012: Sciatic Pain and Yoga with Joanne Pineau

On this week's episode Shannon welcomes Joanne Pineau. Joanne is a yoga teacher, educator, and author whose enthusiasm for the healing power of yoga for both mind and body impressed Shannon when she attended one of Joanne's courses on managing sciatic pain. Joanne's passion has led her take numerous trainings and certifications in the many facets of body healing. This has enabled Joanne to share her valuable wisdom with others through her 20 years of teaching yoga, her expert knowledge of sciatic and lower back pain, and in practicing Reiki, Thai Yoga Massage, not to mention her writing and workshops. Joanne has her 500 YTT, an Honours Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology from the University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, and taken countless other trainings. She is the owner and operator of Inner Journey Yoga Therapy and works at Synergetic and Wellness Centre. Joanne is a mother of six and lives in Thornbury, Ontario. 3:00 How Joanne began specializing in sciatic pain management 3:20 What is the difference between sciatica and sciatic pain? What is piriformis syndrome? 6:55 Anatomical link between sciatic pain and the piriformis muscle 8:50 Five actions yoga teachers can take to address their clients' sciatic pain: 1. Ask the students what they've experienced (including professional advice and treatment they've received) 2. Poses that help 3. Understanding the seriousness of nerve compression 4. Try to determine your client's level of pain 5. Include pelvic stability techniques in class 16:40 Importance of strengthening the iliopsoas muscles and poses to engage muscles 18:10 Sacroiliac joint instability 18:34 Importance of teaching posture through poses such as staff and mountain pose in class 19:20 Importance of teaching posture outside of yoga classes (how to hold themselves when sitting and standing,) to bring symmetry and length through the spine 21:16 Adding interest to what may seem like basic poses that benefit the management of sciatic pain 22:45 Importance asking your students a lot of questions to find their pain comfort zone and go-to poses for the individual 25:15 The trust and appreciation students will feel if you take the time to listen and try to understand their pain, find poses that work for them- there is no need to worry you aren't an expert in this area 27:20 Joanne's workshop and class offerings such as her Lower Back Pain, Sciatica, and Pelvic Health exercise program Links Joanne's Website: Inner Journey Yoga Therapy  Joanne's Classes and Workshops Synergetic and Wellness Centre The Avatar Course Book: Stop Sciatic Pain by Joanne Pineau Book: The Psoas Book by Liz Koch