Yoga For A Healthy Back

“Yes, we can think something strange at first, but in the course of time the object of meditation will become you, or you will become that.”

– TKV Desikachar

Cambridge St. at former Youville Hospital

Goals of this class series will be to improve overall back health, increase range of joint mobility, improve breathing capacity, and promote relaxation. Coordination of movement and breath will be a main focus, and postures will be adaptable to each individual’s needs. Each class will include an intake discussion, a guided experiential practice followed by relaxation and breathing techniques (pranayama), and in some instances meditation.

The classes are suitable for adult (18 or over) beginners or experienced yoga practitioners who wish to improve or stabilize the health of their backs. Participants must be able to perform the yoga safely from a medical perspective. (Working privately is also an option.)

12 Weekly Classes

I will be on leave of absence from January 27 until I recovery from foot surgery. I anticipate that this will take about 2 months. Time, dates, and place for the next Healthy Back series to be determined.

Sandra Uyterhoeven is a certified KHYF Yoga Teacher (www.khyf.net) and certified yoga therapist who has been teaching yoga since 1995. She teaches yoga classes and practices yoga therapy privately.

Testimonials

“I studied yoga on and off for years, but stopped practicing altogether when a physical therapist told me that yoga might be bad for my back condition. I'm only in my mid-40's, but chronic problems with my lower back have limited my ability to bike and enjoy other outdoor activities. I missed doing those things and wished for a healthier back. I wondered if yoga might still be helpful&elips;if only I could find a knowledgeable and careful teacher. On the advice of a friend, I tried Sandra's yoga class. My back felt better immediately, and I loved the deep but gentle sequences of stretches. After several sessions my back now feels stronger and more limber than it has in years. Sandra is attentive and caring and very experienced. She has an incredible store of knowledge about the benefits of yoga postures and how to tailor them to each person's needs. Most of all she has a spiritual presence and light that lifts everyone who takes her class.”

– Betsy O.

“I participated in private sessions under the advice of my doctor. I injured myself in an auto accident in 1986. Since my initial injury I have consistently re-injured my left side. I have been to physical therapists and chiropractors and received temporary relief. The results I have experienced (from these Yoga sessions) have been 'life changing'. The chronic pain is no longer managing me. I know if I complete my yoga routine on a daily basis, I will never go back to those painful sleepless nights. I now have a quality of life that I dreamed of having.”

– Jill C.

“Before 2002, when I began to study yoga with Sandra Uyterhoeven, I suffered from three conditions: lower back pain brought on by prolonged standing, an infrequent but sharp pain due to a slightly herniated disc in my middle back, and occasional painful sciatica. After a year of classes with Sandra and my own personal yoga practice I no longer experienced the lower back pain. Also, the frequency of occurrence of the disk pain reduced to virtually zero. Similarly, the sciatica left for Florida and only comes back for a visit if I sit for a long time in an awkward position. Sandra is a perceptive, knowledgeable, and caring teacher whom I recommend without reservation”

– Peter Z.

Download the yoga for a healthy back personal history form (pdf).