 |
|
 |
 |
| |
|
|
| |
| Asana Analysis: Sage Twist/Marichi III: How Physical Therapists Can Incorporate this Yoga Pose Into Practice |
 |
by Lisa B. Minn, PT - August 11, 2010
|
Twists are an important component of yoga. Twists are said to improve digestion, to increase blood flow to the vital organs and to help lubricate the joints of the spine. The traditional version of Marichi III, as pictured above is an advanced pose and requires much practice but there are easier variations that can provide many of the same benefits without compromising safety of the joints.
 Muscles Stretched: Abdominals, obliques, gluteus maximus and medius, pectorals, posterior deltoid, rhomboids, infraspinatus, teres minor.
Muscles Strengthened: Abdominals, obliques, spinal muscles (including multifidus), medial and lower trapezius, rhomboids.
Points of Body Awareness:
*Are you sitting upright? Be sure that you can lengthen through the spine before moving into the twist and while you hold the pose.
*Move from the ‘inside out’. Imagine the back of your navel guiding the rotation of the spine. This can help to facilitate proper action of the deepest layers of spinal muscles.
*Draw the back shoulder blade, (the same side as the bent leg) down and back. This is important whether you have the hands bound behind you or not.
*The breath will be somewhat restricted but you should still be able to breath slowly and deeply.
*Can you feel a subtle winding and unwinding of the spine in coordination with the breath? You may feel a slight lengthening on the inhalation and a deepening of the twist with the exhalation.
To Modify: Sitting up on a bolster, block or folded blankets is a must for anyone who is unable to sit up strait with one leg extended and the other fully bent. You can use a strap to connect the hands behind your back. The arms do not need to be bound behind your back. You can simply hook the opposite elbow around your bent knee and place the other hand on the ground behind you. You can also do a gentle variation that emphasizes spinal rotation by using a wall as pictured here:
PT Notes: I have often used yoga-style twists for patients with back pain. I typically introduce twists in the supine position (spinal rotation AROM or stretch) to ascertain a patient’s tolerance for spinal rotation. The next logical step is a simple seated twist, either seated in a chair or or sitting in a crossed leg position. This is the best way to introduce the concepts of active stabilization within the twist as well as training the patient to work from ‘the inside out’ in order to maximize contraction of the multifidi and other deep stabilizing muscles. The sage twist is a good choice once the patient has demonstrated full and painless spinal ROM and is ready to add hip ROM into the mix.
Lisa Minn is a licensed physical therapist and yoga enthusiast. She has been incorporating aspects of Yoga and Pilates into her physical therapy practice since 2001 and became a certified yoga instructor in 2004. Her experience ranges from working with athletes at West Point and Georgetown to instructing elderly and wheelchair-bound clients in the fundamentals of Hatha Yoga. Lisa has conducted several lectures and workshops across the US, as well as in Honduras and Peru, where she volunteered her services. She currently resides and practices in Northern California. This and other articles by Lisa can be found at The Pragmatic Yogi.
The viewpoint expressed in this article is the opinion of the author and is not necessarily the viewpoint of the owners or employees at Healthcare Staffing Innovations, LLC.
RECOMMEND THIS ARTICLE
You must be logged in
to recommend articles
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
|
