About a month and a half ago, I pulled my hamstring in hanuman pose (full split) and learned that there are four levels of pulls. Mine is a level one. My goodness – what does level four feel like??!! During the first week, sitting for any length of time was agonizing and at times walking was more like a hop shuffle, but what to do? I spend a lot of time on my feet as a yoga teacher; furthermore, I spend a good deal of time in my car and had to pull off the road once or twice just to relieve the intense pressure on my hammy. I am astonished to see what gets discarded on roadside shoulders.
Week One: That first weekend after the pull, I attended a therapeutic yoga workshop. When I rolled the tennis ball on my hamstring I had to check to see whether there was glass in it – OUCH! In an instant I considered that I might need and benefit from professional help. But where do I go? A private person by nature, I decided to share my malady on Facebook. Instantly, well wishes poured forth and a dear soul from the yoga studio who is a chiropractor invited me to his office to have a look. Having never incurred a sports injury, my ram shod home treatment (ice, random elevation and Advil) instantly paled to his treatment and I became a believer in physical therapy. Not that I wasn’t confident before, but previous treatment years ago for injuries sustained in a car accident left me no better for the wear. During my visit, and I mean right on the spot, I began to feel relief from the discomfort and experienced an increase in my mobility; however, there was no way I could practice yoga.
Week Two: yoga practice not possible. Walking around while teaching was a little less difficult; however, demonstrating deep postures hurt. I began to ask students to demo for me - a technique I’ve seen my favorite yoga teachers employ; but I’d not yet begun to implement this regularly in my classes. Students happily obliged and I was extremely grateful for their enthusiasm. Sitting in the car was still painful.
Week Three: no yoga practice, but I began to spend a lot of time developing new class sequences that felt good in my body considering my new limitations. The creative nectar flowed and at home I moved slowly through these sequences on my own and they felt so good, I couldn’t wait to incorporate them in to my classes. These sequences made practice accessible for me which was crucial because some time during Week Three, my other hamstring began to act up. My assertion was that it was because I was compensating for the injury and not moving properly. The pain while sitting began to subside a little, and instead of it revving up each time I sat down, it began to happen after sitting 30 minutes every other time I rested my butt. I continued to demo modestly during my classes, but relied mostly on detailed alignment cues and student demos. The jingle of the car keys became slightly less ominous.
Week Four: I took a one hour all levels class with the encouragement of my teacher. It wasn’t easy, and when it came time for full wheel I had to come down to the floor. She encouraged me to rest when needed but to keep moving. A few days later I took a second class, and during the hamstring contracting backbend my hammy pain began to ease.
Week Five: another wonderful soul loaned me a foam roller and gave me the accompanying text. I had heard about foam rollers but didn’t believe in their acclaimed benefits. Now, each morning begins with breakfast followed by “the roller” and yes, I have begun to use it on my other leg, back and arms. YUMMY! Driving discomfort continued to ease.
Week Six: I can comfortably complete a 90 minute practice; which brings me current. I still foresee several more weeks of rehab and healing; forward folds and deep leg extensions are still uncomfortable. As I write this, I sit in the tire shop (it’s been 45 minutes) and I am leaning to one side. The drive home was uncomfortable I believe because the tire shop chairs are not suitable for lounging and blogging.
Through this period, I’ve gained an increased respect and appreciation for injuries and for total health. My knowledge of rehabilitation methods and the professionals who dispense them has broadened tremendously. My teaching tool belt includes a few new notches, my class library has expanded and I’ve learned that modifications include simply changing the way one moves in order to strengthen a weak area. Most importantly, by sharing with others my path to healing began. What unexpected lessons in awareness and no better teacher than my own body.
Oh hamstring how I love thee!
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