May 12, 2025 • 14 mins
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
One of the most critical, yetoften overlooked skills for yoga
teachers is knowing when astudent's needs exceed our
expertise.
While yoga can be therapeutic,it is not a substitute for
medical or rehabilitative care.
Pushing beyond the boundaries ofyour scope can delay healing or
(00:21):
even worsen injuries.
In this episode, we'll chatabout how to identify.
When you should refer a studentto a healthcare professional.
Get your journals and let's getstarted.
Welcome to the EssentialConversations for Yoga Teachers
Podcast with me.
(00:41):
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 are a yoga teacher,you're looking for support.
You love to be in conversation,and you're a lifelong student.
In this podcast, I'll share withyou.
(01:01):
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 canuse so that your business
thrives.
We'll cover a diverse range oftopics that will help you,
(01:21):
whether you're just starting outor you've got years under your
belt and you wanna dive deep andset yourself up for success.
I am 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.
(01:44):
Welcome back to the podcast.
I'm Monica, and I am so glad tohave you in on these
conversations I've publishedquite a few episodes on pain
injuries.
The nervous system and how youmight go about feeling more
comfortable teaching studentswith injuries.
Scroll back and have a look atthe episodes so far.
(02:06):
I guarantee you there will beplenty of topics that will grab
your attention and as youlisten, you'll start putting the
puzzle pieces together andyou'll realize that all of these
conversations go hand in handwith one another.
While we talk about all of thesetopics and integrate the
knowledge into your teaching,you get to a point where it
(02:28):
still begs the question, whenand how do I refer out?
I mean, you could just say, goto a doctor or a physical
therapist and get a diagnosis,or you could come to this
conversation with your studentswith a more layered approach,
which still positions you as theexpert yoga teacher.
(02:50):
So let's get into it.
First, what are the signs that astudent needs a referral?
Here are three things that youcould look for.
The first is red flags inmovement.
Is your student experiencingsharp shooting or electrical
type pain, especially radiatingdown their limbs?
(03:11):
This is possible nervecompression Like sciatica and it
needs to be diagnosed by adoctor.
Next is joint instability.
Are any of your studentsexperiencing shoulder
subluxations or buckling intheir knee joint?
This might indicate ligamentlaxity or tendon tears.
(03:33):
And finally, are any studentshaving persistent inflammation?
For instance, is there anyswelling or lingering pain?
24 hours plus after practice.
This could be an indication oftendinosis or autoimmune
flareups.
The next indicator that tellsyou you should refer out is if a
(03:56):
student is having pain thatdoesn't fit the usual pattern.
Are they having pain whenthey're at rest or even at
night, for example, are theyhaving shoulder pain while
they're sleeping?
This is common in rotator cuffand bicep tendon tears, frozen
shoulder.
Bursitis or arthritis.
(04:18):
Ask them if they have pain thatworsens with basic movements.
Simply walking aggravates theirhip pain.
They may need imaging to lookfor a possible labral tear or
stress fracture.
I.
And finally be aware of anymedical history warnings.
Have they had any recentsurgeries?
You should know if they've hadany joint replacements or spinal
(04:42):
fusions, and know that aftersurgery they should have a
clearance from a physicaltherapist or a surgeon to
practice.
If not, you should tell themthat they need to go get
clearance.
Do they have any currentdiagnosed conditions like
osteoporosis, herniated discs,LERs, Danlos syndrome?
(05:03):
Knowing this will help you helpthem in your classes.
They might also need tailoredpractices via private sessions
with you.
Are there any students withneurological symptoms?
Numbness, tingling, loss ofbalance.
If you know this, you're lesslikely to teach balance poses
(05:24):
and say, just keep practicingand you'll get it eventually.
Honestly, we need to stop sayingthat because that's not always
true, and it can lead tostudents feeling less than
because they just can't seem toget it.
So let's talk about some commonyoga scenarios requiring a
(05:44):
referral.
The first is chronic shoulder orelbow pain in Chaturanga.
If you've already triedmodifying alignment, either
elbows hugged in, or allowingthem to flare out a little bit.
