SYTAR 2017

Spacial Relations and Me

YOGACarolyn Belko, CIYT Practice@IyengarYogaNorthCounty.com 1

Empowerment through Yoga in Everyday Life for Youth with Scoliosis

This practicum identifies accessible yoga therapeutic techniques that may be applied both in the yoga practice room setting as well as in the home or school environment throughout the day. This practical approach will serve the following objectives:

1. to help the youth to feel well and confident with themselves and their condition 2. to help reduce anxieties, and 3. to provide application of yoga therapeutic techniques to address the scoliosis in

their every day lives.

Often young teens first learn about their scoliosis and are brought to yoga with the help of parents and health care professionals. The worries of the parents for the youth’s future health are often transferred to the youth. It has been my experience in working with pre-teens and teens with scoliosis that putting them at ease with their body and condition, all the while addressing it in a preventative way through empowerment, is the key.

Utthita Hasta Padasana in Doorway Utthita Hasta Padasana in Doorway—correct with feedback

SYTAR 2017

YOGACarolyn Belko, CIYT Practice@IyengarYogaNorthCounty.com 2

Empowerment through Yoga in Everyday Life for Youth with Scoliosis

Getting Started with Standing Asana

Utthita Hasta Padasana—with foot at wall

Establish stability and confidence one leg at a time.

Virabhadrasana II

Access the spine thru the feet and legs with wall.

Eye contact is a requirement.

Parsva Hasta Padasana—with back foot at wall

Establish stability and confidence one leg at a time.

SYTAR 2017

YOGACarolyn Belko, CIYT Practice@IyengarYogaNorthCounty.com 3

Empowerment through Yoga in Everyday Life for Youth with Scoliosis

Making Use of the World Around us to Align and Create Space

Tadasana on corner

Bring awareness to straighten spine and stand tall.

Ardha Uttanasana on kitchen counter

Spinal traction is created thanks to legs and side body extension.

Adjustments for traction and to guide ribs dorsal/opposite frontal for S or C curves.

Ardha Uttanasana on railing

Spinal traction is created thanks to legs and side body extension.

Adjustments for traction and to guide ribs dorsal/opposite frontal for S or C curves.

SYTAR 2017

YOGACarolyn Belko, CIYT Practice@IyengarYogaNorthCounty.com 4

Empowerment through Yoga in Everyday Life for Youth with Scoliosis

Blocked in to Uplift

Utthita Parsvakonasana

Reorientation of curve with arms.

Utthita Parsvakonasana

Lateral extension on short side thru arms

Utthita Trikonasana Utthita Trikonasana

When blocked in one: Gains access to both sides of spine evenly through both feet and legs. Strengthens the legs. Stabilizes the pelvic girdle and base of the spine.

SYTAR 2017

YOGACarolyn Belko, CIYT Practice@IyengarYogaNorthCounty.com 5

Empowerment through Yoga in Everyday Life for Youth with Scoliosis

Access Curve through Arms and Shoulder Girdle

Virabhadrasana 1

Learns to lift the trunk up evenly. Is sure collarbones are broad.

Virabhadrasana 1 facing wall

Connects shoulder blades to bring chest parallel to the wall through the use of arms. The wall provides a fulcrum to lift the trunk and the chest.

Virabhadrasana 1 adjustment

Adjustment for action of bottom edge of shoulder blade on side of curve.

SYTAR 2017

YOGACarolyn Belko, CIYT Practice@IyengarYogaNorthCounty.com 6

Empowerment through Yoga in Everyday Life for Youth with Scoliosis

Sitting in Chair as Asana

Chair Use 1

Lift chest. Shoulder blade action individual-ized through arms.

Chair use 2 with block for thighs

Press through feet and connect evenly with block to stabilize hips.

Bharadvajasana in chair

Lift and turn to remove fatigue and create space.

SYTAR 2017

YOGACarolyn Belko, CIYT Practice@IyengarYogaNorthCounty.com 7

Empowerment through Yoga in Everyday Life for Youth with Scoliosis

Back Bends Easy Peasy for Youth

Urdhva Dhanurasana

Develops strength and stability through legs, pelvic girdle, arms and shoulder girdle.

Urdhva Dhanurasana with wall for feet

Frontal spine extension brings freedom and courage. Feet at wall stabilizes pelvic girdle.

A chest opener makes one ready to move forward confidently.

Dhanurasana

Develops strength and stability through legs, pelvic girdle, arms and shoulder girdle.

SYTAR 2017

YOGACarolyn Belko, CIYT Practice@IyengarYogaNorthCounty.com 8

Empowerment through Yoga in Everyday Life for Youth with Scoliosis

Life with a Bolster Gives a Boost

Supta Baddha Konasana

Restorative asana revitalize and mold the trunk thanks to bolster and gravity.

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana

Play with bolster and couch the Yoga Student finds the asana on her own!

Chair Sarvangasana

Bolster provides space for neck. Connects hands with chair and moves the arms to make the shoulder blades even and lift the chest.Chair provides alignment in hips especially SI joint when feet are active.

Notes:Establishing eye contact is essential when working with youth. Not only for the purpose of communica-tion, but also to help awaken the lazy eye prevalent in scoliosis, aiding comprehension and alignment.

Forward extensions: lower back and hamstrings in youth are naturally short due to the growth process. Create space, strength and stability in standing, sitting, backbends, and twists first. Then, approach forward extensions with emphasis on frontal spine space before going forward.

The Yoga Student is 11 years old with S curve scolio-sis. Her repertoire of asana not shown here are numer-ous. She especially enjoys padmasana cycle and rope Sirsasana. She has shown remarkable improvement since starting eight months ago. Her curve is less pro-nounced, her posture has improved, her timidity has left. She continues to grow with strength, courage and vitality incorporating yoga in her life.