bar, which shows the lowest load on your spine. When pain strikes, spend 5-15 minutes lying on your back, like a back reset. I would add a pillow under the knees for extra support of the lower back.
Let’s shift perspectives this season.
While some chase quick fixes for a summer body, let's prioritize long-term wellness. Picture yourself in 10 or 20 years – what shape do you want to be in? It's not just about the next few months; it's about investing in your future self. Those nagging aches and habits? They compound over time, and not in a beneficial way like a bank account.
Let's shift to a proactive approach, nurturing our bodies with consistent care rather than scrambling for solutions when it's too late. Opt for prevention and maintenance to feel good in our body, enabling those long walks or bike rides when the weather beckons.
Spring brings a surge of motivation and energy, and I've noticed many new clients eager to kickstart their movement journey. If you're pondering where to begin, reach out! I'm here for a free phone consultation to discuss where you're at and how to embark on this journey. Embrace the season's vitality!
Embracing my new North Carolina roots!
Embracing my new North Carolina roots with a shirt to seal the deal!
When I meet new people and tell them what I do, I usually get a surprised response. Who knew teaching yoga virtually could spark such surprise? People often ask, "Does that really work?" or "People still do that?" Well, let me share my journey with you.
A decade ago, I migrated from the hustle and bustle of NYC to NJ, craving yoga classes that catered to my needs, especially regarding scoliosis and back care. Trips to the city for classes became rare as weekends filled up with being a parent. But then, 2020 brought a silver lining - virtual classes!
While nothing beats the energy of an in-person class, Zoom sessions brought consistency and accessibility to my practice, connecting me with beloved teachers more frequently.
If you're on the hunt for a specialized yoga teacher, online classes might just be your hidden gem. Many of my clients, even those within driving distance, prefer the convenience of virtual sessions, avoiding driving and traffic.
Sure, adjusting to online practice takes a little time, but trust me, the benefits are worth it. Don't let hesitation hold you back. The perfect situation may never come - it's the consistency that counts!
Ready to dive into your virtual yoga journey? Send me a message, and let's get started!
Overcoming challenges with autoimmune disease.
Reflecting on moments of 'why me' during spinal fusion surgery at 16, only to face another health shock with an autoimmune diagnosis two years later, I've often asked the fairness of it all. I've felt that so much of my adult life has been diverted to taking care of these health conditions, which is serving me well in some regards, but has felt like a part-time job at times.
March is Autoimmune Disease Awareness month, so what better time to shed light on the fact that these 'silent' conditions can be anything but silent for some of us. Just last year, I found myself with a second autoimmune disease, which demanded significant energy and time to navigate.
It's a reminder that appearances can be deceiving. We don't know what anyone is battling beneath the surface. For me, it's been about self-education, trial and error, and prioritizing a holistic approach to wellness – from caring for my back to mindful choices about what I consume and how I manage stress.
While we don't have complete control of our health, I've discovered the power of community, much like with scoliosis. It can be exhausting to constantly justify our energy levels, dietary choices, or mood swings, but I share my journey to let others know they're not alone – I understand the struggle.
What is Cobb Angle?
What is Cobb Angle? What does it tell us? What it doesn't tell us?
Scoliosis can be measured by its Cobb Angle, which is a calculation of the degree of curvature that the spine moves in each curve.
A single-digit Cobb Angle isn't defined as a scoliosis diagnosis. Any degree of Cobb Angle over 10 degrees can be categorized into mild, moderate, or severe scoliosis. Having this knowledge is especially important during a growth period when monitoring and deciding the best treatment options.
Knowing your Cobb Angle isn't going to tell you how you feel or how you hold yourself up. Someone who has a large Cobb Angle may not experience any pain, and someone with a relatively small Cobb Angle may experience regular pain.
If you've had images taken of your spine, it's nice to know what your Cobb Angle is, but don't feel that you need to get them taken just for that calculation. Your physician will determine if imaging is needed based on your needs.
