While exercise is a crucial component of everyone's good health, if we have specific physical challenges or injuries, the way we exercise must be modified to meet our individual needs to improve rather than worsen a condition. If we expect good results, we must actively learn how to care for our condition appropriately, rather than passively entrusting our care to someone who may not be qualified. For someone with scoliosis or herniated discs, a regular yoga or fitness class will do more harm than good, as many yoga poses and common exercises are contraindicated for scoliosis and herniation.

We also need to be selective about who we choose to work with. Does the teacher/coach/physical therapist have significant experience working with scoliosis and herniation? Are they able to read and understand your medical diagnosis and do they have the knowledge of what practices to prescribe, relevant to your diagnosis?

It is often hard to accept that we must change the way we workout and let go of what no longer serves us.

The function of the spinal column is to house our spinal cord and preserve space for our organs. How we carry ourselves, whether we have good posture or poor posture, will affect the functionality of the spine, the nerves that exit the sides of the spine, and the amount of downward pressure on the organs. If the balance of weight loading is off in the spine (from forward head, shoulder, or pelvic position, or another cause), it will compress pelvic organs and nerves directly, or affect muscle length/tension relationships in the pelvis which then limits their performance.

All of us must resist the downward pressure of gravity, and aging with natural loss of disc height. Many of us have further challenges like scoliosis or ligament laxity that make it harder to support our spine and organs.

Postural training work incorporates deep core (which begins in the pelvic floor) and continues upward, building strength to hold the chest up away from the belly. These practices also bring better overall health by restoring proper function of the diaphragm muscle and good breathing patterns.

I utilize wall ropes to decompress and stabilize the spine, along with other tools of alignment based yoga, neutral spine and positional strength work to correct whole body misalignments and build whole body strength to support the back, as opposed to other systems that fail to address the entire body.

These practices improve posture, back pain, herniation, scoliosis, overall strength, prevent injuries and reduce stress.

Each private session will address your specific needs to build whole body awareness, stability and strength to realign and support your spine.

All practices are personalized for your condition unlike a regular yoga or exercise class, or gym training session which can cause further injury.

Progress always comes with consistent effort, commitment to right action, and the help of skilled professional.

I am a former professional ballet dancer. It was my study of dance that sparked a deep interest in movement science, postural health, and creating symmetry - equal strength and coordination - on both sides of the body.

This is especially important for people with spinal asymmetry to work towards as well as athletes whose sports create imbalances.

I came to yoga over 20 years ago, and immediately fell in love with a whole body practice that satisfied these life-long interests, with the bonus of reducing stress on my mind and body.

In 2011, already a yoga teacher, I began to study with alignment-based yoga and backcare specialist, Alison West of Yoga Union Backcare, Scoliosis and Therapy Center. At Yoga Union my passion for backcare was ignited, and I became certified to teach backcare and wall ropes classes.