Sunday, March 9, 2008

Sternum in Supta Kurmasana

Ouch! My sternum is sore! I've been trying to make a strong effort to open the chest (drawing the shoulders down and back) in Supta Kurmasana, but the pain is getting worse, I'm thinking my ribcage may crack in half! Anyone else experience this?

My blog has turned into a request for advice lately, I guess that is because I'm encountering new frontiers in my practice that I hadn't reached before.

Thanks for all the comments on standing up from backbends...going to work on it and get back to you! :)

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I used to get this a lot. After surgery it came back and it was the first place I noticed I had a large degree of stiffness. It eventually goes away. To this day though I feel the need to "pop" my sternum... especially if I'm not practicing enough.

alfia said...

Hi, Elaina!

I too, was a neuroscience PhD student five years ago (I got my PhD since then). And I am passionate about astanga, too. I also went through a yoga tt program. Isn't it funny?
For me the problem in SK was not sternum, but a collar bone. It was hurting like hell. But then the pain disappeard, I did not even noticed when. Just let it heal a little, before going deep into SK. Tell your teacher not to give you deep adjustments for a week or so.

alfia said...

Hey, and you like Muse, too! Very interesting. Only I am 20 yearrs older :(

Elaina said...

Alfia,

That is really cool! I read your blog almost daily :) It's interesting that we have so much in common. What program did you attend/ what PI did you work with? If you don't mind me asking.

No frowny face after being older! You are wiser, more experienced, and I'm sure less antsy! :)

Thanks for the comment!

alfia said...

I went to George Washington University Neuroscience program and worked on the neurotrophic and gliotrophic effects of VEGF. After graduation, I got a postdoc position at NIH and started working in oncology for some reason. Did not like it too much, and now I am back in Neuroscience, studying pain, and roles of different NOSes in pain perception.
My current PI is an anesthesiologist, Dr. Zena Quezado. She is wonderful.

I missed a NS meeting this year; I have been attending them every year since 1998. It was a bummer, because I love San Diego.

I am so excited that I found your blog! :)

(I am not sure about the "wiser" part)

Elaina said...

Alfia,

That's fantastic! Oh how I wish I could be finished with grad school and working somewhere! :) I study ethanol-evoked dopamine release in the core and shell of the nucleus accumbens.

I hope we can both make it to NS next year, then we could meet up and practice! :)