Ask A Yoga Therapist

Do you have any information about fibromyalgia and how to deal with the constant discomfort it causes? I use your dvds for hips,knees and back every week…..cannot get along without. ~ J.R.

I need some advice about the SHOULD NOT Do’s for a person in treatment for pelvic floor physio. I am working with a health care professional couple privately. They have a new baby (6 months)….

I have a prospective student with these two issues. I had an email from a prospective yogi who wants to attend my seniors class because he has the following issues: chronic back disc degeneration neuropathy cannot sit cross legged or legs straight due to muscular and nerve pain

My Dad has lost muscle strength and muscle In his legs and keeps falling over (he is only 65). He has been losing strength for probably 4 years but he had been told by his GP it was probably his back (he has had trouble from his 20s)….

Could you share any insight or support that has given relieve and/or improvement for individuals with arthritis in hands?

I have a student with a DBS device, An electronic brain stimulating device for Parkinsons, and wanted to make sure I was not leading poses that might be dangerous for him. I can not find any resource on the internet about doing yoga or Tai Qi after the surgery. Do you have any advice?

I have a student who was diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis about 35 years ago. She has had both wrists fused and reports that the pain in her hands is getting worse due to increased reliance on them. I want to offer her sequences that will help her strengthen her arms and hands without stressing the wrists or finger joints, and that will hopefully reduce the pain and stiffness she feels……

Have you taught Chair Yoga (with a standing part of class) to people with serious sight impairments or who are blind? I teach part-time at a nearby VA and we are going to integrate some students like this into my regular class. Most are over the age of 60 and several use walkers and scooters so they have mobility impairments too.

Do you have any experience and/or what advice do you have for working with people who have blood clots? I have a student who was just diagnosed with a blood clot in her calf….last month! She’s on coumadin now, but is there more I should know/watch out for/avoid?

For Osteoporosis? Is a Chair or Mat Yoga Class Better? How do we, as teachers, learn about all these conditions and know what type of Yoga poses will help or not? We get a lot of questions in our email box from teachers who want to ensure they are keeping their students safe in their Gentle, Senior and Chair Yoga classes.

I wondered if you had a limit in your classes or different classes according to health and activity level? Since moving to a new studio In the past 6 months my classes have really grown. This is a good thing but also concerns me.

Please recommend resources for yoga for post-hip replacement surgery students. I am not speaking of 6 months after surgery. I am speaking of upwards of 1-2 years.

I need some advice about the SHOULD NOT Do’s for a person in treatment for pelvic floor physio. I am working with a health care professional couple privately. They have a new baby (6 months)….

After my class yesterday, I was told that we should not be doing any knee lifts in class because most of the seniors hip flexors are tight to begin with and that we need to do more stretching of the hip flexors.

I have a prospective student with these two issues. I had an email from a prospective yogi who wants to attend my seniors class because he has the following issues: chronic back disc degeneration neuropathy cannot sit cross legged or legs straight due to muscular and nerve pain

I have an alignment question. When you teach the seated pigeon pose, and you say to keep the foot that is up, to keep it flexed to protect the knee joint – I am not sure I understand how that works exactly.

Do you think yoga instructors tend to have more SI problems? Since you see lots of body issues do you think yoga instructors tend to have more SI problems? Do you use chiropractors?

I have a senior client complaining about pain in what looks like the IT-band. What would recommend to get into that area? I was concerned to recommend rolling on a roller as that might be to intense. Also thinking we could do a set with a rubber bands (lying down) above the knee and pulling top leg away from the bottom (or do this standing – pulling left leg away from right – against a wall).

I had a client complain of foot cramping when doing some stretch poses in yoga of a cramping feeling in her feet. I have been told or read somewhere that dehydration and not enough potassium could be the culprits. Do you have any other insight or link to information I could learn more about this topic towards providing my client with something to consider learning or doing?

I have a client that appears to hyperextend her knee. I am working to support her being more aware and building up the strength in her quads and glutes. Is there anything else you would add?  

What is the triple hinge movements that John Conroy from Ireland talks about? Is this similar to ‘the curtsy’?

I had a client get cramps in her feet while doing gentle seniors mat yoga class. I was just wondering if you had any quick remedies should this happen again or what could have caused it. We were doing warrior 2 pose.

I had my husband do the “Tip Toe Tadasana Sequence” going up on tiptoe while standing and he found that difficult. I noted that his toes tip up rather than pressing into the mat when the heels come up. Even when I cued him to press his big toe pads into the mat..they still tipped up and he said he found that he was feeling like he was going to fall backwards.

Since I had my second daughter I’ve been having bladder/urinary issues, and after a lot of reading and doctors’ visits I’m starting to think that at least one source of my problem is with the pelvic floor muscles. The reading I’ve done advises against Kegel exercises for the symptoms I have, as the problem is likely due to pelvic muscle tightness rather than weakness.

What are some Cautionary Movements for Knee Replacements?

What are some Cautionary Movements for Hip Replacements?

I have a question concerning one of my students and I hope you can give me some advice. My student is in her late sixties and has suffered from leukemia. This was about 15 years ago. This has led to collapsed/compressed vertebrae. She has been practicing (gentle hatha) yoga with me for about 1,5 year without any problems…….