Hands placed differently andprogressive alternatives have
already been practiced, likeknees down, holding plank to
(06:08):
build strength or lowering tothe belly slowly.
If these options aren't helpfulor pain continues to persist
beyond class, They likely need areferral.
Likely issues include rotatorcuff tear impingement, or maybe
even tennis elbow.
If your student has persistentlow grade pain or pain that
(06:31):
radiates to the buttock leg orforward folds, consistently
aggravated, then they need to gosee someone.
These issues could include discherniation, SI joint
dysfunction, or facet jointirritation.
Do you teach lunges or lotuspose?
And do your students have kneepain in these poses?
(06:55):
Full transparency here.
I don't teach Lotus poseanymore.
It requires too much hip andknee joint rotation, and most
students either don't have it orthey're forcing themselves.
Into these shapes if their painis deep in the joint, not
muscular and accompanied byclicking or swelling.
(07:15):
Not all clicking is bad, butwhen it also involves pain and
swelling, it is a problem.
This could be a meniscus tear,patella tracking disorder, or
arthritis.
A gait analysis might beextremely helpful for
understanding if everydaymovements are also contributing
to their pain.
(07:36):
what if a student has dizzinessor blackout, say in inversion?
If it happens repeatedly, evenwith proper hydration, alignment
and class pacing, it could be aproblem of blood pressure
dysregulation or vestibulardysfunction.
They should see a cardiologistor a neurologist and talk with
(07:59):
them about what they'reexperiencing.
So how do you refer out withoutoverstepping boundaries?
Here's some examples of what tosay and what not to say.
You could say what you'redescribing sounds beyond my
scope.
Have you seen your doctor orphysical therapist?
(08:20):
Or you could say, I know a greatphysical therapist who
specializes in, say, forexample, shoulders, Would you
like their information?
Resist saying, I think you havea torn rotator cuff as
diagnosing is outside our role.
Or just do these stretches andyou'll be fine.
You could be dismissing serioussymptoms.
(08:43):
You could suggest a few thingsthat it sounds like to you.
For example, I've had tornrotator cuff and frozen
shoulder.
I personally know the differencein pain, sensation and location
and how movement limitations mayappear in the body.
So I might suggest that they asktheir doctor about these
specific conditions.
(09:04):
My goal is not to diagnose, butto educate them and help them
have really good conversationswith their medical
professionals, like a back andforth conversation.
Instead of only receivinginformation, it actually gives
them more power when it comes tothese conversations and the
treatment plan they're going toreceive from their doctors.
(09:27):
I suggest that you build areferral network, connect with
physical therapists,chiropractors, if you like
chiropractors or they want achiropractor and sports medicine
doctors in your area have a listof trauma-informed practitioners
for students with PTSD orchronic pain Because having this
(09:49):
network helps you help yourstudents if they don't know who
to go see.
You could suggest people thatyou've worked with in the past
and that you trust Now, what canyou do?
While they're seeking care?
You could offer gentle movementoptions.
For example, chair yoga, breathwork practices, or even
(10:11):
restorative classes Suggest thatthey see you for private classes
as opposed to group yogaclasses.
This way you can support theirneeds and work with their
healthcare provider in theirrecovery.
I can't stress how importantthis is and how helpful it is
for students with.
Injuries to continue topractice, but make it tailored
(10:33):
to their needs.
You should also avoid loadingthe affected area, skip
weightbearing poses for acuteinjuries, and find a starting
point that students can handleand work from there.
I always encourage painjournaling.
Tracking what aggravates oreases symptoms will help you and
(10:54):
your students realize what helpsand what doesn't.
In this journaling, I ask themto include as much information
as possible.
For example, how are yousleeping?
What are you eating?
What's your activity level on aspecific day, what's their
movement been like So that theycan begin to see a trend.
(11:17):
For example, I didn't sleep welllast night and my pain symptoms
are heightened today looking forclues in their journaling.
It's so helpful and it gets theinformation out of their head
and onto paper so they can seeit.
Let me end with this reminder.
Referring is responsible.
(11:39):
Teaching a referral isn't afailure.
It's ethical practice, but youwere never taught how to do
this.
Neither was I, but I've learnedhow, and I want that for you
too.
