How At-Home Yoga Videos Changed My Life
My Back Pain Has Almost Disappeared and My Creativity and Confidence Have Increased Like Never Before
For the last 15 years, I’ve suffered from horrible neck, shoulder, and upper back pain. I used to lay on my stomach on the couch with bags of ice placed on my back, hoping to numb the pain.
When I lived in Moab, Utah in the mid-2000s, my parents came to visit. The day I tried to show them around, I could barely walk because my back muscles would spasm every few minutes. Talking was almost impossible because the spasms took my breath away. My step-dad joked that I was walking around like an old lady. I was in my late 20s at the time.
Fast-forward to 2016 I called in late to work one day, saying I needed to go to the chiropractor. I picked the one that answered the phone at 7:30 on a Saturday morning. He told me the knot in my left shoulder was so tight it was pulling my ribs out of socket. He worked on my spine, used an ultrasound machine on my shoulder muscles, then sent me on my way. I never showed up to work that day because the pain was worse than before.
It took four [expensive] chiropractor visits to relieve the pain. I missed days of work and at least a couple meetings. I could barely drive because it was hard to turn my head.
On Inauguration Day 2016, my husband wanted me to help him load up a hand-me-down couch for our rental. There was no way that was happening because of my back pain, so I stayed home and watched Donald Trump become the 45th President of the United States.
In desperation, I texted a friend who promptly sent me a YouTube video that she used for her neck and shoulder pain. It was only ten minutes long. I watched the video, thought, “There’s no way I can do that right now,” but I decided to try it anyway.
That ten-minute yoga video didn’t cure the pain, but it relieved enough tension to allow me to sit on the couch without cringing.
The Last Straw It took a couple more years for me to realize that to stay pain-free, I needed a consistent yoga routine. Like many people, I would wait for the pain to come back before I did something to fix it. By then it was too late and it would take days, if not longer, for the knot to work its way out of my back.
On December 31, 2019, I decided enough was enough. I was sitting at work at my computer with what felt like a knife sticking out of my shoulder. The pain was sharp and persistent. It was not going away on its own.
My supervisor’s husband came into the office to grab something and I started talking to him, complaining about the pain. He said the absolute worst thing I could be doing right then was sitting at my computer; he was no stranger to back pain.
Yoga With Adriene I got away from my office computer and once I was home; I tried another yoga video. That got me through the next day at work and I decided to try a 30-day yoga series from Yoga With Adriene on YouTube.
Every January, Adriene provides a 30-day at-home yoga practice that’s meant for beginners. The videos are posted daily and can be anywhere from 15 to 50 minutes long. They are mean to tone and strengthen the muscles and there is no special equipment required. Sometimes Adriene will ask participants to bring a pillow, a towel, or even a book (to be used in place of a yoga block).
I was determined to keep up and do these videos every day after work, even on my days off. This year’s series was called “Home,” and the theme was to “welcome yourself home.”
After a few days, it was easy to keep this commitment to myself. Adriene comes across as sincere and practical, but she is not afraid to ask participants to challenge ourselves to meet our “appropriate edge,” and, above all, “don’t forget to breathe.”
These videos, even those specifically designed for neck or back pain, are a full body experience. They combine breath, movement, and even meditation. Affirmations such as “I am strong” and “I am brave,” are often part of the practice.
Conclusion I wish I’d found at-home yoga videos years ago.
This full body yoga practice strengthens muscles that get tense and painful because they are weak. I learned that every muscle in the body is connected, so even stretching and strengthening hip and lower back muscles can help our neck and upper back muscles.
After the 30-day “Home” practice in January, I noticed several positive changes in myself. I had the gift of a full 30 days without pain. I was also surprisingly focused, productive, and more confident than I’ve been in years.
In February I found myself in a work environment that I normally would have found stressful or even uncomfortable. I was able to remind myself to just breathe, which increased my focus on the present moment.
This focus on the present moment gave me the creativity and confidence that I needed in that work environment, and it has carried me at least this far into 2020.