DailyOM: Why did you choose to create a course for people with back issues?
Sadie: I have a very personal relationship with this topic. When I was younger, I sustained a severe spinal injury that caused me terrible low back, sacrum, and sciatic pain for decades. It wrecked my quality of life for so many years. There were days I could not get out of bed, and others where I would have to leave meetings or parties because my back would give out and I could not stand. I didn't understand why all the yoga, exercise, and stretching that was supposed to help me get stronger was actually making my back issues worse!
So, I embarked on a journey deep into anatomy nerd land, and over the past decade I have gathered the best of the science, research, and techniques that actually work to relieve back pain. And then I created a course for anyone who needs the relief I now enjoy. Because of my own experience I have great empathy for people enduring this type of discomfort from day to day, so if there is anything I can do to help others who may be going through something similar, I feel it is my responsibility to do it!
DailyOM: What do you mean by "anatomy nerd land"?
Sadie: Great question! Since I was not finding answers that worked in yoga or fitness classes, and my doctors kept telling me to "stretch out" my back but that would only hurt more, I decided to take matters into my own hands. That started my journey of studying anatomy, exercise, and pain relief techniques, which was 15 years ago and I am still studying.
I began at The Breathing Project in New York City, where the yoga anatomy authors held educational semesters and were certified there. These days, I received my physiological certifications from university medical centers and exercise physiology departments like Harvard and Stanford. So yeah, super anatomy nerd. But staying on top of the latest research has helped me design programs for people that I know will work, and give them the best chance at making a real and positive difference in their daily lives.
DailyOM: What have you learned along the way about back pain that surprised you?
Sadie: One of the most shocking things I discovered in all my research is how ineffective regular stretching can be when dealing with back pain. I am talking about what is known as static stretching, or holding a stretch for 30 seconds or more. It is the kind of stretching we usually see in a yoga class, or that is often prescribed to people with back pain.
If your bones are already misaligned, compressed, or your muscles are tight, then pulling on those same muscles a lot is only going to increase the pressure, misalignments, and inflammation. This is why all the stretching in the world still made me feel awful.
DailyOM: So, what should people with back issues do instead?
Sadie: There is a growing body of research that points to dynamic stretching or warmups and somatic stretching as more effective modalities to improve pain caused or exacerbated by muscle tension. Dynamic stretching happens when you move while you stretch. Stand in a wide stance and lean from side to side, bending one knee, then the other. This is a better way to gain flexibility in your inner thighs and knee and hip joints than sitting on the floor, legs wide, folding forward for 3 minutes. Dynamic warmups are a great way to achieve this new range of motion.
In my course we always start with a few moves to warm and relax the area we focus on. Then we move on to the next step, somatic stretching. Somatic stretching is not really a muscle stretch at all, but rather a muscle release. I call them "stretches" so people immediately understand what the desired outcome is: open muscles that let the joints move better. But the path to that destination is much different, and gentler than regular stretching.
DailyOM: Okay, this is intriguing. Tell us more about somatic stretching and how it's different from traditional stretching.
Sadie: Sure! To see why somatic stretches, which are not stretches in the traditional sense, get us to a relaxed muscle state, it is helpful to learn how stretching works in general. I will simplify some pretty complex information here, since what you really need to know is this:
When people lean into a static stretch, they feel that stretch sensation in the back leg muscles and knee, hip, sacrum, and low back joints.
For example, a seated forward bend with legs straight out on the floor is likely to cause a reaction going from the muscles to the central nervous system that tells the body it needs to protect itself from over-stretching. This is called your stretch reflex. The muscle will tighten and not release fully, which can pull on the bones and joints all along the muscle line, causing compression and pain. For someone with back issues, forward bending too far into a static stretch can cause more problems over time.
Somatic stretching is really release work. Through specific gentle movements, progressive relaxation, and timed periods of attention, you can disrupt the old tension gamma loop. You actually communicate with and retrain your brain to keep your muscles relaxed and ready instead of tight and overactive. And no lesson is longer than 7 minutes total, yet students report to me that they are experiencing greater flexibility and more pain relief than they have had in years. They think it is some kind of magic, but it is simply science.
DailyOM: Is this the only way you manage your back pain these days?
Sadie: These sessions are exactly what I do anytime I feel muscle tension patterns or any pain caused by over-activity creeping back in. Because of them, I can do vigorous exercise, like strong yoga, high intensity interval training, and even ride my bike at a high cardio level every other day. However, as we yoga teachers know, and the medical community is realizing, pain does not usually involve only one level. Living a pain-less life means dedicating to a pain-less lifestyle.
My workspace is built to keep me in good posture, and I will get up and walk around every 20 minutes to avoid compression. I make sure to exercise for 20-30 minutes, usually yoga, cardio, or light weights resistance, which has made a huge difference in my strength and stability. I clarify and work toward my creative goals and make sure I visit the ocean with friends a couple times a week.
When it comes to cultivating more freedom from back pain, stress, and limitation in general, everyone is different in their abilities and the choices available to them. But I firmly believe there are possibilities for more health and freedom from pain that anyone can move toward. That's why I have built into this course not only a focus on how we move the body, but also specific journal, reflection, and meditation exercises that each person can use to get clear and more empowered to build a healing lifestyle in their own unique ways.
DailyOM: Thank you, Sadie! Experiencing the debilitating effects of back pain and then healing and recovering from it is very empowering. She shares that empowerment with you in this course, so that by the end of it you can move, enjoy, and live fully. Until next time, be well.
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