should I avoid L shape DVD positions until I can do the right angle?

Submitted by Salt on October 12, 2011 - 12:25pm
Body: 

hi all,
I have a question about the first aid for prolapse DVD workout.
I am extremely inflexible down the back of my legs. If my legs are bent (ie crosslegged, kneeling, drawn to chest) I can achieve a 90 degree angle between my torso and legs. but if they are straight I cannot.

I am wondering if I should be avoiding certain parts of the workout and stretches.
Namely the positions in which we are supposed to begin at a 90 degree angle with our legs straight.
there are both sitting and standing versions of these.
my problems is that I can't even get to a 90 degree angle. so I am trying to stretch forward in a greater than 90 degree angle which seems to increase abdominal pressure and I think we are supposed to avoid.

example - sitting on floor with legs straight out in front, we are supposed to stretch forward, bringing our torso, head and arms down over the top of our legs.
I can't even sit with legs out in front at a 90 degree angle. I'm probably around 100 degrees or so.

another one that feels bad is on the Cool Down section of the DVD.
lying on my back and having my legs string up - I can't even get close to 90 degrees and so trying to hold up my legs like that is using my abs and it feels like in the wrong way.

so far I've been avoiding that one because of how bad it feels prolapse-wise.

I hope all of that made sense. I find it hard to describe physical positions in text :)

any input is welcome :)
I don't want to make things worse.
I'm working on stretching the backs of my legs so hope that eventually I will be able to do the 90 degree angle.

thanks!

alemama

October 16, 2011 - 7:14pm

until you build up your flexibility simply bend your knees in these positions. Or you could try to open your legs up- so your feel are further apart. Last trick, turn out at the hip- like duck feet-
these are all temporary solutions to a problem that you have the power to fix and pretty quickly too. I bet with hard work you could be able to sit with legs stretched out front in less than 1 month.

louiseds

October 18, 2011 - 2:17am

Hi Salt

Alemama's answer makes good sense to me. I hope you can increase your flexibility gradually. Just keep your lumbar curve intact and bend or reposition your knees as much as you have to. Just don't sacrifice your lumbar curve.

You might find that you can help the tightness in the backs of your legs by bending from the hips more in every day life, when you have to do something down low (like planting rice) ;-) Just semi-joking.

Allow your movement and the way you do things throughout the day help your body to become more flexible, just as you use WW posture during the day as much as possible.

Apparently all our cells in our bodies are replaced every three months, so each person is literally a new person in three months time.

Think about that.

Louise

Salt

October 19, 2011 - 5:43pm

than you both very much for your replies :-)
I hadn't been sure if it was okay for me to do those various exercises and stretches with the knees bent as I had needed to.
I'm glad to know I won't harm anything that way!
I've been stretching more often, definitely look forward to being able to actually bend forward with straight legs! that would be really neat.
A month Alemama? that would be awesome! I am stretching many times a day now with that motivation.
thanks!

alemama

October 22, 2011 - 8:24pm

in my before children (b.c.) life I worked with people to increase flexibility. We used the PNF (proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation) method and got immediate results. It really is amazing. But even with regular stretching you can get very fast results. It's interesting that you really can undo years of mistreatment in months, not very many things behave that way.

louiseds

October 22, 2011 - 10:18pm

Hi
Hi Alemama

This sounds interesting. I imagine you would have to have a physical therapist teach you how to do it, and would also need a second person to help you to do it? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PNF_stretching.