March 17, 2025 • 19 mins
Your shoulder is one of the most mobile—and vulnerable—joints in your body, and the rotator cuff muscles play a crucial role in its stability. When a student is dealing with a rotator cuff injury, it can be challenging to know how to sequence a class that supports their healing while still offering a meaningful practice.
If you desire to understand and effectively address rotator cuff injuries, then a solid understanding of shoulder anatomy is essential.
The rotator cuff is comprised of four muscles—the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, and subscapularis—which work in concert to stabilize the shoulder joint and facilitate a wide range of motion.
In this episode, I’ll explain:
- the anatomy of the shoulder and rotator cuff,
- explore sequencing strategies to limit strain on these muscles, and
- discuss how to incorporate strengthening and restorative elements into a vinyasa flow class.
This conversation will give you the tools to confidently support your students with shoulder injuries. I'm excited for you to listen!
Click HERE to send me a text & let me know your thoughts on this episode!
YouTube: Yoga with Monica Bright
Freebie: Yoga Sequencing for Different Injuries
Let's connect:
- Check out my website: Enhanced Body
- Connect with me on Instagram
- Wanna work together? Book a Discovery Call
- Practice yoga in my online studio The Alliance (7-day free trial)
- Join my Newsletter for teachers below!
Want me to discuss a topic? Click HERE to submit it!
Become a supporter of the Essential Conversations for Yoga Teachers Podcast! Starting at $3/ month.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Monica (00:00):
Your shoulder is one of the most mobile and vulnerable
joints in your body, and therotator cuff plays a crucial
role in its stability.
But when a student is dealingwith a rotator cuff injury, it
can be challenging to know howto sequence a class that
supports their healing whilestill offering a meaningful
(00:21):
practice.
If you desire to understand.
and effectively address rotatorcuff injuries, then a solid
understanding of shoulderanatomy is essential.
The shoulder joint is a complexstructure involving the
articulation of the humerus,your upper arm bone, with the
(00:41):
scapula, your shoulder blade.
The rotator cuff is actuallycomprised of four muscles which
work in concert to stabilize theshoulder joint and facilitate a
wide range of motion.
In this episode, I'll explainthe anatomy of the shoulder and
rotator cuff, explore sequencingstrategies to limit strain on
(01:05):
these muscles, and discuss howto incorporate strengthening and
restorative elements into avinyasa flow class.
This conversation will give youthe tools to confidently support
your students with shoulderinjuries.
Welcome to the EssentialConversations for Yoga Teachers
podcast with me.
(01:27):
I'm Monica Bright, and I've beenteaching yoga and running my
yoga business for over a decade.
This is the podcast for you.
If you're a yoga teacher, you'relooking for support.
You love to be in conversationand you're a lifelong student.
In this podcast, I'll share withyou.
(01:47):
My life as a yoga teacher, thelessons I've learned, my process
for building my business andhelpful ideas, tools,
strategies, and systems I use,and you can use so that your
business thrives.
We'll cover a diverse range oftopics that will help you
(02:07):
whether you're just starting outor you've got years under your
belt and you want to dive deepand set yourself up for success.
I'm so glad you're here.
Listen, I don't take myself tooseriously, so expect to hear
some laughs along the way.
Now, let's do this.
Together.
(02:30):
Welcome back to the podcast.
I'm Monica and while I can sayI'm glad to be back in Chile,
Chicago, I also miss.
the fresh juices I had onretreat, as well as lounging by
the pool and listening to theocean crash on the shore all
night.
It made for some reallywonderful sleeping conditions.
(02:55):
While I was leading this lastretreat, I had a student with a
rotator cuff injury.
Do you know how common rotatorcuff tears are in yoga?
It's one of the most commoninjuries you'll see in students
that you teach.
So, having a thoroughunderstanding of what the injury
(03:15):
is, the anatomy of the shoulderjoint, and ways to sequence
around the injury is what we'lldive into.
Today, your shoulder is one ofthe most mobile and vulnerable
joints in your body.
And the rotator cuff musclesplay a crucial role in its
stability.
