Yoga Therapy

 by Vicky Arundel

My Top 5 Favourite Myofascial Release Techniques

Research into the fascinating world of fascia has been booming in recent years and our understanding of its critical role in how well we move and sense our bodies has led to a huge growth in interest within the yoga world.

In the past, fascia was dismissed as inert packing material by scientists. However, research from world-renowned fascia experts such as Robert Schleip is showing that fascia is alive with sensory nerve endings and is actually our largest sensory organ!

What is fascia?

Fascia is like a three-dimensional, fluid-filled bodysuit that surrounds and weaves throughout all the tissues of your body, creating structure and shape, allowing movement and providing a medium through which all your other systems (nervous, immune, endocrine etc.) communicate and function.

Keeping fascia healthy is key to moving fluidly, gracefully and without pain. It also plays a huge role in your capacity to feel and sense your body internally (interoception) and in relation to the world around you (proprioception). Healthy fascia is well hydrated, allowing for lots of slip and glide between the layers, whilst unhealthy fascia can become dry, sticky and matted. Healthy fascia is also springy and elastic which allows for efficient, energy-saving movement, while unhealthy fascia leads to awkward, jerky movement that can lead to pain.

How can I train my fascia?

Fascia loves specific types of movement which can be easily incorporated into a yoga practice. Here are some of the movements your fascia needs to retain its springy elasticity and hydration:

  • Full-body or multi-directional movements at a variety of tempos (slow to fast) – this creates different kinds of loading through the tissues keeping them resilient and pliable.
  • Shaking, bouncing, pulsing, jumping which helps to restore the springy elastic recoil of healthy fascia.
  • Pandiculation e.g., yawning-type movements which help restore the elastic recoil of the tissues.
  • Eccentric loading – movements that lengthen the tissues under load and appear to especially build resilience in fascial tissues such as ligaments and tendons.
  • Gentle, fascia-release and self-massage (see practices below) – with foam rollers, massage balls, blankets etc. This helps to restore healthy hydration and slip/glide of fascial layers for better movement.
  • Long-held passive stretches (e.g. yin or restorative yoga) which appear to have an anti-inflammatory effect on the tissues and restore appropriate length to overly tight or tensioned tissues.

Many of these types of movements you may already do. However, more linear, alignment-based, or set-sequence style yoga practices may be missing out on some of the benefits of varied, multi-dimensional and organic movement that fascia loves. This is an invitation to step off the mat and explore other ways of moving, breathing and being in your body!

Yoga Therapeutics and Fascia

In my work as a yoga therapist, I often help individuals with musculo-skeletal imbalances and chronic pain. I have found the inclusion of fascial training tools, especially fascia- release techniques to be incredibly valuable . I have seen first-hand the improvements in my clients’ body awareness, range of motion and functional movement patterns. Fascia-release training is a powerful tool for working with chronic pain as it can help restore healthy sensory messages from the body tissues to the brain.

My Top Five Ways To Release Fascia

Please note that none of these techniques should cause pain or disrupt your natural breathing pattern. Mild discomfort from tight/tense muscles is normal, sharp or acute pain is not and is a signal to stop or try shifting the fascia-release tool position slightly. Remember to roll on the soft tissues not on bone and avoid anything that creates neural type sensations such as tingling, burning or numbness. You can always put a blanket over the balls or prop to soften the sensations. I also recommend introducing a pause after each practice to tune into the body and feel the effects of the practice.

  1. Abdominal massage

Benefits: Relieves tension and pressure in the diaphragm which plays a huge role in healthy breathing. I have also personally found this hugely beneficial for relieving IBS-type symptoms. It is contra-indicated for anyone who is pregnant or has a hiatal hernia.

