First Trimester Prenatal Yoga for Scoliosis
/Doctors often recommend yoga to pregnant women to help improve flexibility, strength, and balance, and to reduce anxiety and pain that may come with pregnancy. Pregnancy can be a challenging journey for many women and yoga can help you find both mental and physical balance during the transition. But, if you have scoliosis, the challenges your body faces during pregnancy can be a little more complex.
Many yoga teachers recommend starting yoga in the second trimester, once you body and that of your fetus have had a chance to stabilize. However, if you have already been practicing you can often continue. If you haven’t done yoga before your pregnancy, you can still likely start but you may need a little more guidance. In either case, check with your doctor first and find a qualified instructor.
Make sure to listen to your body and your baby (it can tell you things). The ultimate purpose of yoga isn’t to perfect the poses, but rather to learn about yourself and discover where you are in that moment. So take it easy on yourself and bring a little curiosity to your practice. Not only does prenatal yoga require a little humility and acceptance, but so does yoga for scoliosis. Here I will discuss a few poses for the first trimester as listed in Iyengar Yoga for Motherhood: Safe Practices for Expectant and New Mothers and how you may need to adapt them for scoliosis.
“In the first trimester, the asanas you should concentrate on are Parvatasana, Supta Virasana, Upavishtha Konasana, Baddha Konasana, Shirshasana, and Supta Padangushthasana 2. These expand the cavity of the pelvic region, creating space inside the uterus and ensuring proper blood circulation and adequate room for the movement of your unborn child” (Iyengar, Keller, and Khattab 2010).
I will take each of these poses in turn and discuss ways to make them more scoliosis friendly.
Parvatasana (seated in cross legged or in Virasana with arms clasped and palms facing up toward the ceiling)
The lengthening of your spine that comes with this pose can feel great for your scoliosis, but don’t overstretch your belly. Keep an eye on which shoulder comes up higher. If you have a thoracic curve or a cervical compensatory curve, one shoulder is likely higher and one is more forward. Can you notice where your shoulders are in space and try to make them a little more level, while extending through both sides of the torso evenly? You might find it helpful to try this pose with your back against the wall, especially if you are feeling tired or nauseous.
Supta Virasana (Reclining Hero Pose)
This pose stretches the abdomen and back and reduces shortness of breath, especially when you are looking for more opening and space in the chest later in pregnancy. I found this pose was too much for me later in pregnancy. Not to say that this will be the case for everyone, but the weight of the stretch and my baby was a burden. The stretch may feel nice early on, but make sure you support your concavities with a folded-up towel and keep your hips and shoulders as even and supported as you can.
Upavishtha Konasana (Seated Wide-Legged Fold)
This pose is great for stretching the groin and strengthening the muscles of the lower back and pelvis to prepare for delivery. To maintain the long spine and abdomen for both prenatal and scoliosis purposes, keep your torso higher up and use straps around your feet if you need help to keep the back lengthened. If you have a thoracolumbar or lumbar curve, one hip is likely to be higher than the other. Take the flesh from under the sitting bone of the higher hip and pull it out to the side. Check to see if your hips are more level. If they aren’t, use a folded towel under the sitting bone of your lower hip to help even them out. In later trimesters especially, but always an option, use a chair or wall in front of you for additional support. This also helps you see symmetry issues because one side will press into the wall more or one arm will be higher on one side.
Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle or Butterfly Pose)
This is a staple in prenatal yoga sequences. It is similar to Upavishtha Konasana in that it stretches the groin and inner thighs and helps strengthen the muscles of the pelvis and lower back. However, this is a pose that often needs to be adjusted for those who are pregnant or have scoliosis. Both of these groups should keep the back straight to maintain length in the abdomen and spine—something important when managing scoliosis, especially as the weight of your baby begins to round your forward. And though it can be a great pose for many, if you have any SI joint instability, you may need to modify or skip this pose. I review how and why to modify in my post on when not to do Butterfly Pose.
Shirshasana (Headstand)
Shirshasana is a good pose to reduce fatigue, swelling, and cramps. If you are new to yoga, you should only try this pose under the direction of a skilled teacher, and anyone who is pregnant should prepare for this pose appropriately through a series of other poses. It is important to keep a long spine in Shirshasana and, especially for those with scoliosis, watch if you collapse one side down more. Aim to keep your shoulders level and your lumbar long. As your baby becomes bigger it will take more effort to keep the back lengthened, as baby weight can cause your lumbar region to drop. This was a regular pose for me before getting pregnant but once pregnant, I didn’t feel as balanced in this pose and therefore stopped doing it. I would suggest you try Adho Mukha Shvanasana (Downward-Facing Dog) instead.
Supta Padangushthasana 2 (Reclining Hand to Big Toe 2 Pose)
This pose is similar to Upavishtha Konasana and Baddha Konasana in that it stretches the inner thighs and helps relieve stiffness in the hips. It is a reclined pose, which can feel good in the first trimester if you are dealing with nausea or fatigue. For those with scoliosis, place a folded towel under your concavities to provide additional support; for lumbar curves, press your extended foot into the wall to help keep your lower back long and to maintain stability and grounding.
As you do these poses, keep in mind that no pregnancy or scoliosis journey is the same; everyone’s needs and experience can be different. Take what feels helpful to you at the moment and focus on creating some space for yourself and your baby—elongating your torso evenly.
Now it’s time for the best savasana…
Get my how to set up savasana for pregnancy and scoliosis guide
Other posts in the Yoga for Scoliosis, Pregnancy, and Postpartum Series:
Top 5 Prenatal Yoga Poses
Yoga Poses for Scoliosis and Pregnancy
Review: Yoga for Pregnancy: Safe and Gentle Stretches by Sandra Jordan
Prenatal Yoga Tips
Can You Get an Epidural if You Have Scoliosis
Torticollis and Scoliosis
Torticollis, Scoliosis, and Sensory Disorders
Review: 5 Days to Mindful Mothering by Susie Fishleder