Again, a spine with 0-9 degrees of Cobb Angle is not considered to have scoliosis. The Cobb Angle of my largest curve was 78 degrees prior to having my spinal fusion, which is pretty far from straight-ish. However, many people have that Cobb Angle, or greater, and live an active life without having surgery.
Our Cobb Angle doesn't define us, it's just a number that may give guidance or be a reference point.
New beginnings this Spring!
I'm happy to finally share that I've been expanding my training and studies into pilates for scoliosis!
Learning a new movement modality had been a fun challenge. Yoga has served me very well in many ways through the decades, yet it's been a joy to add in something different. Through pilates, I've learned more about my scoliosis, experienced my 3-dimensional rotations in new ways, and have felt muscles in new ways.
In mat pilates, there's the simplicity of a mat, which similar to yoga, makes it accessible to do anywhere. However, there's such a leap of experience in using a reformer to aid in stability while challenging the body with different types of resistance work.
So far I've done training and will continue to learn from Karena Thek's Scolio-Pilates, as well as the Polestar Scoliosis Pilates course taught by Lise Stolze and Hagit Berdishevsky.
Local students may work with me at LKN Pilates where I'm teaching a scoliosis-focused yoga and pilates class series in March. It's a beautiful space with all the apparatuses you could want.
Is your desk posture causing your back pain?
Being stuck in one posture for too long is never good for your body, and especially a seated posture for 15 hours per day. I sure hope you're not at your desk for 15 hours, but cumulatively you may be sitting that much per day with work, commuting, meals, and watching TV.
Look at how you're sitting, or, even better, have someone help you look at how you actually sit. What's the habit? Are you ever sitting on your pelvis evenly? Are you usually sitting with a tucked pelvis that causes a forward flexed spine? Your habitual seated posture matters, because it can lead to pain over time.
A yoga practice isn't about it being a workout or needing flexibility, but cultivating the knowledge and body awareness to know how you carry yourself. A day of lousy posture isn't a big deal, but what about always sitting on one hip, or slouching back in your chair, for decades? These seemingly minor tweaks in our habits do impact our bones, muscles, tissue, and breath over time.
Posture is important if you are experiencing back pain. Instead of a corrective device or popping a pill, start working on finding your inner strength and awareness to address your posture all on your own!
Detecting Scoliosis
My mild childhood scoliosis became visible when I was trying on bathing suits for Spring Break when I was a freshman in high school. If you wear baggy clothing as I did at the time, it can be difficult to notice some of the signs of scoliosis.
If you have reason to suspect scoliosis—for example, your child was told that they had a mild curve when they were younger—take a moment to look at their back periodically. If you suspect scoliosis, ask your doctor for an evaluation.
Most public schools no longer provide scoliosis screening.
Early detection offers more treatment options.
“But it feels good to stretch my curves.”
I hear this often, and you are not alone, but let me explain.
Scoliosis creates changes in the bones, as well as the muscles attached to those bones. The outer side of a curve (called convexity) has muscles that live in an over lengthened or stretched state. These muscles get tired and tight, but they need to be shortened for them to function better.
A better shift of focus is to those collapsed areas (called concavity) to work on expansion and elongation.
It takes time and practice to understand what’s happening in scoliosis, and then apply that to your unique body! Give yourself time, ask lots of questions, and keep practicing.
Feel the Feelings
Experiencing yoga for scoliosis and learning about it have honestly been a rollercoaster of emotions for me. I feel like I should mention this more often, because it can be quite unsettling when we don't have anyone to talk to who has been in the same shoes.
I remember two instances distinctly, and one brought tears of despair, while the other brought tears of joy.
The first yoga with scoliosis class that I took was for individuals with fusions. This was the first time that I was surrounded by people who had a back like mine. It was a new experience in so many ways. I physically don't see my own back, and here I was surrounded by fused scoliosis spines. I also learned that my yoga practice was not taking my spinal conditions into account one iota. After that class, I took the subway home, and balled my eyes out the whole time. I felt discouraged, betrayed, disappointed, mad, frustrated, and stupid. My boyfriend saw how upset I was, and, to my surprise, told me that I should not go back. I knew that I had to go back, because I needed to learn how to care for my back.