But when a student is dealingwith a rotator cuff injury, it
(03:38):
can be challenging to know howto sequence your class and
support their healing whilestill offering a meaningful
practice.
In this episode, I'll break downthe anatomy of the shoulder and
rotator cuff muscles, exploresequencing strategies to limit
strain on these muscles, anddiscuss how to incorporate
(04:00):
strengthening and restorativeelements into a Vinyasa flow
class.
This conversation will give youthe tools to competently support
your students with shoulderinjuries, namely rotator cuff
injuries.
Before we dive into sequencing,let's take a moment to
understand the anatomy of theshoulder and the rotator cuff.
(04:22):
The shoulder is a ball andsocket joint made up of three
bones, the humerus, the upperarm bone, the scapula, your
shoulder blade, and theclavicle, your collarbone.
What makes the shoulder sounique and so mobile is its
shallow socket, which allows fora wide range of motion, but
(04:46):
comes at a cost because theshoulder is also one of the most
unstable joints in your body.
That's where the rotator cuffmuscles come in.
The rotator cuff is a group offour muscles and their tendons
that stabilize the shoulderjoint.
These muscles are thesupraspinatus, the
(05:07):
infraspinatus, the teres minor,and the subscapularis.
These muscles work together tokeep the head of the humerus
centered in the socket,especially during overhead
movements or weight bearingposes.
When the rotator cuff isinjured, whether from overuse,
(05:29):
trauma, or degeneration, it canlead to pain, weakness, and
limited range of motion.
As movement teachers, it's ourjob to have the anatomy
understanding to either createsequences or modify them so that
we offer a practice that willprotect these vulnerable muscles
(05:50):
while still teaching a balancedpractice.
Students can either have amuscle tear or a tear in the
tendon.
So it's important that you askthem if they've been diagnosed
because recovery from tears ineach of those types of tissues
is different and varies inlength of time it takes to
(06:10):
recover.
Now that we understand theanatomy, let's talk about
sequencing strategies you canuse that can limit strain on the
rotator cuff for your injuredstudent.
First, try to avoid overheadmovements.
Poses like downward facing dogand chair pose with arms
(06:32):
overhead will likely not feelgood for students with rotator
cuff injuries.
You can easily offer armvariations or pose modification.
Chaturanga can place significantstrain on the rotator cuff,
especially if the student lacksstrength or stability and races
(06:54):
through the transition to upwardfacing dog and downward facing
dog.
This transition can beproblematic and potentially
cause further injury.
Modify the amount of loadbearing in these poses by cueing
students to lower their knees inboth plank and Chaturanga.
(07:15):
Limit weight bearing on thearms.
So poses like Plank, crow pose,or side plank can be too intense
for an injured rotator cuff.
Offer alternatives like tabletopor a squat balance with hands on
the thighs.
This way students can stillpractice balancing while they're
(07:39):
caring for their shoulder andnot bearing weight on it.
Focus on neutral shoulderpositions.
Encourage students to keep theirshoulders in a neutral position
instead of rounded forward orshrugged up.
Discuss shoulder shrugging inclasses while you teach poses
like Warrior II, Tadasana,Triangle, or even in seated
(08:04):
poses.
One of my favorite ways to teachstudents more awareness about
their bodies is to bring themforward.
out of alignment and then cuethem back into alignment.
I use the word alignment veryloosely here because you should
believe that it's different foreveryone, even shoulder
positioning.
(08:25):
I would cue students to roundtheir shoulders forward and
breathe and notice the qualityof their breath and then draw
their shoulders back, lift theribcage and notice the
difference in the quality oftheir breath.
You see how I cued to sit moreupright without cuing them to
broaden their collarbones ordraw their scapula, their
(08:49):
shoulder blades, down theirback, which can be confusing for
some students to do.
This also allows each student tocome into their own alignment
for their bodies as opposed totrying to fit in with the norm
or what a picture of the poselooks like.
Even if you're teaching avinyasa flow style class, you
(09:13):
can incorporate restorativeelements.
Use props like bolsters,blankets, and blocks to support
the shoulders or the arms inrestorative poses like Supported
child's pose or reclined boundangle pose with props underneath
the arms for support.
