quelix

I tried yoga as a 'last resort' to debilitating back pain - I had two lumbar discs so degenerated that they were paper thin. I was in so much agony that my only alternative was surgery and I was only in my mid-30s. I felt ready for a wheelchair! With the benefit of patience and brilliant, caring, knowledgeable teachers, I was able to increase my range of motion, the variety of asanas (poses) I could attempt and my stamina. Lo and behold my lower back pain began to dissipate until it became almost non-existent. One of the happiest days of my life was when I was able to do a full backbend (in my early 40s) - something I would only have cringed at the thought of a few years earlier.

The key, however, is consistency and also using yoga as one part of a holistic system for health: a good diet, stress reduction, a loving and caring environment, mental stimulation - I believe that all these were factors too in my recovery. I went on to become a certified yoga teacher and eventually return to school for my Master's degree in Integrative Health - which I'm currently pursuing at age 45! And it all started with back pain... a blessing in disguise!