Yoga and Scoliosis: A Journey to Health and Healing

by Marcia Monroe, Loren M. Fishman MD (Introduction), Marcia Monroe

Yoga and A Journey to Health and Healingis a deeply soothing form of moving meditation and a physical activity and is a safe way to rebuild strength, stamina, and flexibility and to address the spinal curvature of scoliosis without surgery. The book presents an evidence-based look at how this approach works. Dr. Fishman has been treating individuals with scoliosis with yoga for many years and has collected x-rays of his work, before and after, demonstrating actual lessening of the degree of curvature from the practice of Iyengar yoga. Yoga and A Journey to Health and Healing is a source of encouragement, knowledge, and healing for those who have scoliosis and need to treat it, but want to avoid braces and/or surgery. It briefly covers the history and treatment modalities of scoliosis and discusses the development of the spine in the embryo. Yoga and Scoliosis explores the complexities of the concept of alignment in the body, with the main part of the book showing how to address scoliosis utilizing Iyengar yoga. Four chapters give instruction in yoga asanas for scoliosis, and another chapter discusses yoga practice in daily living. The book includes a Foreword by B. K. S. Iyengar, the founder of Iyengar Yoga.

Genres: Nonfiction

272 pages, Paperback

First published August 9, 2011

Reviews

[raccoon reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book could use a little money spent on it to give it more... flair, pizazz, color pictures- you know. And some editing to clear up a few things. I'm sure some where in the thick beginning before the exercises she explained how to use the blocks, ropes, torture devices, and blankets she has strapped to her body. They're scary as hell! But she doesn't explain them in the exercises. I mean, where the hell do I even buy those blocks? Most people, like me, are going to open up to the exercise that doesn't look scary and go "okay..how do I..." and then realize they missed an important piece of info back where the blocks and blankets were explained. In one picture it says the exercise calls for all sorts of things, but in the first picture none of these things are present... further on in variations of the first one they are... but... this is the type of thing a good editor would catch and say you're overwhelming your audience and you should only explain the one pic. Also, she's using too many words. There needs to be simpler write ups. She obviously has a wealth of knowledge shes trying to impart through this book and I think that's fantastic. Just be prepared to spend a lot of time deciphering out how to do the exercises. A lot. Since this is a library book I'm going to photocopy a few exercises and send the book back! Otherwise I'd have to keep it forever to get through it.

So... less words, or better choice of slightly fewer words would be great.

But I'm so thankful for a book like this. I got diagnosed with Scoliosis this year after several years of problems that didn't add up. It took me being so bad off I couldn't walk to get a proper diagnosis but here I am, in my 30s... learning to deal with scoliosis. All my family muttered the same thing upon my diagnosis "Shouldn't they have caught that in school?" And all of my friends, well, none of them said anything. They just looked at me blankly, or changed the subject, or perhaps listened but offered no advice. Apparently everyone was either feeling guilty or uncomfortable enough to not want to help me deal. I was left utterly alone in trying to figure out how to deal with a late in life diagnosis of a disease that is caught in most children and dealt with then. Without books like Ms. Monroe's I'd be completely alone in trying to cope and learn to strengthen my back. Despite it's flaws I'm very grateful to have found this book and hope it will help me.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent specifics for scoliosis. Good general explanation followed by many variations. For use with a good yoga instructor or physical therapist, as the author recommends.

[Cheyenne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting book if you are a yoga teacher, or if you.re a practitioner with scoliosis. Precise and full of details. I sometimes wished i could ask questions about props placement.

[Delia · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book is useful for many people that have scoliosis and provides some explanations that are not or rarely heard in studio or gym. The tips on the last pages are useful for all people to understand the application of balanced and healthy habits. Supported with good alignment explanation. So that's why it is amazing.

[Dunrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Useful prose supporting the specific exercises. A nice complement to the DVD and workbooks I have worked with by. Elise Browning Miller.
My one complaint is that the photos in the Kindle edition are small and do not expand when zoomed. I wish I had purchased a print version.