These poses with added supportwill help allow the student's
(09:36):
shoulders to relax while they'restill practicing and offer a
sense of grounding and You canoffer alternatives for common
poses as well.
Instead of Upward Facing Dog,suggest Cobra Pose with the
elbows bent to reduce shoulderstrain.
(09:57):
Or Salambasana or Locust Pose,which is a prone backbend
without the use of the arms orshoulders.
Cue students to place their armsdown by the sides of their body
and lift their face, chest, andlegs from their mat.
This active backbend can bepracticed with the backs of the
(10:17):
hands connected to the mat orwith arms lifted if it doesn't
bother their shoulders.
Instead of wheel pose, offerbridge pose for a gentle
backbend or supported bridgepose with a block under the
sacrum for a supported backbend.
We've discussed modifying yoursequence, alleviating poses that
(10:40):
might be further damaging to therotator cuff injury, and
utilizing different styles ofyoga, such as restorative poses,
to teach around the injury.
But what if you want to offersomething more?
Something in class to help treatthe injury because you
understand the injury and whatexercises will have a positive
(11:03):
effect on the tissues.
While it's important to limitstrain on the rotator cuff, it's
also helpful to incorporatestrengthening exercises that
support shoulder stability andhealing.
Here are a few ways to add themto a vinyasa class.
And by the way, I've taught allof these.
(11:24):
The first is isometric holds.
Have students hold tabletopposition with their hands either
on blocks or on their mats andpress firmly into the surface to
engage the rotator cuff muscleswithout moving the shoulders.
The second is external rotationexercises.
(11:46):
In a seated or standingposition, have your students
hold a strap and gently pull itapart while keeping their elbows
bent at 90 degrees.
This strengthens theinfraspinatus and teres minor.
You can feel the difference inengagement in the shoulder
girdle when you practice this.
(12:07):
You should try it out foryourself so you can feel it.
The third is scapularstabilization.
In cat cow pose, cue students todraw their shoulder blades
together on the inhale in cowpose, or this back bend, and
round them apart on the exhale,or in a full cat stretch.
(12:29):
This helps strengthen and movethe muscles around the shoulder
blades, including the rotatorcuff muscles and the rhomboids.
And finally, you could add ingentle arm movements.
In mountain pose, have studentsslowly lift their arms to
shoulder height, Then lower themback down.
(12:50):
This strengthens thesupraspinatus without
overloading the shoulder bypracticing weight bearing poses.
These exercises can be woveninto the flow or offered as part
of a warm up or a cool down atthe end of your sequence.
Finally, let's talk a little bitmore about how to incorporate
(13:11):
restorative and additional yogapractices into your vinyasa flow
class for students with rotatorcuff injuries.
We briefly talked aboutsupported child's pose.
So place a bolster under thechest and the forehead and allow
the shoulders to relaxcompletely.
You might have students resttheir arms on blocks or blankets
(13:34):
depending on their bodyproportions and whether their
forearms can reach their mat ornot.
In reclined bound angle pose usea bolster under the spine and
blankets under the knees tocreate a sense of openness in
the chest without straining theshoulders.
(13:54):
Also with arms supported byprops so students can relax and
not feel any type of strainingin the arms or shoulders.
The third, and I love thisoption, is side lying shavasana.
Have students lie on theirunaffected side with a pillow
under their head or a blanketunder their head and another
(14:17):
blanket between their arms.
This allows the injured shoulderto rest comfortably on a
supported surface.
This was one of my most favoritepositions when I had frozen
shoulder.
Finally, add breathwork andmeditation.
(14:37):
In your class, with a shortguided meditation or breathwork
practice to help studentsconnect with their bodies and
cultivate a sense of calm, theserestorative elements provide a
gentle counterbalance to themore active parts of the
practice, supporting bothphysical and emotional healing.
(15:00):
Teaching students with rotatorcuff injuries requires a
thoughtful and compassionate Byunderstanding the anatomy of the
shoulder, modifying poses tolimit strain, and incorporating
strengthening and restorativeelements, you can create a
practice that supports theirhealing journey and work in
(15:22):
unison with their doctors orphysical therapists.
