What positions are good for Th7 and Th8?

There are often many questions about Yin Yoga and specific spinal conditions. Feel free to ask your question here, or check out other posts or contribute input from your own experience.
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Morris
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue May 31, 2011 3:18 am
Location: Sweden

What positions are good for Th7 and Th8?

Post by Morris »

One of my students Th 7 and Th8 are effecting her spine marrow. It sort of bends inwards.
What positions would you recomend her to do in order to relive the pain from this?

Love
Maria
Bernie
Posts: 1293
Joined: Sat Sep 23, 2006 2:25 am
Location: Vancouver

Targeting specific vertebrae

Post by Bernie »

I am sorry to hear about your student's problem. It is difficult to do yoga or anything else while in pain.

You are asking what poses may help your student and that is a difficult question to answer. Has she seen a physiotherapist? Someone who can work directly with her will be in a much better position to test out ideas and see how she responds. It is not so easy to do this remotely.

The rib cage and the associated thoracic vertebra are a cage: they don't move too much, except in twists. Because this is all one cage, it is very difficult to isolate just vertebral joint, so you have to target the whole thoracic spine to get at T7 and T8. Here are a few suggestions that she should experiment with, and if it makes her pain worse, obviously she should stop and go see a professional. (She should note the feelings not only while in the poses but also for the next 24 hours after her practice too.)

Anahatasana - will work the upper back in extension.
Caterpillar - moves the spine in flexion: it doesn't target the upper back too much, but it may be enough for her. If she can tolerate more flexion, she may try Snail because this does get into the upper back more, but it is a very deep pose and may be too much for her.
Bananasana - a lateral flexion of the spine.
Reclining Twists - these will twist the spine which may give her some relief.

You can find the descriptions for these by clicking the Asana tab on the left.

Have her gently try these four and see if they help.
Good luck
Bernie
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