Not your average stretching
Stands tall with the help of precise exercises to strengthen the spine.
Eldoa (long name: longitudinal osteoarticular decoaptation stretching) is neither yoga nor pilates. It’s a form of spinal decompression that was developed by French-born osteopath Guy Voyer. A great way to discover all the things you’re doing wrong with your posture, the technique involves practising very precise exercises to target and strengthen the spine – there are postures for all joints of the sacrum, pelvis, shoulders and skull – which help relieve back and neck pain, improve breathing and sleeping, and generally improve your quality of life. For this session at Auckland’s Sweet7, our goal was to de-stress the spine by holding complex static contractions for 60 seconds. But before getting to that stage, there were two warmups to complete. We began on our feet loosening up the ankles, legs, shoulders, and neck.
There was marching on the spot, circling the knees in a figure eight, and controlled bending to the floor.
Warmup No 2 focused on the muscles that can spasm when practising Eldoa – usually the hip flexors, rotators and quads. On a yoga mat, we were guided through a controlled lunge with subtle movements to create tension: pushing the heel, twisting the ankle, tucking the pelvis, raising the arms and splaying the fingers.
Then, there was a seated hipflexing position, useful to those who dead-lift at the gym, and a deep quad stretch against the wall. It was all in preparation for the main event.
For the first official Eldoa position, we sat down on the floor to target the lower L4-L5 discs of the spine. Sweet7 instructor Emma Brake revealed that most of the poses create tension in the legs before the arms are extended to create space. Every movement was described to the finest detail while Emma outlined what we should be feeling – from the little toes stretching towards the knees to the tension in the shins. Once in position, the timer started and specific sections of the back were lined up with a stick (or leg) to straighten and maintain length in the spine, a key message throughout. We were encouraged to breathe through the struggle, while trying to lengthen with every exhale.
Keeping the tension for a full minute was tough. There was a STEPHEN HEARD muscle-shaking exercise that rolled limbs inwards, a marker of spinal strength that was likened to carrying a tray of drinks, a mentally challenging exercise for the upper spine that prompted heavy breathing around the class, and an attempt to flatten the neck against the floor.
They all served as brutal reminders to work on posture. My initial sheen of perspiration revealed that Eldoa is far more than your average stretching session. It requires strong mental focus and the ability to co-ordinate several body parts at the same time.
Brake revealed that it’s normal to feel light muscle soreness after an Eldoa session – this rang true through my quads in the following days. The technique uses complex contractions and fascial tension to help strengthen the spine and realign it for better posture, which helps alleviate and prevent back problems, balance the body, improve joint mobility and prevent injuries. While one purpose of Eldoa is to help avoid injury, Brake said those with recent injuries or a sudden flare-up are encouraged to attend a physio assessment first to judge whether it is right for them.
During pregnancy, the practice is restricted from the mid-upper back region upwards. You should inform your instructor of any injuries and problem areas before joining a class. Eldoa classes are organised and run through Sweet7 by certified instructors: sweet7.co.nz