Remember, Every student isunique and it's okay to ask
questions, offer alternatives,and adapt as needed.
The most important reminder isto keep learning and incorporate
practices that create a safe andsupportive space students will
(15:45):
feel seen and cared for.
Here's my question for you.
Have you ever had a student tellyou they have a rotator cuff
injury?
What was your initial reaction?
Did you alter or modify yoursequence in any way to
accommodate this student?
(16:06):
It's okay if you didn't.
My hope and the reason why Imade this episode is so that you
realize you can actually do morethan say, do what feels right
with you.
With a ton of feedback from yourinjured students, you can become
more and more confident withworking with students with
(16:27):
injuries.
Remember, it's all a process,and there is no right time, just
the timing that feels right.
for you.
If you can't tell already, thisis one of the subjects that
lights me up.
And I want all teachers ofmovement to understand how a
working knowledge of the humanbody affects your teaching.
(16:48):
I don't think we talk about theimportance of injury awareness
and education enough.
And if this conversation feelsslightly uncomfortable, don't
worry, this is exactly wherechange happens for you.
Pick up an anatomy book, watch avideo series, follow accounts on
(17:09):
social media that will teachyou.
Just keep taking steps to bemore informed.
I hope that this episode sparkedsome deeper thought around
getting more comfortable andconfident with your knowledge of
anatomy and injuries.
is so important as a movementeducator.
If you're looking for moreresources on teaching students
(17:31):
with injuries, check out theebook sequencing for different
injuries.
The link is in the show notesbelow, and I promise you it will
help you form a foundation forteaching students with injuries,
and it'll be a great resourcefor you to return to again and
again.
When you download the ebook,you'll be joining my newsletter.
(17:52):
That's just for yoga teachers,but I've got more exciting
teachings coming soon.
So I'll want to tell you allabout them.
The link is in the show notesbelow, and I would love for you
to join it so we can always stayconnected.
I've also added a link in theshow notes for you to send me a
quick message about yourthoughts on this episode.
(18:14):
I won't know your phone number.
It's just a neat addition to theplatform I use that allows for
this new and really easy way foryou to communicate with me.
Once you click on it, it willtake you to your messages.
Don't delete the code.
That's how your message will getto me.
And I would love to know yourthoughts.
Subscribe to the podcast.
(18:35):
So you're always in the knowwhen a new episode drops and
share it with another yogateacher who you think would love
to be in on these conversations.
Thank you for helping to spreadthe word about this podcast.
And if you've been taking notesin your journal, as you listen
to these episodes, I'm so gladyou are.
And I would love to hear aboutit.
(18:55):
All right, that's it for now.
Bye! Mhm.
Your shoulder is one of the most mobile and vulnerable
joints in your body, and therotator cuff plays a crucial
role in its stability.
But when a student is dealingwith a rotator cuff injury, it
can be challenging to know howto sequence a class that
supports their healing whilestill offering a meaningful
(00:21):
practice.
If you desire to understand.
and effectively address rotatorcuff injuries, then a solid
understanding of shoulderanatomy is essential.
The shoulder joint is a complexstructure involving the
articulation of the humerus,your upper arm bone, with the
(00:41):
scapula, your shoulder blade.
The rotator cuff is actuallycomprised of four muscles which
work in concert to stabilize theshoulder joint and facilitate a
wide range of motion.
In this episode, I'll explainthe anatomy of the shoulder and
rotator cuff, explore sequencingstrategies to limit strain on
(01:05):
these muscles, and discuss howto incorporate strengthening and
restorative elements into avinyasa flow class.
This conversation will give youthe tools to confidently support
your students with shoulderinjuries.
Welcome to the EssentialConversations for Yoga Teachers
podcast with me.
(01:27):
I'm Monica Bright, and I've beenteaching yoga and running my
yoga business for over a decade.
This is the podcast for you.
If you're a yoga teacher, you'relooking for support.
You love to be in conversationand you're a lifelong student.
In this podcast, I'll share withyou.
