This discussion group is for questions about Yin Yoga and other body parts, such as shoulders, feet, wrists, etc.... Also, this is the place to discuss various conditions such as arthritis, osteoporosis, etc.
Having torn my hamstrings through running and horse accident. I have enormous amount of scar tissue. Making any forward bend painful in the hamstrings and sacrum. I am assuming yin yoga would be perfect for breaking down the scar tissue in the hamstring? Or am I totally wrong.
I am finding Iyengar yoga (pulling in of the thigh muscle) during forward bend has helped a lot. Would love to know your thoughts on yin and scar tissue in a hamstring.
Have your hamstrings healed? If not, please let them heal before you try to work that area more deeply. Once they have healed, now the real work begins. You talk about scar tissue: that is tough stuff to work through. Scar tissue contains a lot of collagen fibers, which is what gives scar tissue their inflexibility. To break it down requires a lot of manipulation, and discomfort.
Normally in yoga, we caution against going to a point of pain. Pain is normally a sign that you are about to tear or destroy tissue; that's why it hurts! However, physiotherapists are licensed to hurt - they have to, in order to break down scar tissue. They get right in there and, with manipulations and massage, break down the scar tissues to loosen up and bring mobility back to the area.
I have found, in my own practice, that Yin Yoga will lengthen the hamstrings. Often what keeps us tight is not just the muscle, but the connective tissue around the muscle and the fascia within the muscle itself. These other tissues respond well to a yin style of exercise. Butterfly folllowed by Straddle folds and Caterpillar can really help, over a few months or a year, lengthen those stubborn hamstrings. The caution in your case is, are you working the hamstrings or the scar tissue?
While it may be okay, and even necessary to get to a point of pain, we don't want to hurt the hamstrings, only the scar tissue. Can you determine which is which? If not, I would suggest you stick to a trusted physiotherapists and let her figure it out for you. Don't guess, and just hope that the pain you are feeling is scar tissue breaking down and not your hamstrings. Know for sure.
Hi
Many thanks for this. These are old hamstring tears, with another ontop of it a year ago.
I have been to physio, had needling done and at the moment have needles in hamstring from accupuncuture. I dont know if I am stretching hamstring or scar tissue...good point. Tears were in the middle of the hamstring. Stretching I feel it at the instertion point of hamstring.
This is an ongoing battle for me. Will continue with yin and iyengar.