Practice: Lying on your stomach, place a rolled-up blanket just below your bottom ribs on your upper abdomen region. You can experiment with the width of the blanket – I like a rolled diameter of about 2-3 inches. More thickness will be more intense so if this is a tender area, work with a very small roll and build up gradually over time. Take some slow, relaxed and soft belly breaths into the roll, focusing on releasing and relaxing any tension in the abdomen on your exhale. You can remain still, or if you prefer gently rock from side-to-side to create further sensation and stimulation. Continue for 1-2 minutes.

2. Glute release

Benefits: This can be one of the more tender regions to roll but can provide a huge relief for students with a wide range of hip and lower back pain disorders. The fascia of the gluteus medius commonly holds a lot of trigger points (knotty bands of dehydrated, unhealthy fascia) and releasing these can create widespread relief throughout the whole pelvis and lower back region.

Practice: Lie on your back and take your right ankle over your left thigh for a variation of supine pigeon. Place the fascia-release ball or a pair of rolled-up socks just to the outside edge of the upper hip – then lean or tilt your pelvis over to the right to place more weight onto the tool. You may need to play around with the position slightly to find a sore, tender trigger point. Once you’ve found something, stay and breathe for 30-45 seconds. Then release and try to find another spot. Continue for 2-3 minutes and then switch sides.

3. Hip flexor massage

Benefits: This can be a hugely relieving practice for students with lower back pain and discomfort. I also use this regularly for people who sit a lot for work, or who enjoy exercise that involves a lot of repetitive hip-flexion type movements e.g. running/cycling.

Practice: Lie on your stomach and place two soft to medium-firm massage balls under and just inside your frontal hip bones. If it is very tender you could place a blanket over the balls or use two pairs of rolled up socks instead. Rest your arms and head in whatever way is comfortable. Take slow, soft and deep breaths down into your lower abdomen. Focus on relaxing, melting and releasing into the support of the balls as you exhale. You may wish to remain still if this area is tender, or you can gently rock the hips from side-to-side for more release. Continue for 2-3 minutes and then release and just rest on your stomach for a few moments.

4. Upper back release

Benefits: The fascia in the upper trapezius (triangular stretch of muscle in the upper back) is infamous for its tendency to become thick, sticky, and sore and can lead to a whole host of issues including headaches and neck pain. This practice is contra-indicated for anyone with cervical disc degeneration, unmedicated high blood pressure and acute whiplash.

Practice: Lie on your back in constructive rest pose with the knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Place two balls into your upper trapezius region, on the upper-inner border of your shoulder blades at the base of the neck. If very sore, this may be enough and you may wish to put a block under your head for support. If you’d like more sensation, lift your hips and slide a yoga block under your pelvis as in supported bridge. This will put more load through the balls. You can remain here in stillness just letting the compressive tactile nature of the balls do their job, or you can explore moving your arms about in space (as if conducting a universal orchestra!). Linger on any areas that feel helpful to release. Continue for 1-2 minutes and then release.

5. Neck release with a yoga block

Benefits: It can be very relieving and soothing for tension headaches, neck pain and people who do a lot of close-range focused work in front of screens. I like to do this technique using a yoga wedge to tilt the angle of the block but you can do this without a wedge by using the edge of a block. This practice is contra-indicated for anyone with cervical disc degeneration or acute whiplash.

Practice: Lie on your back in constructive rest pose with your knees bent, or with your legs long and draped over a bolster for maximum relaxation effect. Place the edge of a yoga block right under the base of the skull at the hairline. Note the block is on the base of the skull, not the neck. Relax your head, neck and shoulders completely. Allow your eyes to soften back into their sockets and relax your jaw and tongue. Very slowly draw a figure of eight with the tip of your nose in the air, this will roll your head gently from side to side. If you find any sore, knotty or tender spots, pause on that spot and just breathe for a 20-30 seconds before moving and perhaps finding another spot. Continue for 2-3 minutes and then release the prop and relax back into savasana.