(01:47):
My life as a yoga teacher, thelessons I've learned, my process
for building my business andhelpful ideas, tools,
strategies, and systems I use,and you can use so that your
business thrives.
We'll cover a diverse range oftopics that will help you
(02:07):
whether you're just starting outor you've got years under your
belt and you want to dive deepand set yourself up for success.
I'm so glad you're here.
Listen, I don't take myself tooseriously, so expect to hear
some laughs along the way.
Now, let's do this.
Together.
(02:30):
Welcome back to the podcast.
I'm Monica and while I can sayI'm glad to be back in Chile,
Chicago, I also miss.
the fresh juices I had onretreat, as well as lounging by
the pool and listening to theocean crash on the shore all
night.
It made for some reallywonderful sleeping conditions.
(02:55):
While I was leading this lastretreat, I had a student with a
rotator cuff injury.
Do you know how common rotatorcuff tears are in yoga?
It's one of the most commoninjuries you'll see in students
that you teach.
So, having a thoroughunderstanding of what the injury
(03:15):
is, the anatomy of the shoulderjoint, and ways to sequence
around the injury is what we'lldive into.
Today, your shoulder is one ofthe most mobile and vulnerable
joints in your body.
And the rotator cuff musclesplay a crucial role in its
stability.
But when a student is dealingwith a rotator cuff injury, it
(03:38):
can be challenging to know howto sequence your class and
support their healing whilestill offering a meaningful
practice.
In this episode, I'll break downthe anatomy of the shoulder and
rotator cuff muscles, exploresequencing strategies to limit
strain on these muscles, anddiscuss how to incorporate
(04:00):
strengthening and restorativeelements into a Vinyasa flow
class.
This conversation will give youthe tools to competently support
your students with shoulderinjuries, namely rotator cuff
injuries.
Before we dive into sequencing,let's take a moment to
understand the anatomy of theshoulder and the rotator cuff.
(04:22):
The shoulder is a ball andsocket joint made up of three
bones, the humerus, the upperarm bone, the scapula, your
shoulder blade, and theclavicle, your collarbone.
What makes the shoulder sounique and so mobile is its
shallow socket, which allows fora wide range of motion, but
(04:46):
comes at a cost because theshoulder is also one of the most
unstable joints in your body.
That's where the rotator cuffmuscles come in.
The rotator cuff is a group offour muscles and their tendons
that stabilize the shoulderjoint.
These muscles are thesupraspinatus, the
(05:07):
infraspinatus, the teres minor,and the subscapularis.
These muscles work together tokeep the head of the humerus
centered in the socket,especially during overhead
movements or weight bearingposes.
When the rotator cuff isinjured, whether from overuse,
(05:29):
trauma, or degeneration, it canlead to pain, weakness, and
limited range of motion.
As movement teachers, it's ourjob to have the anatomy
understanding to either createsequences or modify them so that
we offer a practice that willprotect these vulnerable muscles
(05:50):
while still teaching a balancedpractice.
Students can either have amuscle tear or a tear in the
tendon.
So it's important that you askthem if they've been diagnosed
because recovery from tears ineach of those types of tissues
is different and varies inlength of time it takes to
(06:10):
recover.
Now that we understand theanatomy, let's talk about
sequencing strategies you canuse that can limit strain on the
rotator cuff for your injuredstudent.
First, try to avoid overheadmovements.
Poses like downward facing dogand chair pose with arms
(06:32):
overhead will likely not feelgood for students with rotator
cuff injuries.
You can easily offer armvariations or pose modification.
Chaturanga can place significantstrain on the rotator cuff,
especially if the student lacksstrength or stability and races
(06:54):
through the transition to upwardfacing dog and downward facing
dog.
This transition can beproblematic and potentially
cause further injury.
Modify the amount of loadbearing in these poses by cueing
students to lower their knees inboth plank and Chaturanga.
(07:15):
Limit weight bearing on thearms.
So poses like Plank, crow pose,or side plank can be too intense
for an injured rotator cuff.
Offer alternatives like tabletopor a squat balance with hands on
the thighs.
