Side Plank Pose Vastithasana Could Reduce Spinal Curves in People with Scoliosis!

by Nina

Side Plank Pose (photo "borrowed" from Wall Street Journal)

I’ve been hearing for some time that a single yoga pose, Side Plank pose (Vasithasana), is particularly beneficial for people with scoliosis (see Friday Q&A: Scoliosis). In my post Late-Onset Scoliosis is Common in Older Adults, I wrote about a New York Times article that said that late-onset scoliosis, a condition I have myself, is actually more prevalent in adults than it is in adolescents. The author of that article, Jane Brody, is not a regular yoga practitioner, but she described a “yoga exercise” that was recommended to her after she found out about her late-onset scoliosis.

"Determined to minimize further shrinkage and to avoid pain and nerve damage, I consulted a physiatrist who, after reviewing X-rays of my misshapen spine, said the muscles on my right side, where the spinal protrusion is, were overdeveloped relative to the left. He prescribed a yoga exercise — a side plank — to strengthen the muscles on the left and exert enough of a tug on my spine to keep it from protruding farther to the right. He suggested that the exercise might even straighten the curve somewhat. And I myself had the same pose, Side Plank pose (Vasithasana) recommended to me by my chiropractor (yes, I have a chiropractor for my scoliosis—I don’t believe that yoga is the answer to everything), so I have incorporated this wonderful strengthening pose into my regular yoga practice."

Now a recent scientific study, which was reported in the Wall Street Journal article Study: Doing the Side Plank Reduced Spinal Curving in Scoliosis Patients, found that for a small group of patients with scoliosis (21 women and four men, ages 14 to 85) practicing this one pose resulted in a curve reduction of almost 50 percent among teenage practitioners and 38 percent for adults. Yes, they studied just this single yoga pose!

"In this study, we assess the possible benefits of asymmetrical strengthening of truncal muscles on the convex side of the scoliotic curve through a single yoga pose, the side plank pose, in idiopathic and degenerative scoliosis."

For this particular study, they recommended that the participants do the pose on one side only, "with the convexity downward." For information on the original study, see Serial Case Reporting Yoga for Idiopathic and Degenerative Scoliosis.

While this study of Side Plank pose is—like so many other scientific studies of yoga—limited by the small number of participants being studied and the lack of control group, there is no question in our minds that this is an excellent strengthening pose. In his post Friday Q&A: Yoga for Surgically Repaired Scoliosis, Baxter mentioned Side Plank pose as one of the strengthening poses that he recommended for strengthening the muscles at the front, back, and sides of your body. Shari says the pose strengthens the serratus anterior, the obliques, the latisimus, quadratus the lumborum, the gluteus muscles, the fasciae latae, hamstrings, scapula stabilizers, teres minor and major, and then all the paraspinal muscle stabilizers. Wow that’s a lot of muscles! That's why we recommend this pose for anyone who wants to build upper body strength. And I’m betting that strengthening those paraspinal muscles (the muscles all along the spine) is particular beneficial for people with scoliosis.

So today seems like a good day to review our instructions for how to practice this pose. For people who don’t yet have the strength to do the pose on the floor, we provide the option of doing the pose with one hand on the wall. You can practice the wall version regularly until you build up the strength to do the floor version.

Side Plank Pose on the Floor

1. Start by taking Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana) pose.

1. From Downward-Facing Dog, swing your shoulders forward almost into Plank position while keeping your hips lifted.

3. Make your right arm stronger by contracting the muscles of the arm to the bone, and tip your heels to the right, bringing the outer edge of your right foot and the inner edge of your left foot to the floor, with your feet slightly apart.

4. Turn your chest away from the floor and bring your left hand onto your left hip. Since this takes a lot of strength, stay just few breaths at first, and gradually add more time with more practice.

5. To come out, swing back into Downward-Facing Dog pose

6.  Unless you are practicing on one side only as in the study, repeat the pose on the second side. Afterward, rest in Child’s pose a few breaths.

Side Plank Pose on the Wall 

1. Start with your right side to the wall. 

2. Reach your right arm out to your side, parallel with the floor, and place your palm on the wall with your fingers pointing up. Engage your right shoulder blade into your chest wall and down slightly towards your right waist.

3. Step both feet out away from the wall, until your right foot is positioned directly under your left shoulder.

4. If your balance is good, try bending your left knee and bringing your left foot into Tree pose (Vrksasana).

5. Take your left arm up and overhead, reaching strongly towards the wall with your left arm and shoulder blade, aligning it like the top arm in Extended Side Angle pose (Utthita Parsvakonasna). 

6. Unless you are practicing on one side only as in the study, repeat on the second side. 

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What Drug And Alcohol Counseling Could Do

By Christa Jarvis

There are times in life when you are not so good and you feel like there would be no hope for you to get better. And during times like these, you feel that your only relief would be taking substances that has the potential to ruin your entire life. But even if you already know that fact, you still continue.

This is just the common scenario especially if you are not able to control your urges. During these instances, you would surely need to undergo drug and alcohol counseling PA. And this should be coupled with the proper treatment and mindset as well. It would not work if only one facet is working. You should also find the need within yourself to get better, otherwise, you will just be wasting time and effort in everything.

Counseling is one of the steps that you have to take so that you can recover fully. You will have the option of staying in a facility and be with people who are recovering as well. But there are others who go to treatment but are not in the facility. This would also depend on the severity of the addiction.

Physically treating a person is not nearly an effective solution to ensure recovery. There are so many aspects that needed to be treated particularly the emotional and psychological aspect of a person. Since it roots from the habit if someone, the solution should also be focused there, hence the therapies of counseling.

Being in facilities have some of its perks. One of which is that you can be sure that the environment you are currently in is something that is safe and stable. This means that there would be no temptation of any sort. And staying away from things that can harm you again is one of the first steps you must take to recover.

One advantage when you are in a facility is the fact that you do not have to look elsewhere for support and guidance. There is more than one counselor and doctor who will help you get back on your feet again. And even if your time in the center is done, you should still stay in touch with your counselor just in case.

You are expected to attend lectures or classes regarding different things that are connected to the bad effects and impact that alcohol or drugs has on a person. It would be pretty extensive. This is so you will know the possible outcomes of continued usage. And another reason for having these lectures is so that you would find in yourself the strength and capacity to resist taking them.

If you are in the center where you would receive counseling, there is a huge percentage of possibilities that you will make life long friendships. You have to remember that you are among people who have the same experiences and struggles as you are. And because you are together for a better life, the bonds are likely stronger compared to others. You will receive the support that you require.

There is always the possibility of a relapse. This is when you go back to your old ways and become addicted to either drugs, alcohol or both. But with the constant assistance of the counselors and the center, it would be easier for you to get through everything eventually. And the possibility of a relapses are unlikely.

About the Author:

Get an overview of the benefits of consulting a drug and alcohol counseling PA professional and more information about an experienced therapist at http://www.findingsolutionspa.com now.