Yoga for Fascial Health Training

If the above has whetted your appetite and you’d like to learn more about how to incorporate a wide variety of fascial training techniques into your yoga teaching then please do check out my 30-hour Online Yoga for Fascial Health Training starting this May 2023.

in Cross-Training / Flexibility / Injury / Yoga Therapy 0 comments
 by Vicky Arundel

5 Reasons to Take a Private Yoga Class

The way yoga is taught today couldn’t be further removed from its traditional roots. Back in the day, yoga was handed down from teacher to student usually in one-on-one settings or small individualised groups with common aims. Taught in this way, sequences and practices were highly specialised, safe, logical and custom-made for the individual.

Fast forward today, and teachers have their work cut out for them, with a huge diverse range of levels, physical constraints and injuries presented in each class. It’s become a real, and dare I say, virtually impossible challenge to teach a public yoga class that will cater to all students various and unique needs.

That is why I’m such an advocate for private yoga sessions. Many of us see the logic in investing time and money into additional training to improve our technique and skill, whether its at the gym with a personal trainer or with a coach to improve our tennis game. Why wouldn’t we do the same for yoga, particularly if its something we enjoy and we plan to spend some time doing?

This particularly holds true if you identify with any of the following statements:

You are a beginner…

As a beginner it can be really intimidating to step into a group class. I would encourage every beginner to have a private session first (just as you might have an induction when you start at a gym), if for no other reason than to make you feel a little more relaxed and comfortable.

Good quality one-to-one instruction can also help keep you safe and injury-free by providing personalised modifications to poses so that you get the most benefit and enjoyment out of your practice.

You are injured…

Done mindfully and with awareness, yoga is one of the safest forms of physical movement out there. However, it really pays to see someone for a private if you are injured or working with musculo-skeletal imbalances.

Whilst a yoga teacher/therapist is not able to diagnose or treat injuries, yoga can help restore better movement and function. Certain poses or practices may also be contra-indicated for specific injuries and should be avoided altogether.

An experienced teacher will tell you what to skip in class, what beneficial poses to do instead, and what poses to adapt or modify, creating a practice that will help fast-track you on the path to recovery.

You are an Ashtanga/Flow/Vinyasa junkie…

One of the riskier elements of more dynamic styles of yoga is the repetitive nature of certain movements, and the potential for wear and tear on vulnerable joints such as the knees, shoulders, lower back and wrists.

Many of the injuries I see in yoga come from repeating the same poor alignment habits over and over again. Almost everyone can benefit from a chaturanga (a style of push-up) tune-up, and seasoned practitioners can learn from going back to the basics of alignment in oft-repeated poses such as downdog, updog, warriors and plank.

Even the most skilled sportsmen will continue to work alongside their trainer to develop and refine the basics of their craft, so if you are repeating a lot of the same sorts of movements it’s really important you get these checked by a trained eye.

You are working with a chronic health condition…

With any health condition you will have very specific needs and requirements that are best addressed in a one-on-one setting. A qualified teacher can help create a practice that addresses these needs, keeps you safe and provides you with a logical sense of progression and growth.

We also often forget that yoga has so much more to offer us than just physical postures. There are a huge array of therapeutic practices, such as meditation and breathwork that have been shown to have wonderful healing properties. If you are working with a health condition this is also rich territory to explore and again best suited to the quiet, compassionate space of a one-on-one session.

You are looking to advance/ re-inspire your practice…

I’ve often likened my relationship to yoga practice like any long-term relationship. There are times when the passion is alive and flourishing, and then other times where things feel a little stale and in dire need of spicing up!

I’m a big believer in a steady, long-term sustainable yoga practice and I think this can only happen when you constantly revisit the intentions behind your practice, and look for new sources of inspiration, whether that be exploring a new style of yoga, delving into the philosophical teachings of yoga, or having a list of ‘project poses’ that you’re working on.

Private yoga sessions can be a wonderful place to explore ways in which you can continue to grow your practice, giving you a clearer insight into where you want to go and the steps to get there.

in Uncategorized / Yoga Therapy 0 comments
 by Vicky Arundel

A Yoga Sequence to Improve Balance + 3 Essential Tips!

