Deviated septum and yoga

[J420]

I'm an avid disc golfer (regular golf played with a throwing disc, and a metal basket to catch it in) and have been suffering from muscle pulls in my back pretty frequently. I think it is due to my lack of proper stretching before and after I play (I stretch, but I don't think nearly as much as I should). My girlfriend suggested getting into Yoga, but all her tapes refer to breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth as integral. I've got a deviated septum and don't breath well through my nose (I sleep with my mouth open). My question is this: can I practive yoga to good effect breathing solely through my mouth? Thanks for the help, -J

[InnerAthlete]

In your situation the answer is "yes" you can do yoga and breathe through your mouth. It is not the method of maximum effect but the practice should fit the student. Hopefully you'll be addressing the deviation of your septum and nostril breathing tends to filter that which passes through it while mouth breathing does not.

Make sure in your yoga practice that you learn to work the muscles of your non-dominate side. Frisbee golf would utilize the dominant side at the expense of the other. So for a righty there would be neglect in torso twisting, elbow flexion and extension and some shoulder blade actions.

[Pandara]

Hi,

May I ask have you ever considered surgery for the deviated septum? One of my cousins used to suffer from this and it was successfully repaired through surgery.

[jmcdan3]

Originally Posted by Pandara

Hi,

May I ask have you ever considered surgery for the deviated septum? One of my cousins used to suffer from this and it was successfully repaired through surgery.

i actually have had the surgery. no big deal and it took about a week to recover from. is neccessary to breath IN through the nose and OUT from the mouth? What would be the maximal effect?