Sincerely,

Janet Carscadden PT

janet@evolutionvt.com

Department of Rehabilitation and Movement Science

Dr. Sharon M. Henry R01 “Mechanisms of Specific Trunk Exercises in Low Back Pain”

Are you between 21-55 years old and suffer from chronic, low back pain?

You may be eligible to participate in a research study, conducted by the University of Vermont, that includes the following benefits:

- Pre and post-treatment testing sessions at the UVM Human Motion Analysis Lab (includes a free physical therapy evaluation)

- 6 physical therapy treatment sessions with a physical therapist at no charge to you or your health insurance

- $100 total compensation upon completion of study

The purpose of this study is to examine whether or not matching treatment to your specific symptoms is better at decreasing your pain and increasing your function than a non-specific strengthening/conditioning program.

This study is being conducted by Dr. Sharon M. Henry, Professor and Associate Dean of Research at the University of Vermont, College of Nursing and Health Sciences.

For more information or to sign-up, please call 802-656-1478, or e mail HLBPS@uvm.edu

What does this have to do with yoga?

To me, yoga is the “anti-run.”  And I don’t mean, that it’s everything running isn’t, because there are many similarities.  But yoga does for me many things running doesn’t.  And yoga un-does for me many things running does.  Running is repetitive.  Marathon running is VERY repetitive.  Yoga moves the body in all different directions.  Yoga restores mobility, balance and stability.  Yoga grounds the mind to be present in the here and now.  Running, well, anyone who’s run a marathon knows that the last thing you need at mile 23 is to be aware – acutely aware – of where you are and what you’re doing.  Denial and escape – now that’s more like it.

But together, running and yoga make a good team.  Yoga can be a vital asset to a marathon training program – to “un-do” the repetitive motions.  To improve strength, balance, breathing and mindfulness.    And running brings time for exploring the outside world and letting the mind wander to all reaches.

-Alison Aiken, PT & evolution Yoga Teacher

Continuity gives us roots; change gives us branches, letting us stretch and grow and reach new heights.  ~Pauline R. Kezer

I didn’t know I either wanted or needed change.  That is, until it offered itself.  And, often, it isn’t until we make a change, that we realize how much it was needed.  This is true in many facets of life.  If we sit with poor posture, it often isn’t until we stand up from that position that we realize it may not have been an ideal way to sit.  I do this quite often.  I have a habit of sitting in a chair with one leg tucked underneath me.  It’s quite comfortable.  Until I stand, realize my foot has gone numb, and any weight put through it causing pain to shoot through my leg.  Oops.

When I heard Janet was looking for a physical therapist to join her at evolution my heart jumped.  I ran into the kitchen to share this news with my husband.  “Great!” he said.  He never posed the statement that everyone else did, “I thought you liked your job.”  I did like my job.  But here was an opportunity to change.  To grow.  To stretch and reach new heights.  The continuity of my past 12 years as a physical therapist has given me the roots, the foundation, for my work.  evolution has offered opportunity to teach more yoga classes, to connect with this community, to grow.

I’m looking forward to growing here.  To incorporating yoga even more into my physical therapy practice.  To continuing to teach  “Yoga for a Healthy Back” but also teaching a community class.  To working with yogis and also introducing new people to the practice of yoga.  So whether you have an injury and need a physical therapist who will understand your active lifestyle, you want to learn ways to use yoga to decrease back pain, or you just want to come to an easy to moderately paced yoga class, I’ll see you here, at evolution.

Peace,
Alison

Practice of the Month:
Salamba Sarvangasana- Shoulderstand

Feel energy pulling the legs upward as the weight of the pelvis is evenly balanced on the shoulders, head and elbows.  You are balancing in shoulderstand.
Sometimes called “the Queen of all Poses,” shoulderstand rejuvenates the body by supplying fresh, oxygenated blood to the thyroid gland and stimulating the kidneys.  It is a quieting pose – bringing peace and focus to a tired, listless body and mind.

