Yoga Therapy for Neck Pain

Do you have neck pain & would like to manage it effectively?

Are you a yoga teacher who wants to better understand the neck & work with neck-related issues?

Are you unsure how to approach neck conditions and what practices are safe?

Then join Saraswathi Vasudevan & Dr Rob Lamport for this online course

Neck pain is the fourth leading cause of disability, affecting more than 30% of the US population yearly

Around 50% of these individuals will continue to experience neck pain or frequent episodes of it (1). It is a problem that can have far-reaching effects on our physical, social and mental well-being, such as mood disorders, including depression.

This workshop will give you the tools to better understand neck issues and how to manage them using yoga as a therapy.

Over five sessions, Saraswathi Vasudevan and Dr Rob Lamport will provide an in-depth understanding of the neck. They will explore the gross physical structures and the subtle aspects of the senses, mind, prana, and self. It will help develop an awareness that can guide you towards improving and sustaining well-being.

The course explores essential asanas and breathing practices that can help address neck-related issues. It will also provide a deeper understanding of the neck's anatomy and movement effects from a western medical and Chiropractic perspective. By the end of the workshop, you will understand how yoga can influence the neck on physical and energetic levels and have the tools to manage neck issues safely and effectively.

This course is for you if:

You have neck pain and want to improve it
You are a yoga teacher or therapist and want to understand this body region better

What will I learn?

The anatomy of the neck
Neck movement and how to safely and effectively explore it
Understanding the role of the neck in alignment and balance
How to assess and build better neck alignment
The subtle anatomy and functions of the neck and related structures
The neck and posture in the flow of breath and prana
Safe, practical yoga therapy ideas for the neck
Postures to modify or avoid for specific neck issues
Common neck conditions and how to work with them

Course Overview

Part 1

Annamaya (with Saraswathi Vasudevan)

Saraswathi will start by building an understanding of the neck, its functions and related structures. She will explain how to keep the neck healthy and prevent neck issues that result from poor posture, lifestyle, stress, and ageing. Lastly, she will discuss and explore asana with a focus on how to prepare and achieve Samasthiti.

The Anatomy of the Neck (with Dr Rob)
Dr Rob will cover the basic anatomy of the neck, including the bones, ligaments and muscles. He will also outline other vital structures in this region, including the brachial plexus and the carotid and vertebral arteries.

Part 2

Pranamaya (with Saraswathi Vasudevan)

Saraswathi will explain the role of prana in shaping and contributing to neck problems. How to work with the breath in Asana and pranayama to address neck issues. Observation and Asana modification to achieve optimal alignment, the role of breath and dristi (focus).

Neck Alignment & Whiplash Injuries (with Dr Rob)

How do you assess the alignment of this region of the body? Dr Rob will discuss the optimal alignment of the neck and the changes commonly seen. He will also outline whiplash injuries and how these can impact the health of the neck.

Part 3

Manomaya (with Saraswathi Vasudevan)

What is the role of the mind: its impact and implications on the health of the neck and related functions? Saraswathi will explore this topic and how to address these issues using the tools of yoga. There will be a further exploration of asana: working with subtle anatomy and Bhavana.

Conditions of the Cervical Spine (with Dr Rob)

What are the common causes of neck issues? And how should we approach these using movement as a therapy? Dr Rob will describe conditions such as cervical degeneration (osteoarthritis), disc herniation, cervical radiculopathy, and diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH). For each, he will outline specific considerations for their management.

Part 4

Vijnanamaya & Anandamaya (with Saraswathi Vasudevan)

Understanding the deeper dimensions of our existence, how can we deploy the mind for healing and sustained progress? Asana exploration: progression in practice and intensification - what are we moving towards?

Therapeutic Approaches to working with Neck Pain - practical session (with Dr Rob)

How do you begin to work with acute and chronic neck pain? One approach is to create better structural alignment and, at the same time, improve muscular stabilisation. Dr Rob will outline where to begin and how the student can be safely progressed.

Part 5

Yoga Therapy Application (with Saraswathi Vasudevan)

Using the understanding we have developed during the workshop, Saras will illustrate yoga therapy application with the help of case studies. She will also describe other functions that the neck supports and how to support them via regular yoga practice.

Exploring Neck Movement (with Dr Rob)

The neck consists of 7 vertebrae but also can include the skull above and the upper back below. In this practical session, Dr Rob will guide you through how the different joints in these regions provide movement and their relationship to each other. This will build your awareness and understanding of your neck and those of your students, helping to improve therapy application.

Your Teachers

Dr Rob Lamport (DC)

Gonstead Chiropractor

Dr Rob Lamport specialises in the Gonstead method of Chiropractic, a precise approach to correcting problems of the spine and joints. He was awarded a Master's degree in Chiropractic from the Anglo-European College of Chiropractic in the United Kingdom.

He is the founder of More Than Anatomy, an online education platform for yoga teachers that aims to help them better understand the human body in health and disease.

Having first developed a strong interest in health in 1992, he has been practising yoga for the past 25 years and the last 11 under Sri O P Tiwariji.

Your Teachers

Saraswathi Vasudevan

Yoga Therapist

Saraswathi is a yoga teacher, trainer and therapist in the tradition of Sri T Krishnamacharya. She has nearly three decades of study, practice and teaching experience in this tradition, having studied directly with Sri TKV Desikachar for over 17 years and other senior teachers.

She is the co-founder of YogaVahini, a Specialised Yoga Training, Therapy and Research Centre with centres in Chennai & Hyderabad and a presence in other cities in India and worldwide. Saraswathi currently serves on the Voluntary Board of Directors of Yoga Alliance, the largest international yoga certifying and credentialing body.

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