This way students can stillpractice balancing while they're
(07:39):
caring for their shoulder andnot bearing weight on it.
Focus on neutral shoulderpositions.
Encourage students to keep theirshoulders in a neutral position
instead of rounded forward orshrugged up.
Discuss shoulder shrugging inclasses while you teach poses
like Warrior II, Tadasana,Triangle, or even in seated
(08:04):
poses.
One of my favorite ways to teachstudents more awareness about
their bodies is to bring themforward.
out of alignment and then cuethem back into alignment.
I use the word alignment veryloosely here because you should
believe that it's different foreveryone, even shoulder
positioning.
(08:25):
I would cue students to roundtheir shoulders forward and
breathe and notice the qualityof their breath and then draw
their shoulders back, lift theribcage and notice the
difference in the quality oftheir breath.
You see how I cued to sit moreupright without cuing them to
broaden their collarbones ordraw their scapula, their
(08:49):
shoulder blades, down theirback, which can be confusing for
some students to do.
This also allows each student tocome into their own alignment
for their bodies as opposed totrying to fit in with the norm
or what a picture of the poselooks like.
Even if you're teaching avinyasa flow style class, you
(09:13):
can incorporate restorativeelements.
Use props like bolsters,blankets, and blocks to support
the shoulders or the arms inrestorative poses like Supported
child's pose or reclined boundangle pose with props underneath
the arms for support.
These poses with added supportwill help allow the student's
(09:36):
shoulders to relax while they'restill practicing and offer a
sense of grounding and You canoffer alternatives for common
poses as well.
Instead of Upward Facing Dog,suggest Cobra Pose with the
elbows bent to reduce shoulderstrain.
(09:57):
Or Salambasana or Locust Pose,which is a prone backbend
without the use of the arms orshoulders.
Cue students to place their armsdown by the sides of their body
and lift their face, chest, andlegs from their mat.
This active backbend can bepracticed with the backs of the
(10:17):
hands connected to the mat orwith arms lifted if it doesn't
bother their shoulders.
Instead of wheel pose, offerbridge pose for a gentle
backbend or supported bridgepose with a block under the
sacrum for a supported backbend.
We've discussed modifying yoursequence, alleviating poses that
(10:40):
might be further damaging to therotator cuff injury, and
utilizing different styles ofyoga, such as restorative poses,
to teach around the injury.
But what if you want to offersomething more?
Something in class to help treatthe injury because you
understand the injury and whatexercises will have a positive
(11:03):
effect on the tissues.
While it's important to limitstrain on the rotator cuff, it's
also helpful to incorporatestrengthening exercises that
support shoulder stability andhealing.
Here are a few ways to add themto a vinyasa class.
And by the way, I've taught allof these.
(11:24):
The first is isometric holds.
Have students hold tabletopposition with their hands either
on blocks or on their mats andpress firmly into the surface to
engage the rotator cuff muscleswithout moving the shoulders.
The second is external rotationexercises.
(11:46):
In a seated or standingposition, have your students
hold a strap and gently pull itapart while keeping their elbows
bent at 90 degrees.
This strengthens theinfraspinatus and teres minor.
You can feel the difference inengagement in the shoulder
girdle when you practice this.
(12:07):
You should try it out foryourself so you can feel it.
The third is scapularstabilization.
In cat cow pose, cue students todraw their shoulder blades
together on the inhale in cowpose, or this back bend, and
round them apart on the exhale,or in a full cat stretch.
(12:29):
This helps strengthen and movethe muscles around the shoulder
blades, including the rotatorcuff muscles and the rhomboids.
And finally, you could add ingentle arm movements.
In mountain pose, have studentsslowly lift their arms to
shoulder height, Then lower themback down.
(12:50):
This strengthens thesupraspinatus without
overloading the shoulder bypracticing weight bearing poses.
These exercises can be woveninto the flow or offered as part
of a warm up or a cool down atthe end of your sequence.
Finally, let's talk a little bitmore about how to incorporate
(13:11):
restorative and additional yogapractices into your vinyasa flow
class for students with rotatorcuff injuries.
