Note: I would not recommend this particular twist for a spine with scoliosis without the student understanding how to twist in a posture. Those with fusions should not twist. There is definitely a certain formula to follow in twisting within a spine with scoliosis. Additionally, I caution all readers to remain within their limits and adhere to the advice of their doctors. Never go into any posture for more than seven ujjayi breaths (maybe less) as a characteristic of scoliosis is spasming. Up to seven ujjayi breaths is best and highly recommended.
Aids in congestion, directs blood flow in the abdominal and spinal region, stretches/strengthens knees, ankles, and thighs. Stretches lungs, groin, spine, shoulders, and abdomen.
Twisting helps digestion by moving stool through the colon’s four main parts: the ascending colon, transverse colon, descending colon and sigmoid colon. While twisting is not going to cleanse the colon, it can help with digestive discomfort or constipation.
To keep the spine safe in twisting (both going into a twist and coming out of a twist), lengthen the spine on both side bodies and keep this lengthening active. It’s imperative not to relax in the twist – again, rather to keep both side bodies long. This will ensure that disks aren’t being compressed in the twisting action.
I personally love twists, all it’s benefits and how much of the anatomy and organs it stretches and makes more healthy – it’s one of those postures that make me feel more alive in the physical body and I realize this at the end of the class. However (sorry for being repetitive but this is really important), twists can be VERY injurious to the spine if not done lengthening both in, during and coming out of the posture.
Poor posture is oh so prevalent within society but especially becomes even more prevalent as we age. Shoulders tend to roll forward and walking in a slight hinged at the hips position is too common. All this affects the health of organs, the spine, digestion and lung capacity. The abdominals become toneless and irresilient (resulting in back pain may I add). This posture stretches the lungs (gaining more lung capacity), groin, spine, shoulder and abdomen (giving more abdominal tone).
Twisting to the right aids in constipation as it opens the ascending colon to get stool moving up and across the transverse colon. Twisting to the left aids in halting diarrhea and compresses the descending colon (descends down the left side) and gets things moving towards the sigmoid colon and on to elimination.
To keep your balance in this posture, hug both hips into the midline. The leg that’s back is always your “powerhouse” leg. Engage the inner upper thigh by drawing it up.
The front knee – pull the inner front knee forward (that will avoid the knee falling in which will make the knee cranky and also make the alignment of the tibia into the patella and femur into the patella be off. Instead of these two bones lining up properly within the joint of the knee, they will shift to opposite sides causing injury and pain to the joint, cartilage and tendons of the knee. Keeping this simple cueing in mind when in a bent knee posture such as this, will aid in knee health.
Hips are squared forward – the twist is at the waist. The shoulders are squared one on top of the other. I like to take the option of the top hand on the back body thoracic spine, to rotate that top shoulder back (aiding in squaring the shoulders upon each other). BUT DON’T FORCE THE TWIST!!! Keep the spine of the neck long while staring at the horizon.
Note: I would not recommend this particular twist for a spine with scoliosis without the student understanding how to twist in a posture. Those with fusions should not twist. There is definitely a certain formula to follow in twisting within a spine with scoliosis. Additionally, I caution all readers to remain within their limits and adhere to the advice of their doctors. Never go into any posture for more than seven ujjayi breaths (maybe less) as a characteristic of scoliosis is spasming. Up to seven ujjayi breaths is best and highly recommended.