The best yoga teachers knowtheir limits and prioritize
student safety over retainingclients and trying to fill group
(11:59):
classes.
Understanding anatomy and how itmight change the way you teach
might feel overwhelming at thestart, but there are ways to
make understanding it a littleless complex.
I teach anatomy as it relates toteaching yoga, so you aren't
learning random bones andmuscles, but understanding how
(12:20):
these parts of the body areincorporated into the yoga
practice.
I believe with all my heart thatyoga teachers are movement
educators, and we mustunderstand the human body and
its movements in order to beeffective in our teaching.
It is so important for us tohave this conversation and
sometimes teaching can feellonely, which is another reason
(12:45):
why I started this podcast.
So you have a place to go to askquestions and get answers if you
haven't already.
Download the ebook sequencingfor different injuries.
The link is in the show notesbelow.
I promise you, it will help youform a foundation for teaching
students with injuries and agingbodies.
(13:05):
The information will also helpyou understand how to
accommodate students ofdifferent abilities, and it'll
be a great resource for you toreturn to again and again.
When you download the ebook,you'll be joining my newsletter.
That's just for yoga teachers.
I've got more exciting teachingscoming soon, so I wanna tell you
all about them.
(13:26):
The link is in the show notesbelow, and I would love for you
to join it so we could alwaysstay connected.
If you love this episode, let meknow.
I've added a link in the shownotes for you to send me a quick
text message about your thoughtson this episode.
I won't know your phone number.
It's just a neat addition to theplatform I use that allows for
(13:47):
this new and super easy way foryou to communicate with me.
Once you click on it, it'll takeyou to your messages, but don't
delete the code.
That's how your message will getto me, and I would love to know
your thoughts.
Subscribe to the podcast soyou're always in the know when a
new episode drops and share itwith another yoga teacher.
Who you think would love to bein on these conversations.
(14:10):
Thank you for helping to spreadthe word about this podcast and
if you've been taking notes inyour journal as you listen to
these episodes, I'm so glad youare and I would love to hear
about it.
Alright, that's it for now.
Bye.
One of the most critical, yetoften overlooked skills for yoga
teachers is knowing when astudent's needs exceed our
expertise.
While yoga can be therapeutic,it is not a substitute for
medical or rehabilitative care.
Pushing beyond the boundaries ofyour scope can delay healing or
(00:21):
even worsen injuries.
In this episode, we'll chatabout how to identify.
When you should refer a studentto a healthcare professional.
Get your journals and let's getstarted.
Welcome to the EssentialConversations for Yoga Teachers
Podcast with me.
(00:41):
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 are a yoga teacher,you're looking for support.
You love to be in conversation,and you're a lifelong student.
In this podcast, I'll share withyou.
(01:01):
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 canuse so that your business
thrives.
We'll cover a diverse range oftopics that will help you,
(01:21):
whether you're just starting outor you've got years under your
belt and you wanna dive deep andset yourself up for success.
I am 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.
(01:44):
Welcome back to the podcast.
I'm Monica, and I am so glad tohave you in on these
conversations I've publishedquite a few episodes on pain
injuries.
The nervous system and how youmight go about feeling more
comfortable teaching studentswith injuries.
Scroll back and have a look atthe episodes so far.
(02:06):
I guarantee you there will beplenty of topics that will grab
your attention and as youlisten, you'll start putting the
puzzle pieces together andyou'll realize that all of these
conversations go hand in handwith one another.
While we talk about all of thesetopics and integrate the
knowledge into your teaching,you get to a point where it
(02:28):
still begs the question, whenand how do I refer out?
I mean, you could just say, goto a doctor or a physical
therapist and get a diagnosis,or you could come to this
conversation with your studentswith a more layered approach,
which still positions you as theexpert yoga teacher.
(02:50):
So let's get into it.
First, what are the signs that astudent needs a referral?
Here are three things that youcould look for.
The first is red flags inmovement.
Is your student experiencingsharp shooting or electrical
type pain, especially radiatingdown their limbs?
(03:11):
This is possible nervecompression Like sciatica and it
needs to be diagnosed by adoctor.
