Sirsasana-Headstand

Headstand is one of many postures I have struggled with, due to my old shoulder injury. For many years my neck got sore after headstand, but it disappeared shortly after. I have tried many things, bricks, blankets, belts and bolster some worked some didn’t. Because my muscles in the upper arm and shoulder have been working differently then they should have done, this has made it very difficult to properly lift my shoulders, particularly my left shoulder, which is very important in headstand. For years I kept practising, but it wasn’t until my teacher got me to use a bolster for headstand. First then could I do head stand without my neck getting sore, this then developed into using three bricks, I found this particularly good, as this way made me work the proper muscles in my upper arm. The first few times I worked this way, I could only stay up for a few seconds and my arm started to tingle and go numb due to weak muscles (or rather muscles working the wrong way, were now forced to work properly, but which in turn pressed on nerves).

I always knew something wasn’t working properly in my upper arm/shoulder, and this made me start thinking about it even more. I kept on working this way (with the three bricks), it also made me leave the wall a few inches, but still I had contact with the wall through the bricks, at first I couldn’t believe how weak my core felt. This is the downside of working at a wall, it doesn’t work your core which is also very important in headstand. But of course in the beginning the wall is needed to make you feel safe and learn how the alignment should be and feel. I started to wean myself off the bricks and starting to use a blanket for under my head, and kept working away from the wall, but still use it as alignment. I started to build up my core strength, but I still felt my neck was sore and this prevented me from staying for any longer periods. I decided to take a photo of myself in headstand just to check my alignment, so I got one of the kids to do this. I have to say I was shocked to see how poor my alignment was, so every day I practised headstand, I took a video of myself trying to change my alignment. I watched it straight after, while the adjustment I would have done, was still fresh in my mind. This was great, but it took time, I didn’t care how long I stayed, just kept on videoing my headstand and changing my alignment, and I’m still working on this as I still have a lot to do. But as I corrected my alignment I could feel that my neck got less and less sore.

What I noticed on the first picture, was that I had a big banana shape, no wonder I sometimes felt it in my lower back ;). I do have a flexible lumber, and have worked hard on, not trying to work from my lumber, but as I turned upside down it was like starting from scratch. Every time  I do a new posture, I feel I tend to go back to this default shape. Even though my bad shoulder affects my headstand, my poor alignment is the real trouble in giving me a sore neck and watching that first picture it all made sense. I also started to go to a Physical Therapist, to sort out my shoulder once and for all, which I should have done a long time ago. But like they say “better late than never”, this was great and it was nice to get it acknowledged, that something was wrong in the way my muscles worked. She said my muscles in my upper arm, felt like ropes, and what a different it made! For every week I noticed that my muscles worked better, I could feel how my upper arm got softer and how the muscles moved better, and for the first time I could feel my dorsal spine in downward dog. As my muscles got softer and my weak muscles started working, it also meant that I got weaker in some of my postures. But I didn’t mind this, as I knew the muscles were finally starting to work properly. This has also had a great effect on my headstand and other postures, and I know it’s still a long road ahead!

If you get a sore neck in headstand, try to figure out, if it might be your alignment. Ask a qualified teacher to help you, and take videos and pictures, as it’s much easier to correct something when you can see it. But be cautious, ask  your teacher for help. Bring the photo and show it and ask how you can improve your alignment and keep on practising.

In headstand, it’s the same alignment as in Tadasana just turned upside down ,except for the arms, so everything you do in Tadasana you do the same in headstand. The only difference is that you press the lower arms and elbows into the floor. This sounds easy, especially if you have learnt to correctly do Tadasana. But as soon as you turn upside down, things that made sense standing on your feet, suddenly feels alien.

I will show some pictures below, when out of alignment in headstand, and bare with me my alignment is still under construction! The first picture shows the banana shape, you can see how I dip in my lumber and stick my floating ribs out, the second picture is slightly better, but I still dip in the lumbar and stick my floating ribs out. The third one is a lot better, but still not perfect, but as I said I’m still working on this, you can see how I dip less in the lumber and don’t stick my floating ribs out as much. You can also see how the line from shoulder-hip-ankle is more aligned. Take your time, to learn the right alignment from the beginning, even if it means you have to slow down and can’t stay up for as long, as this will pay off later on. Practice as often as you can, as this is what makes the difference!!   

Happy practicing!!!!