Janet Carscadden, PT, Cert MDT- Evolution PT Corner:

Shoulder stand is one of those poses that people with pain often fear.  Ideally in shoulder stand there is little pressure through your neck.  If you experience neck pain, the thought of bending your neck fully forward can be daunting.  People with recent onset of neck pain from disc injuries or whiplash may do well to avoid full shoulder stand as your neck heals.  However, you can still experience the benefits of inversion with legs up the wall, legs on a chair or supported shoulder stand with your hips elevated on a block or bolster.  Over time you can work out the tension in the back of your neck through seated forward bends of your head with overpressure applied with your hands.  Take it slow and eventually the back of your neck will open up. For those with particularly prominent bones on the back of your neck (spinous processes),  place a folded blanket under the top of your shoulders with your head and neck resting on your mat, then press up into sarvangasana.  Your neck will now be free from compression on the floor.   Ask your teacher to show you this variation in your next class and see how it feels.

Shanti,
Janet

I am pleased to welcome Alison Aiken PT as the newest addition to the evolution family.  I first met Alison in 2001 when we both worked at Fletcher Allen Health Care.  Alison was a graduate of the class of 1998 UVM Physical Therapy program.  We both shared a passion for yoga and found ourselves integrating yoga into our client’s treatment programs.

In 2005 Alison completed a yoga teacher training program with the Yoga Institute. Soon after, Alison and I collaborated to put together a yoga program for people with back pain at the Spine Institute of New England.  She has been teaching this program since 2006.  Alison continues to combine her knowledge of yoga and physical therapy into an integrated, holistic health care model.

Alison is a distance runner and rock climber who understands the importance of fitness, nutrition and a healthy lifestyle, and she has given lectures on the importance of exercise for patients with cardiac disease and Diabetes.

Alison will begin accepting new physical therapy clients April 8th and will be teaching the next session of Yoga For a Healthy Back starting April 20th.  Please join me in welcoming Alison to the evolution community.

- Janet

Evolution Yoga focuses on Eka Pada Dhanurasana (Single Foot/Leg Bow Pose) this month. Eka Pada Dhanurasana pose strengthens the core and spine, opens the hips, chest, and shoulders,  and invites heat, energy, and joy.

Evolution P.T. Corner:

Figure 1

Figure 2

Here’s some advice from our Physical Therapist, Janet Carsadden about this pose:

Our pose of the month Eka Pada Dhanurasana is both a chest opener and stretches the front of your hip and thigh.

Tightness in the front of the hip is a common issue with many yogis. Classes are often taught with far more  forward bending poses, that stretch the back of the leg, than back ward bending, that stretches the front of the hip and leg.  We westerners also spend so much of our day sitting that the front of the hip is constantly bent.  The result is tight hip flexors.

Too much tightness can cause strain to our back. When your psoas and iliacus muscles are short they draw your low back and pelvis forward into a sway back, while your hip stays bent.

I often see students in a lunge pose, or lunge while grasping the foot, where the front of the thigh is being stretched, but the front of the hip is not being lengthening, due to incorrect technique (see figure 1).

A simple solution is to draw in your abdomen to reduce the arch in the low back and push the back hip forward (see figure 2).  You should now feel a strong stretch in both the front of the hip and the thigh. This is a great preparatory stretch for our pose of the month.

Try playing with this pose and see if you can feel both parts of the stretch. Then try the same technique of drawing the belly in and pushing the hip forward in Eka Pada Dhanurasana

Shanti,
Janet

Do you have low back pain and wish to return to yoga practice or explore yoga as a method of managing your back pain?

In this workshop you will learn basic lumbar spine anatomy, yoga principles and modification of poses for their diagnosis.

We will also practice breathing exercises, stretches, core strengthening, flowing poses and relaxation exercises.

Yoga for a Healthy Back is taught by Janet Carscadden PT, a licensed physical therapist and certified yoga instructor, who founded and owns Evolution Yoga and Physical Therapy and specializes in the treatment of low back pain. Click here to read more about Janet
Sunday, November 8
2-4 pm
$30

Register

Join Janet Carscadden for a short yoga sequence of movement, postures, and breath. This video will give you a taste of how class with Janet feels and some yoga to try at home.