Many people have severe leg pain that interrupts their lives. Nobody wants to move when they are in pain. I think that’s part of the problem. A trap 22. Once a person is in severe pain; they become more sedentary. It’s because of the pain, they don’t want to move too much. It’s completely understandable. Older people who have fallen and broken a hip or leg are told by the doctor not to move too much. After healing, many people still have the mentality of not moving. Sciatica, knee and hip pain, burning sensations, numb legs, and cramps are other severe leg pain. The challenge is that the pain in the legs is confused.
Modified yoga is actually a very good remedy for leg pain. Many of my clients have hip replacements, knee replacements, sciatica and at least one has a broken pelvis that has been repairing for a year, severe leg cramps and blood clots. Modified yoga assists the client in their healing rhythm. People may stop when the pain is severe or change their position if it is too much for them. No one has exactly the same time to heal. Some heal in a relatively short time; 4 weeks or so, and others with a more serious injury could take a whole year or more.
People are surprised when their bodies take a long time to heal. In a way, it’s appreciated when people heal quickly, like they’re super humans. I’m just saying, “It will take as long as it takes.” Another problem is that doctors don’t fully understand stretching and the benefits of modified yoga, so they tell the patient not to move! If people continue to stretch their hips, thighs, and calves, and do everything slowly, they will get the blood flowing, which aids in healing. They would start to improve over time. As soon as someone feels a twinge of pain, they withdraw, rather than taking a moment to let it go, and just rest for a bit. They plunge back into sedentary lifestyle.
Also, when a client comes to my class, I want to understand what kind of life they lead at home. I want to know what they eat and what they don’t eat. In addition to giving them a modified yoga lesson, I may suggest they eat cauliflower and brussels sprouts. For its beneficial properties. If they are experiencing leg cramps, you might suggest that they drink a glass of tomato juice a day, which contains potassium to relieve leg cramps.
I ask how they sleep. Do you stack your legs on top of each other, press one of your heels into your calf muscle? A simple change in sleeping habits and your leg pain disappears. I also find out what kind of shoes they wear and describe the pain in their legs. If they describe foot, heel, and lower leg pain, I would suggest getting new shoes, due to the lack of support for the shoes.
If you have sciatica problems, we do quite specific stretches to stretch your back, hip and thigh. If you are dealing with a knee injury, we strengthen and stretch your legs to help your knee heal. I notice immediately if a person locks the knee when walking, and I immediately instruct them to be more aware of the knee lock. If they can change the position of the leg to a slightly bent knee, the knee pain would decrease.
Throughout the modified yoga class, the knee should be bent to protect the knee and release tension in the back. The tailbone and pelvic bone should be turned in toward the navel, which takes pressure off your back, and just that little adjustment can be enough to release the tension from your sciatica. Modified yoga works for most pain, but people just need to be patient.
A yoga class is not a pain pill that just covers the symptoms. We really figured out what happens to a person’s lower back, legs, hips, and feet. All this does not happen immediately, because the client is learning about her own body. Each change of position, and subtle stretching, begins to make them feel much better. Then each client has to continue at home. To keep the legs slightly bent, to do strengthening exercises, to protect the knees. Be careful where you place your feet so you don’t fall and reinjure your legs, knees, ankles, or feet.
It’s more like a lifestyle. Modified yoga isn’t just a class, it’s the body mechanics that go along with it. How can a person move their body in a smooth way that releases and permanently releases bodily tension?