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Discussion Forum: General Discussion: Medical Aspects:
New practitioner having pain

jm33990
New User

Apr 6, 2004, 4:26 AM

Post #1 of 3 (1946 views)
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New practitioner having pain	Can't Post

I started practicing yoga about three months ago. For the past six weeks I've noticed pain in my buttocks while sitting. At first it was occasional but now more frequent. The pain seems localized to the sitting bones on both sides although more pronounced on the right side.
I feel no pain during class in any position.
My gut feeling is that I've strained/torn the tendon that attaches the hamstring to the pelvic area. For me yoga seems to tax the hamstring area the most. Why this manifests itself only while sitting is a mystery to me.
I'm concerned and confused. Is it an injury or normal stiffness/tightness one should expect when starting yoga practice? Why do I not feel pain during class? Should I stop for a few weeks? Maybe I'm overdoing it. I attend two formal classes per week and also practice along with 5-6 classes shown on TV. The classes are in the evening and the tv programs in the morning (early). I also swim, spin & lift weights each twice a week. I've been doing these for years without problems. Yoga is what's new in the equation.
Has anyone else heard of problems with pain in the sitting bones only while sitting?
Any other suggestions?
I will appreciate any and all input. Thanks

Bryan Alexander
Enthusiast / Moderator

Apr 6, 2004, 5:24 AM

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Re: New practitioner having pain [In reply to]	Can't Post

First I would suggest talking to your yoga teacher about it. Among other things, the teacher can watch to see if you are executing postures in a way that will cause this pain. If that person has nothing to offer, ask to consult with your teacher's teacher.

Second I would ask how intense the pain is. It doesn't interfere with your yoga practice. Does it interfere with other activities besides sitting? Torn muscle is usually very debilitating. It doesn't really sound like you are very debilitated, although the fact that this pain is getting worse is a cause for concern. Sometimes yoga does challenge areas of our body that have sensations that are confusing. We can't quite make out at first whether it's pain we're feeling or just an unfamiliar stretch. So practice with caution.

That leads to my third thought. It seems that 3 months ago, you went from swimming, spinning and lifting twice a week, to doing those six workouts plus practicing yoga around seven times per week. In essence, you doubled the amount of time you spend challenging your body intensely. Is that right? I think that you have to look at whether you might have increased your activity level too quickly.

jm33990
New User

Apr 6, 2004, 6:41 AM

Post #3 of 3 (1938 views)
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Re: New practitioner having pain [In reply to]	Can't Post

Thanks Bryan - it's very helpful to hear another perspective.
I did speak with my teacher and the reply was no help. They thought it very odd that both sides were affected by the injury. I'll speak to my other teacher. Oddly, the two classes offered at my club have different teachers. Good or bad - I don't know??
The pain is not intense although it does progress to the point where I no longer want to remain seated and must get up or lay down. Your point about debilitation is well taken. Maybe it's not a tear but a form of bone bruise, etc. As I put more thought into the circumstances I do recall there is one posture that is uncomfortable to me in the area of my sitting bones and that is the following: sitting with legs spread wide a side bend torward each foot with on arm upward is very uncomfortable in the area of the sitting bones for me. Maybe I injured the bone during that pose and aggravate it continuously while seated. The pads provided are paper thin in class meaning I'm basically sitting directly on the wood floor. The pad I have at home is much thicker. I think I'll bring it with me from now on.
Your third point reinforces a concern I've always had about limits. I'm already hooked on yoga. It invigorates me and I don't like the idea of stopping or limiting my practice. But I will consider either limiting workouts or at least moving the early morning workouts to a later time when the body is more flexible. I'll experiment and see what happens.
Thanks again......

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