One of the most frequent requests in both my private yoga teaching and public classes is a yoga sequence to help improve balance. I often say to my students that working on balance requires a healthy dose of patience and a good sense of humour. Balance can be a notoriously tricky thing to pin down – some days we can feel very steady, other days like we’ve just stepped off a boat! That said, there are definitely proactive measures we can take to improve our balance. Below are just three of my favourite tips, followed by a short standing sequence designed to get you feeling centered and steady.

3 Tips for Better Balance

  • Relax

One of the best pieces of advice I was given about balance was ‘to be more like the bamboo’. The bamboo plant represents the perfect blend of strong and supple – it’s branches are firm and hard, with strong roots and yet it flows and bends easily with the wind, never fighting against it. We can keep this image in mind when balancing, trying to find that perfect combination of stability and fluidity, allowing for the inevitable micro-movements and readjustments that the body makes in order to find center. Many of us instinctively tense up when we try to balance – we become rigid, our joints lose their supple elasticity and we might find ourselves holding our breath. Paradoxically it is this tension and rigidity that often throws us off kilter. So next time the teacher cues tree pose in class, be more like the bamboo, allow yourself to flow with the movements a little bend don’t break.

Be more like the bamboo
  • Keep your eyes steady!

Our bodies (and minds) tend to move wherever our eyes go. The yogis understood the distracting power of sight and created the concept of dristi, a Sanskrit word that describes keeping the eyes steady and focused on a single point. I often encourage my students to find something at eye level, or if preferred, a few meters out in front that they can gaze at (in a relaxed way, no hard staring!) whilst balancing.

Steady your gaze (dristi)
  • Work on your feet

As described in earlier posts, our feet have the potential for an enormous amount of pliability and movement, and they are key to our sense of foundation, connection with the ground and therefore our balance. However our footwear, predictable terrain (think tarmac, carpets, flat surfaces) and general lack of movement have created rigid, tense feet that lack shock absorption and the ability to really ‘feel’ the floor. We need to improve the mobility, strength and flexibility of the feet to ensure proper articulation of the joints, to maintain arch support and to ensure better balance. For ideas on how to work the feet check out this earlier yoga sequence – many of the exercises will be helpful for improving balance.

Love your feet

THE YOGA SEQUENCE

Please note for a printable version of the sequence please click on this link.

BALL ROLLING FOR THE FEET:

Focus: To release tight connective tissue on the sole of the foot, improving tissue glide and gently re-mobilise the joints of the feet.

Place a firm ball under the sole of your foot. Put pressure through the foot as you roll the ball around the whole surface area of the sole of the foot. Roll front to back, side-to-side, explore circles. If you find a particularly tender spot, pause, apply gentle pressure and take a few deep breath before rolling to another spot. Continue for about 1 minute on each foot and then repeat on the second side.

HIP ABDUCTION/ADDUCTION:

Focus: Strengthen the muscles of the outer hip and thigh which help to stabilise the hips and knees in standing postures.

Stand on a yoga block with one foot and hover the other foot off the ground until both hips are level. Gently engage the lower abdominals towards the spine and create a sense of length through the tailbone.Visualise extending up through the crown of the head.

Without moving the spine or rest of the body, inhale and as you exhale lift your right leg out to the side, as high as it will go without leaning to the sides, lifting the hip or turning the foot out. Inhale to bring the legs back together. You should feel a sense of muscular engagement on the outer hip and thigh. Repeat this action 10 times on each leg.

HIP FLEXION/ EXTENSION:

Focus: Strengthen the muscles on the front and back of the hip and thighs.

Start as per the previous pose. Stand on a yoga block with one foot and hover the other foot off the ground until both hips are level. Gently engage the lower abdominals towards the spine and create a sense of length through the tailbone. Visualise extending up through the crown of the head.