The tears of joy were from my first yoga with scoliosis workshop. I felt like I had finally found a needle in a haystack by getting answers and material about this subject. Gratitude skims the surface on how I felt to be empowered with the new information. I had to email the instructor, Deborah Wolk, when I got home to thank her "from the bottom of my heart."
Our body stores all those emotions from being fearful, not fitting in, maybe having to wear a brace or having had surgery, possibly dealing with pain, and just feeling like you want to have a spine like everyone else. All those feelings are valid, and I only hope that you find your path through those frustrations to feel more empowered.
Do you see a stack of books, or scoliotic vertebrae?
The vertebrae don't only move to the right or left of the midline due to scoliosis, but they also rotate toward the back body or the front body. There's a lot going on in the body, and it can change in each segment of the body, so the shoulder region may be opposite of what's happening in the lower back. We are beautifully complicated.
Just like a snowflake, nobody has curves that are created exactly the same. It's a process to learn what's going on in your own body.
Want to learn more in order to feel more balanced in your body? You may join a class, schedule a private session, or let me know if you want to have a phone call first.
Happy 29th Surgiversary!
Wow, 29 years since I had my spinal fusion surgery!
I'm proud of what I've tackled and overcome during this time, and yoga played a huge role in the process, as it will for decades to come.
A couple weeks ago, I watched a webinar by Setting Scoliosis Straight. Doctors from around the world shared their research on Long-Term Follow Up on Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis. Most doctors shared research on 10-years post-op, but one doctor from Spain shared a study that his mentor conducted on over 100 patients that had a spinal fusion surgery in the 1980's, so about 30-years prior. You may view this webinar on YouTube now, and I hope to see more long-term studies like this in the future.
Movement is key for EVERY BODY, so we need to find what we enjoy and can maintain.
What does Yoga with Fusions mean?
Spinal fusion is a surgery to connect two or more bones in the spine, and this connection prevents movement between those bones. In my case, I had 11 vertebrae fused.
It's important for all of us to remain active throughout our lives with walking and other activities in order to keep our bones healthy. However, the fused portion of the spine isn't moving (think of flexion, extension, or twisting), and what results is that the adjacent unfused vertebrae above and below the fusion end up moving even more. These unfused areas around the fusion are more stressed over time and at risk of degeneration.
Yoga with Fusion is about taking your entire spine into consideration, and learning how to work with a neutral spine to build strength and stability. The location and length of a fusion will determine which poses are beneficial or not for an individual.
What does Yoga with Scoliosis even mean?
That's a great question, and one that took me a while to figure out. It's much more than knowing a few pose modifications.
Scoliosis is a deviation from a straight spine, but also has a rotational component. However, the ripple effect of scoliosis doesn't stop there, because it's also reflected in the pelvis, shoulders, arms, head, legs, etc. After all, we are an interconnected body, so scoliosis isn't an isolated condition to the spine.
Yoga with Scoliosis is about learning YOUR curve pattern, and how to practice in a way that doesn't encourage more asymmetry, but works toward creating balance, retrains your proprioceptors, and helps with pain. We want to open the compressed areas, and draw the curves toward the midline, instead of further into our scoliotic pattern. Just as water follows the path of least resistance, our body will follow the posture of least resistance, so it may feel good to further stretch an over-stretched area that should actually be contracted. Conversely, it may feel less satisfying to open a compressed area where we lack sensation.
In Yoga with Scoliosis, we focus on breath awareness, and poses that encourage maintaining the natural curves of your spine, spinal elongation, strengthening limbs and muscles that support the spine, and building body awareness.
I commonly see students with scoliosis, and maybe with a fusion, who don't know much about their back. I was one of them! However, anyone can tell you that "you are right-thoracic and left-lumbar," but it takes time to internalize that information into your own being. It's okay! We all get confused, it takes time, so ask questions and give yourself some grace.