Next is joint instability.
Are any of your studentsexperiencing shoulder
subluxations or buckling intheir knee joint?
This might indicate ligamentlaxity or tendon tears.
(03:33):
And finally, are any studentshaving persistent inflammation?
For instance, is there anyswelling or lingering pain?
24 hours plus after practice.
This could be an indication oftendinosis or autoimmune
flareups.
The next indicator that tellsyou you should refer out is if a
(03:56):
student is having pain thatdoesn't fit the usual pattern.
Are they having pain whenthey're at rest or even at
night, for example, are theyhaving shoulder pain while
they're sleeping?
This is common in rotator cuffand bicep tendon tears, frozen
shoulder.
Bursitis or arthritis.
(04:18):
Ask them if they have pain thatworsens with basic movements.
Simply walking aggravates theirhip pain.
They may need imaging to lookfor a possible labral tear or
stress fracture.
I.
And finally be aware of anymedical history warnings.
Have they had any recentsurgeries?
You should know if they've hadany joint replacements or spinal
(04:42):
fusions, and know that aftersurgery they should have a
clearance from a physicaltherapist or a surgeon to
practice.
If not, you should tell themthat they need to go get
clearance.
Do they have any currentdiagnosed conditions like
osteoporosis, herniated discs,LERs, Danlos syndrome?
(05:03):
Knowing this will help you helpthem in your classes.
They might also need tailoredpractices via private sessions
with you.
Are there any students withneurological symptoms?
Numbness, tingling, loss ofbalance.
If you know this, you're lesslikely to teach balance poses
(05:24):
and say, just keep practicingand you'll get it eventually.
Honestly, we need to stop sayingthat because that's not always
true, and it can lead tostudents feeling less than
because they just can't seem toget it.
So let's talk about some commonyoga scenarios requiring a
(05:44):
referral.
The first is chronic shoulder orelbow pain in Chaturanga.
If you've already triedmodifying alignment, either
elbows hugged in, or allowingthem to flare out a little bit.
Hands placed differently andprogressive alternatives have
already been practiced, likeknees down, holding plank to
(06:08):
build strength or lowering tothe belly slowly.
If these options aren't helpfulor pain continues to persist
beyond class, They likely need areferral.
Likely issues include rotatorcuff tear impingement, or maybe
even tennis elbow.
If your student has persistentlow grade pain or pain that
(06:31):
radiates to the buttock leg orforward folds, consistently
aggravated, then they need to gosee someone.
These issues could include discherniation, SI joint
dysfunction, or facet jointirritation.
Do you teach lunges or lotuspose?
And do your students have kneepain in these poses?
(06:55):
Full transparency here.
I don't teach Lotus poseanymore.
It requires too much hip andknee joint rotation, and most
students either don't have it orthey're forcing themselves.
Into these shapes if their painis deep in the joint, not
muscular and accompanied byclicking or swelling.
(07:15):
Not all clicking is bad, butwhen it also involves pain and
swelling, it is a problem.
This could be a meniscus tear,patella tracking disorder, or
arthritis.
A gait analysis might beextremely helpful for
understanding if everydaymovements are also contributing
to their pain.
(07:36):
what if a student has dizzinessor blackout, say in inversion?
If it happens repeatedly, evenwith proper hydration, alignment
and class pacing, it could be aproblem of blood pressure
dysregulation or vestibulardysfunction.
They should see a cardiologistor a neurologist and talk with
(07:59):
them about what they'reexperiencing.
So how do you refer out withoutoverstepping boundaries?
Here's some examples of what tosay and what not to say.
You could say what you'redescribing sounds beyond my
scope.
Have you seen your doctor orphysical therapist?
(08:20):
Or you could say, I know a greatphysical therapist who
specializes in, say, forexample, shoulders, Would you
like their information?
Resist saying, I think you havea torn rotator cuff as
diagnosing is outside our role.
Or just do these stretches andyou'll be fine.
You could be dismissing serioussymptoms.
(08:43):
You could suggest a few thingsthat it sounds like to you.
For example, I've had tornrotator cuff and frozen
shoulder.
