Friday Q&A: Physical Therapy for Hip Replacements

Q: It is good to know that even people who’ve had hip surgeries can still do yoga, although it may be limited on some poses. Can yoga be a form or alternative for physical therapy post-hip surgery as well?A: The short answer is no. Typically post operative physical therapy takes place in the home where the client is taught how to do basic activities of daily living while adhering to specific hip precautions like getting in and out of bed, up and down from the toilet, in and out of the shower, etc. The strict post op precautions (remember anterior...

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Comments About Commenting

by NinaSeveral months ago, people were complaining to me about the spam filters we had turned on for comments on our blog. Having to type the verification text in the CAPTCHA box was annoying, and sometimes it was hard to identify the letters in the box (I know, sometimes those letters get so smushed together they are impossible to read). This was discouraging people from leaving comments, even though they had important questions to ask or comments...

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Yoga for Better Sleep: Workshop and Tip

by NinaCairns by Nina ZolotowI don’t teach workshops very often, but when I do, I focus on topics I really care about. My upcoming workshop on Saturday April 6th, 2-5pm at Brentwood Yoga Center focuses on one of my favorite topics: Yoga for Better Sleep. (to register, go to http://brentwoodyogacenter.com/workshops ) This is topic is dear to my heart because, well, it’s something I have to practice myself on a regular basis. Even small amounts of...

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We Didn’t Mean to Scare You, Part 2: We Really Want to Inspire You!

by BaxterAnother View from 1/2 Mile Marker by Brad GibsonNina asked me to share my own thoughts on her post from last week, We Didn't Mean to Scare You, and I wanted to begin by saying how much I appreciated her common sense response to this writer’s dilemma. As many of you know by now, our purpose here at YFHA is to provide you with information and tools to assist you in practicing and teaching yoga as you age in healthy and beneficial ways.Now...

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Santosha: Happiness and Longevity

by RamChicken on Hawaii Beach by Brad GibsonIn the Sadhana Pada of the Yoga Sutras by Patanjali we are introduced to the eight rungs/limbs/steps of yoga whose practice helps us to develop attention as a tool to discriminate between ignorance and awareness and truth from illusion which is the means for liberation or enlightenment. The first two of these rungs or limbs are the yamas and niyamas that can be looked at as universal morality and...

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Friday Q&A: Yoga Nidra, Restorative Yoga, Meditation and Savasana

Q:  I recently started listening to Rod Stryker's Yoga Nidra CD. I shut my office door at lunch, lay out my mat and this week have finally made it through the short session without falling asleep. (I don't like writing "made it", as that sounds like a burden and it's not, it's wonderful). This started me wondering about the difference in the expected results between Yoga Nidra, the restorative yoga that I sometimes do at night, meditation (which I'm definitely a novice at), Savasana... I want to thank all of you for your efforts in sharing...

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The Power of Fact Checking: Timothy McCall on Elephant Journal

by NinaBuddha Waiting for Spring by Michele Macartney-FilgateJust a quick announcement today to let you know that Timothy has a very interesting post up now on Elephant Journal Does Yoga Kill?Recently Timothy wrote about yoga and strokes on our blog (see Will Yoga Cause a Stroke? Could It Prevent One?), covering the topic in general and how to practice yoga safely. In his Elephant Journal post, however, Timothy directly takes on New York Times science...

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When to Transition to a Gentler Practice, Part 2

by Nina"At ninety-three, he could still perform difficult asanas--including variations on the headstand many younger "masters" could not. When he was ninety-five, however, he fell and broke his hip. Because of the reputation of Krishnamacharya, several leading surgeons offered to operate—but he would have none of it. Instead, he rigged up pulleys and ropes by his bed and began to experiment with new Yogic techniques for his own rehabilitation. Within...

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When to Transition to a Gentler Yoga Practice

by BaxterMeadow, Forest, Fog, Sky by Brad GibsonThe question of when to transition to a gentler way of practice is one of those million dollar questions, right? When (and how) should we start changing our yoga practice? In fact, we recently received this very question from a reader:“Thank you for this wonderful blog. I am 60 years old and new to yoga. I come from 10 years of doing weight lifting. I also would like to know when to transition to...

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Range of Motion: Yoga's Got It Covered!

by Nina and ShariMoving the Shoulder JointsIn the spirit of trying to focus on the benefits of yoga practice (see We Didn't Mean to Scare You) and not just potential problems, I’ve asked Shari Ser to work with me on a series of posts about the special benefits of yoga asana practice. One of the special benefits of yoga asana practice that I’ve really come to appreciate in recent years is how helpful it is for maintaining and/or improving range of...

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Qualifications in fitness for Mauritians. By Vic Goyaram

Qualifications in Exercise and Nutrition for MauritiansResearched and composed by Vic GoyaramFitness qualificationsI decided to write this article after having received several queries from friends in Mauritius about fitness qualifications that they can obtain. To my knowledge there isn't any institution offering courses yet in Mauritius. I am sure there will be in the future given the growing interest in fitness education and the...

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Friday Q&A: Has Yoga Changed Your Life?

A: I wanted to share with you some feedback I received from one of my Yoga Journal Doctor's Orders blog readers about a post on yoga for musicians. With the permission of the author, here is the letter: “Dear Baxter,I wanted to write and thank you for the great article you wrote about musicians and yoga that was posted online at Yoga Journal.As a 53 year old musician (opera conductor since 1997, pianist since I was 4) my body certainly suffered its share of wear and tear. I’ve found most of my professional musician friends (classical and otherwise)...

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We Didn't Mean to Scare You!

by NinaView from 1/2 Mile Marker by Brad GibsonMany years ago—has it really been that long?—I was talking with Rodney Yee about yoga and safety. He was a bit fed up with the topic and impatiently blurted out something that I will never forget:“You can get hurt sitting at your desk!”It was so true, I had to laugh! Just think about it: physical injuries, from paper cuts to back problems and carpal tunnel syndrome, are common to desk sitters. And people...

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