Practising Yoga with Injuries

“You practise Yoga? Oh well, you know what to do then: move when you want to move, stop if it hurts”. I had this response from two different doctors, consulting them recently about two different injuries — a mashed-up shoulder and a fractured foot — neither of them Yoga-related, I should say! I love that these healthcare professionals hold Yoga is such high esteem, valuing it as a way of learning to observe physical sensations in the body and how to respond wisely to those signals.

In my experience this is true. The physical practice has given me many hours during which to feel parts of my body as they move, to develop proprioception, and to begin to learn about my physical ‘edge’, that is the value and interest of exploring discomfort compared to the self-defeating nature of pushing into raw pain. All this has been really helpful in understanding how my body works — and how to manage when it doesn’t! Plus I have some great professional support in the form of two bodyworkers — one whose sensitive touch helps my body integrate the natural healing process and the other who works more functionally to lengthen and strengthen particular muscles.

So even during the most painful times of these injuries my physical practice never stopped, it just took on a different form, adapting to my needs: some days soft and nourishing, other days a bit more adventurous, exploring my capacity. I’ve been pretty creative with modifying poses, using props, moderating the speed and intensity of my movements, or simply resting in awareness. My practice has been evolving naturally in line with my healing because I’m not trying to get anywhere, other than moving my body in a way that feels beneficial. And actually, because I get to choose exactly how I move, my time on the mat is more liberating than everyday life — in Yoga practice there are no stairs to climb, no heavy doors to open, no challenge of how to carry a cup of coffee when both hands are needed for crutches!

But for me Yoga is not just asana practice, it’s more fundamentally a way of relating to myself and to the world, a mental and spiritual discipline as much as a physical one. The traditional Yoga texts are full of advice on how to negotiate suffering. Injury, vulnerability and pain offer some rich opportunities in this respect! I’ve needed to be humble and ask for help — and be able to receive it graciously (isvarapranidhana); I’ve learned to observe my doubts and fears about recovery without losing patience (viveka, vairagya); and I’ve taken care to enjoy what my body can still do, rather than craving the things it can’t currently manage (santosha, aparigraha). 

After more than a month of home practice only, the first time coming back to class felt rather daunting. But here too are those important Yoga relationships — a bit of reassurance from Alessandro and a reminder to look after myself, some friendly negotiating with my neighbours as I claim the back corner of the studio where I can use the wall as a support, and the general feeling of community as I see that within the framework of the class we’re all doing our own Yoga each time, in the best way we can. I realise Yoga is always available — if we allow it to be.

By Victoria

Photo credit Ania Ready, who encouraged me off my crutches long enough to enjoy making some shapes in the Autumn sunshine!