I personally know the differencein pain, sensation and location
and how movement limitations mayappear in the body.
So I might suggest that they asktheir doctor about these
specific conditions.
(09:04):
My goal is not to diagnose, butto educate them and help them
have really good conversationswith their medical
professionals, like a back andforth conversation.
Instead of only receivinginformation, it actually gives
them more power when it comes tothese conversations and the
treatment plan they're going toreceive from their doctors.
(09:27):
I suggest that you build areferral network, connect with
physical therapists,chiropractors, if you like
chiropractors or they want achiropractor and sports medicine
doctors in your area have a listof trauma-informed practitioners
for students with PTSD orchronic pain Because having this
(09:49):
network helps you help yourstudents if they don't know who
to go see.
You could suggest people thatyou've worked with in the past
and that you trust Now, what canyou do?
While they're seeking care?
You could offer gentle movementoptions.
For example, chair yoga, breathwork practices, or even
(10:11):
restorative classes Suggest thatthey see you for private classes
as opposed to group yogaclasses.
This way you can support theirneeds and work with their
healthcare provider in theirrecovery.
I can't stress how importantthis is and how helpful it is
for students with.
Injuries to continue topractice, but make it tailored
(10:33):
to their needs.
You should also avoid loadingthe affected area, skip
weightbearing poses for acuteinjuries, and find a starting
point that students can handleand work from there.
I always encourage painjournaling.
Tracking what aggravates oreases symptoms will help you and
(10:54):
your students realize what helpsand what doesn't.
In this journaling, I ask themto include as much information
as possible.
For example, how are yousleeping?
What are you eating?
What's your activity level on aspecific day, what's their
movement been like So that theycan begin to see a trend.
(11:17):
For example, I didn't sleep welllast night and my pain symptoms
are heightened today looking forclues in their journaling.
It's so helpful and it gets theinformation out of their head
and onto paper so they can seeit.
Let me end with this reminder.
Referring is responsible.
(11:39):
Teaching a referral isn't afailure.
It's ethical practice, but youwere never taught how to do
this.
Neither was I, but I've learnedhow, and I want that for you
too.
The best yoga teachers knowtheir limits and prioritize
student safety over retainingclients and trying to fill group
(11:59):
classes.
Understanding anatomy and how itmight change the way you teach
might feel overwhelming at thestart, but there are ways to
make understanding it a littleless complex.
I teach anatomy as it relates toteaching yoga, so you aren't
learning random bones andmuscles, but understanding how
(12:20):
these parts of the body areincorporated into the yoga
practice.
I believe with all my heart thatyoga teachers are movement
educators, and we mustunderstand the human body and
its movements in order to beeffective in our teaching.
It is so important for us tohave this conversation and
sometimes teaching can feellonely, which is another reason
(12:45):
why I started this podcast.
So you have a place to go to askquestions and get answers if you
haven't already.
Download the ebook sequencingfor different injuries.
The link is in the show notesbelow.
I promise you, it will help youform a foundation for teaching
students with injuries and agingbodies.
(13:05):
The information will also helpyou understand how to
accommodate students ofdifferent abilities, and it'll
be a great resource for you toreturn to again and again.
When you download the ebook,you'll be joining my newsletter.
That's just for yoga teachers.
I've got more exciting teachingscoming soon, so I wanna tell you
all about them.
(13:26):
The link is in the show notesbelow, and I would love for you
to join it so we could alwaysstay connected.
If you love this episode, let meknow.
I've added a link in the shownotes for you to send me a quick
text message about your thoughtson this episode.
I won't know your phone number.
It's just a neat addition to theplatform I use that allows for
(13:47):
this new and super easy way foryou to communicate with me.
Once you click on it, it'll takeyou to your messages, but don't
delete the code.
That's how your message will getto me, and I would love to know
your thoughts.
Subscribe to the podcast soyou're always in the know when a
new episode drops and share itwith another yoga teacher.
Who you think would love to bein on these conversations.
(14:10):
Thank you for helping to spreadthe word about this podcast and
if you've been taking notes inyour journal as you listen to
these episodes, I'm so glad youare and I would love to hear
about it.
Alright, that's it for now.
Bye.
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