I have a prospective student with these two issues. I had an email from a prospective yogi who wants to attend my seniors class because he has the following issues: chronic back disc degeneration neuropathy cannot sit cross legged or legs straight due to muscular and nerve pain

Do you think yoga instructors tend to have more SI problems? Since you see lots of body issues do you think yoga instructors tend to have more SI problems? Do you use chiropractors?

I had a question from one of my students that stumped me? She continuously has a rib that pops out of place. The chiropractor is able to put it back in place. She is wondering if there is anything I could recommend that would allow her to strengthen this area to prevent this from happening?

Why are Warrior poses not necessarily easy or appropriate for students with SI Joint issues or low back pain or disc damage?

I am beginning a new gig soon for folks 60+. Very excited to share all I’ve learned from you! One student asked how yoga would work as she has stenosis and other disc issues.

Is it Safe for Seniors with Undiagnosed Osteoporosis to do Forward Bends?

For a herniated disc, modifications include forward pelvic tilt. It was my understanding that the pelvis should be rolled back to straighten the lumbar spine to alleviate pain in that area. Please clarify this for me.

I need suggestions for poses addressing sciatica for seniors who cannot get down on the floor and who cannot cross their legs. Figure 4 Pose is not an option AND they require walkers.

What is Lumbar Disc Damage and what Movements are Cautionary?

Is it Safe for a Student with Scoliosis to Twist?

I have a student with scoliosis and I want to know if the forward bending and side twisting movements that are in the Sun Salutation seated series  depicted in these photos are safe?

Which twists are best for SI joint pain?

Why forward fold between twists?

Do you have any experience and/or what advice do you have for working with people who have blood clots? I have a student who was just diagnosed with a blood clot in her calf….last month! She’s on coumadin now, but is there more I should know/watch out for/avoid?

A few of my seniors mentioned how painful and difficult it was for them to hold the yoga belt in certain poses, like stretching the legs from seated.  Do you know if there exists any kind of a softer, maybe thicker kind of belt for people with arthritis?

Can you help us with easy definitions/references for anatomical terms like posterior/anterior, adduction/abduction, flexion/extension and others? Is there a book or online resource? Also are there other references that you would recommend for anatomy??

I’m pursuing now a Chair-to-mat class. I’m looking for a technique to teach seniors/people to go from standing to the mat.

What brand are the articulated anatomical models Justine uses in her videos? I’ve looked at dozens of different ones online and haven’t found anything I like as well as the ones she uses, that show the muscles, nerves, etc. Do you have a source for those? (Yep, I know I’m talking about $$$.)

What would you recommend as best practices for self care for the yoga instructor?

When you are doing a lateral stretch to “help” the intercostals, shouldn’t you be inhaling as you bend? The bending is what stretches the ribs apart on that side, which is what the intercostals do when you inhale during diaphragmatic breathing.

I teach several chair yoga classes a week, two at the same senior center. I just received the opportunity to start a new class there, still using a chair but more like a regular yoga class but with the chair. I am looking for advice for a class name, maybe adaptive yoga? And also ideas for a brief description so that people understand what it entails.

Is stretching good for creating flexibility?

A few of my seniors mentioned how painful and difficult it was for them to hold the yoga belt in certain poses, like stretching the legs from seated.  Do you know if there exists any kind of a softer, maybe thicker kind of belt for people with arthritis?

I have a question concerning one of my students and I hope you can give me some advice. My student is in her late sixties and has suffered from leukemia. This was about 15 years ago. This has led to collapsed/compressed vertebrae. She has been practicing (gentle hatha) yoga with me for about 1,5 year without any problems…….

I have a student who is afraid to move due to a cervical disc herniation. I don’t want to hurt her! What precautions should I be taking?

Is there a reason that Chair Yoga doesn’t encourage using a strap to very gently warm up shoulders?

Could you share any insight or support that has given relieve and/or improvement for individuals with arthritis in hands?

I have a colleague that is dealing with Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (TOS). Her doctor has asked her to find someone who specializes on this condition. Just wonder if this is a condition that either of you have worked with? Please let me know if you have any recommendations.

In the last few weeks I have been having pain and a popping when bending the middle finger of the right hand. I mentioned it to my doctor and she said it was trigger finger. She told me to come back if it got worse. As I move through the day it gets less stiff and doesn’t get stuck.  

I found your classes on line and love them. But, I was wondering if in a stretch your joints pop, is that causing damage? Does that mean a stretch is gone too far? My shoulders pop all the time and I don’t want to make them worse.

What are the Guidelines for teaching Yoga to people with Rotator Cuff/Shoulder Issues?

I don’t quite understand where to place me hands when doing the SCM stretch. Is it the collar bone? What I should be feeling. Should I press firmly?

My right hand pinky and ring finger are often tingling likely due to desk work. The Head Neck Anatomy pdf page 11 ..scalenes…mentions that lateral neck stretches are beneficial. So in my case would leaning my head to the left with my right arm extended while I open and close my right hand help?