Any yoga fans in the group?

[lynn]

Hi everyone,
I am an occupational therapist who works for the Yoga Warriors program (yogawarriors.com), which trains certified yoga teachers how to provide trauma-sensitive, therapeutic yoga to combat veterans. As I'm sure you know, many vets are returning home with limb amputations from IEDs, so we are frequently getting questions in our workshops about how to modify yoga classes for them, though our main focus & expertise is on PTSD. I greatly appreciate being allowed to join this group to ask this question of you: Do any of you do yoga, and if so, how have you adapted the practice, and do you have any advice for yoga instructors? I am greatly interested in any information you are willing to share. Thanks so much!

[allenuk]

Not orthodox yoga, Lynn, but I do practise Yoga Nidra. Somewhat less strenuous! Although I don't bother lying down in the correct position (the corpse) as it is SO awkward getting on the floor, then getting up again; I do the practice sitting in a chair.


Allen (bka) London

[snowyh]

I'm a high-level single-arm amputee.

I've joined yoga classes off & on for decades (mostly Hatha yoga), and most of the poses are no problem. Where I get into trouble is when I'm supposed to be on my hands and knees--OK so far--but then I have to do a leg lift. I keel over when I try the standard pose, so I go flat on my belly and do the leg lift from there. Another problem area is when the lower body is flat on the ground and the upper body is lifted on hands. I just lower the pose and use my one elbow for support, and that works OK. Poses like downward-facing-dog (both hands & feet on floor, knees & elbows straight) I do with one hand, but it nearly kills me. Other poses I just do as well as I can with the muscles I have left on that side--it's all about stretching, so if I can stretch something, I'll at least try.

Some poses I just sit out if I can't come up with a safe adaptation. Adaptations can be tricky because, though I may be able to do the pose with one hand, I'll be stressing different muscles than were intended with the original pose, so I have to be careful not to pull anything.

I have often thought how useful it would be to have a support that I could lean against during poses. It would have to be height-adjustable and cushioned, as my amputation area is sensitive to pressure. A cushioned foot stool might work. Hmm... I might have to try that sometime.

Helen