In what we like to file under “thanks for the tip!” comes a study reporting semi-obvious results that hanging upside down and blowing air forcefully, like into a trumpet, can raise pressure in your eyes, which, ostensibly, is not so good because it might cause unhappy things like glaucoma. But, we probably could’ve saved them the time. If you’ve ever been upside down in headstand longer than usual feeling like maybe your eyes might just pop out, then you know what we’re talking about! Yep, indeed some yoga poses, especially inversions like salamba sirsasana (supported headstand) and adho mukha vrksasana (handstand) have a long list of contraindications, among them history of glaucoma and eye pressure/blood pressure sensitivity.
Other activities that were found to cause risk of pressure strikes: weightlifting, sleeping face down, playing high wind-resistance instruments like the trumpet and swimming laps, and the biggest one…rubbing your eyes! we kid you not.
But, the good news is, if you’re healthy, and don’t do these things incessantly every day, they really shouldn’t be a problem at all. Glaucoma can be a pretty serious disease so be sure to get checked regularly. Like anything in life do what’s right for your own body! And make modifications where necessary.
Unfortunately this means you’re going to have to quit your band, the Inverted Tree Trumpet Trio, pictured here with guest Flutophonist (please enjoy our hack photoshop! we worked hard on this one).
Yoga and Trumpets Put Eyes at Risk [The Australian]
