Discussion Forum: General Discussion: Medical Aspects: Tadasana and kidneys disturbance

Home : Discussion Forum

Discussion Forum: General Discussion: Medical Aspects:
Tadasana and kidneys disturbance

astakoume
Regular

May 3, 2003, 5:09 AM

Post #1 of 2 (2240 views)
Shortcut

Tadasana and kidneys disturbance	Can't Post

Hello there

I am 47 and have started yoga only three months ago: Two weeks sessions near a qualified Iyengar Yoga teacher and then back here in my country where there is no Yengar yoga teacher, I go on doing the asanas by myself based on my memory/notes/books/the internet. I feel confident enough to do so, due to a background of classical ballet and modern dance that has made me careful and more “aware” of my body. I mentioned classical ballet, because I feel that this (it’s main standing posture with not parallel but open feet) may have something to do with the problem I have:

When I do the Tadasana I sometimes have a kind of “pain”/ “disturbance” of my kidneys (I think it must be the kidneys and especially the right one). I feel that this happens to me either due to the strong (and maybe wrong way of) straightening my knees or is it the squeezing of the buttocks while trying to pound the heels on the ground? Anyway, once this “hitting” happens, I cannot exactly find what I am doing wrong and it keeps annoying me in all the standing postures. To relieve this disturbance I use forward bends and twists (they are all easy and comfortable for me), but then there are some days that this little disturbance (not yet a real pain ever) appears again after I have finished my yoga and stays there for the whole of the day.

Should I do the Tadasana with my feet/buttocks completely passive? (Then why do it)

Is there a danger of harming my kidneys?

Or, could that be a sign that I should go to a doctor and check my kidneys? (Although I never ever had any disturbance before and my health in general is in very good condition).

Thanks in advance

Krista

Bryan Alexander
Enthusiast / Moderator

May 7, 2003, 5:41 AM

Post #2 of 2 (2192 views)
Shortcut

Re: Tadasana and kidneys disturbance [In reply to]	Can't Post

Dear Krista,

I'm not sure what's going on with your kidneys, but I wanted to offer some thoughts.

In Tadasana, we keep our feet roughly parallel (rather than open) so that at the bottom of the spine, the leg structure stays out of the way of the sacrum, which we are to move down and in. If we open our feet and legs, the sacrum cannot descend.

If you are not used to this stance, I imagine that you are working very intensely with it. You use the words "pound" and "hit," which describe a lot of exertion. Your hips may be getting a great challenge, and tension may be creeping into the nearby muscles around your kidney area.

I don't mean to be giving you a conclusive prescription, but I would suggest practicing Tadasana with less intensity. Practice with your back against the wall to refine your alignment using mild muscular effort.

Your choices of working the legs are not limited to either working them strongly or not working them at all. There is a spectrum of intensity of exertion. Since there is a problem now, use minimal exertion to ensure that you do not create tension.

I doubt that you can harm your kidneys practicing this way.

Namaste.

Search for (options)