MMMMMMnumbness. (halp?)

[Maris Stella]

So I'm on this quest to be able to do a full forward fold, head-to-knees. I'm ALMOST there! 

 

But um, after my routine on Monday, I had numbness down the back of my left leg, and it has not dissipated. 

 

Has anyone else had this happen to them? Should I be deeply concerned? Is it more likely a result of doing, say, pigeon pose wrong, or is it most definitely from working really hard to fold?

 

It's real awkward feeling. I'm not really sure what to do.

[Sambalina]

Ooowww, Maris Stella, that does sound awkward.How long has the numbness lasted? I get a lot of random numbness, especially in my legs and feet when doing hamstring work in yoga, including forward folds, but never anything that lasted beyond the pose. Can you not feel your feet?

[Maris Stella]

You know, it is finally starting to resolve itself, but it's from a yoga session on Monday. I can feel my feet, but I have tingly numbness down the back of my left leg, like it's asleep but on the verge of waking up. Really weird! I get the random numbness too sometimes but this is definitely the first time I walked away with it.

[Jakob Kopfeld]

As far as I understand your situation, your foot (only one?) has been numb a while now, but you have no idea where it came from?
Is your back relaxed while doing forward folds? Way more important than touching your knees is that the motion comes from your hips instead of the back. Even if it takes longer, it's better to arive safe and sound at your destination!

 

On the other hand if you're doing a (pidgeon?) pose wrong, that might be the origin of it aswell. This is completely based on personal experience, but I had problems with me legs after pidgeon when I let the rear foot relax too much and kind of drift away, if you know what I mean. Keep the hind leg flexed, aswell as your buttocks and you should be fine on the pidgeon

[Sambalina]

How's it feeling now, MS? Hope you're better.

[Maris Stella]

Feels better, thanks!. I worked through it and the numbness went away, so I am still not sure why it happened in the first place, but I'm glad it's gone! 

 

@Substix, yes, my lower back is very sensitive so I am extremely careful with it. I don't think it was that. But it definitely could have been pigeon. I should probably go to an actual class and seek the advice of a pro before I attempt pigeon again...I'm just really not sure what it is supposed to feel like. It sure feels awkward as hell, the way I have been doing it.