We briefly talked aboutsupported child's pose.
So place a bolster under thechest and the forehead and allow
the shoulders to relaxcompletely.
You might have students resttheir arms on blocks or blankets
(13:34):
depending on their bodyproportions and whether their
forearms can reach their mat ornot.
In reclined bound angle pose usea bolster under the spine and
blankets under the knees tocreate a sense of openness in
the chest without straining theshoulders.
(13:54):
Also with arms supported byprops so students can relax and
not feel any type of strainingin the arms or shoulders.
The third, and I love thisoption, is side lying shavasana.
Have students lie on theirunaffected side with a pillow
under their head or a blanketunder their head and another
(14:17):
blanket between their arms.
This allows the injured shoulderto rest comfortably on a
supported surface.
This was one of my most favoritepositions when I had frozen
shoulder.
Finally, add breathwork andmeditation.
(14:37):
In your class, with a shortguided meditation or breathwork
practice to help studentsconnect with their bodies and
cultivate a sense of calm, theserestorative elements provide a
gentle counterbalance to themore active parts of the
practice, supporting bothphysical and emotional healing.
(15:00):
Teaching students with rotatorcuff injuries requires a
thoughtful and compassionate Byunderstanding the anatomy of the
shoulder, modifying poses tolimit strain, and incorporating
strengthening and restorativeelements, you can create a
practice that supports theirhealing journey and work in
(15:22):
unison with their doctors orphysical therapists.
Remember, Every student isunique and it's okay to ask
questions, offer alternatives,and adapt as needed.
The most important reminder isto keep learning and incorporate
practices that create a safe andsupportive space students will
(15:45):
feel seen and cared for.
Here's my question for you.
Have you ever had a student tellyou they have a rotator cuff
injury?
What was your initial reaction?
Did you alter or modify yoursequence in any way to
accommodate this student?
(16:06):
It's okay if you didn't.
My hope and the reason why Imade this episode is so that you
realize you can actually do morethan say, do what feels right
with you.
With a ton of feedback from yourinjured students, you can become
more and more confident withworking with students with
(16:27):
injuries.
Remember, it's all a process,and there is no right time, just
the timing that feels right.
for you.
If you can't tell already, thisis one of the subjects that
lights me up.
And I want all teachers ofmovement to understand how a
working knowledge of the humanbody affects your teaching.
(16:48):
I don't think we talk about theimportance of injury awareness
and education enough.
And if this conversation feelsslightly uncomfortable, don't
worry, this is exactly wherechange happens for you.
Pick up an anatomy book, watch avideo series, follow accounts on
(17:09):
social media that will teachyou.
Just keep taking steps to bemore informed.
I hope that this episode sparkedsome deeper thought around
getting more comfortable andconfident with your knowledge of
anatomy and injuries.
is so important as a movementeducator.
If you're looking for moreresources on teaching students
(17:31):
with injuries, check out theebook sequencing for different
injuries.
The link is in the show notesbelow, and I promise you it will
help you form a foundation forteaching students with injuries,
and it'll be a great resourcefor you to return to again and
again.
When you download the ebook,you'll be joining my newsletter.
(17:52):
That's just for yoga teachers,but I've got more exciting
teachings coming soon.
So I'll want to tell you allabout them.
The link is in the show notesbelow, and I would love for you
to join it so we can always stayconnected.
I've also added a link in theshow notes for you to send me a
quick message about yourthoughts on this episode.
(18:14):
I won't know your phone number.
It's just a neat addition to theplatform I use that allows for
this new and really easy way foryou to communicate with me.
Once you click on it, it willtake you to your messages.
Don't delete the code.
That's how your message will getto me.
And I would love to know yourthoughts.
Subscribe to the podcast.
(18:35):
So you're always in the knowwhen a new episode drops and
share it with another yogateacher who you think would love
to be in on these conversations.
Thank you for helping to spreadthe word about this podcast.
And if you've been taking notesin your journal, as you listen
to these episodes, I'm so gladyou are.
And I would love to hear aboutit.
(18:55):
All right, that's it for now.
Bye! Mhm.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!