Now again, without moving the rest of the body bring the right leg forwards as high as it will go and then extend the leg back behind you as far as it will go (note: it won’t be very high). Keep the knees straight throughout. Be mindful not to lean forwards or backwards in your spine as you move the leg. Repeat this action 10 times on each leg.

MOUNTAIN POSE WITH BLOCK BETWEEN THIGHS:

Target: To strengthen the muscles of the inner thighs, pelvic floor and deep core that help to stabilise the pelvis and lower back.

Stand with your feet about hipwidth apart. Place a yoga block or rolled up firm blanket between your inner thighs. Visualise lengthening up through the crown of the head. If you tend to hyper-extend your knees, try unlocking them slightly and engaging all of the muscles around the knee joint.

Inhale, as you exhale, squeeze the block with your inner thighs and at the same time feel the muscles of your pelvic floor lift up and the muscles of your lower belly hug in towards the spine. Notice the lower back and hips stay neutral throughout – be mindful not to tuck under. Try to hold the contraction for 10 seconds, breathing normally and then release. Repeat 2 more times.

MOUNTAIN POSE WITH HEEL RAISES:

Target: To strengthen and mobilise the feet and the muscles of the front and back of the legs.

Stand in mountain pose, feet a comfortable width apart. Lengthen your tailbone and draw the lower abdominal muscles gently in and up.

Inhale lift the heels off the floor coming onto your tip-toes, reaching the arms overhead. Exhale lower the heels and arms down and then try to lift the toes off the ground, rocking the weight slightly back into the heels. Make sure your spine stays neutral throughout – don’t let your lower back arch when the arms come overhead. Try to lift up and lower down through the center of the foot – avoid letting the ankles sickle in or out. Feel free to rest your hands lightly on a chair or table surface for balance if needed. Repeat this action 10-15 times.

CHAIR POSE ON TIPTOES:

Target: To strengthen and mobilise the feet, ankles, calves, hamstrings, glutes and quadriceps.

Start in mountain pose and on an inhale lift up onto your tiptoes. As you exhale slowly bend your knees and lower your hips down, keeping your heels lifted. Inhale to lift your hips, straighten your legs and lower your heels. Only lower as far as feels right for you – eventually you can make this movement stronger by lowering your hips all the way down towards your heels. You can use a chair to support and stabilise your balance if you like. Repeat this 5 times.

STANDING CROSS CRAWL:

Target: To improve proprioception (an understanding of where your body is in space), co-ordination and balance through fluid movement.

Start in mountain pose. Gently engage the lower abdominal muscles, feel them cinching in around the waist. Lengthen up through the crown of the head. Inhale lift your right leg and your left arm up overhead. Exhale lower down. Then switch sides, lifting the left leg and right arm up. Continue for 30-60 seconds. Move as slowly and as controlled as possible and don’t forget to breathe!

TREE POSE:

Target: To improve balance in a static one-legged position. This pose strengthens and builds endurance and stamina in the muscles and joints of the legs and hips.

Standing tall place your left foot onto the inner ankle, calf or thigh of your right leg. Make sure the foot is placed above or below the knee rather than directly on the side of the knee.  Keep the hips and toes of your standing foot pointing forwards, as you widen the right thigh to the right by squeezing the buttock muscles gently.  Find one point of focus to gaze at for greater balance and stability. Firm the muscles of your legs and outer hips in, lift tall through the sides of the waist and extend the crown of the head to the sky. Hands can rest on your hips, in prayer at the chest or reach them skywards.

To make this pose more challenging for the muscles of the feet, ankles and hips, you can stand on a soft surface such as a rolled blanket or spongy yoga block. To test your balance and proprioception still further you could explore closing the eyes! Hold for 5 slow, relaxed breaths and then switch sides.

Thanks to Tummee for the images! Please use the following link to access a printable copy: https://www.tummee.com/yoga-sequence/Tz5z5
in Balance / Goals / Strength / Yoga Sequence / Yoga Therapy 0 comments