admin Knees are pretty awesome. They help us move, groove, and do yoga! They are the largest joints in the body and are comprised of bones, tendons, ligaments, and cartilage. Because of this complexity, the knees are prone to injury, and it is up to us to protect them in our yoga practice.
Standing Balance Poses require the knee to stabilize the body. To create a feeling of balance, it is common for people to lock or overextend their knee. It may not be painful right away, however it can cause short-term problems such as swelling and pain.
You can protect your knees by taking precautions when you practice. Let’s take care of our knees! These tips will help you strengthen your standing balance poses and protect your knees.
Develop Body Awareness
Standing balance poses may require you to balance on one leg. This can put stress on your knee. By becoming aware of how your body moves, you can protect the knee.
Body scans are a great tool for developing body awareness. As you are in Tree Pose, scan your entire body. From the soles of your feet to the tops of your head, note which muscles are active. Make an effort to correct bad habits so that you remain aware and engaged.
Raise the Foot Arch
It is common to lock the knees when practicing yoga. This can lead to serious injury over time. Standing poses are aimed at stabilizing the legs for balance. It is common to lock the knees in order to achieve this. The knee joint is stressed when the knee is locked, instead of strengthening and engaging muscles.
Instead of locking your knees to feel stable, focus on pressing the foot into the ground and allowing muscles to strengthen and stabilize. Press the ball of the feet, the heel, and the toes into the ground. Allow the arch to rise off the ground.
While pressing your entire foot into the earth may make you feel more stable, this is usually accompanied by a twisted knee. Start by getting your arches and feet up, then protect your knees from the bottom.
Engage Leg Muscles
Together, strong leg muscles protect the knee. Consistent practice will help build strength and stabilize the body. Engage your quad muscles in Warrior III to lift the kneecap. Avoid locking the knee. As you raise the arch, press into your toes while activating the calf muscle. Engaging the legs will help you balance and increase strength while protecting your knee. Stay strong and protect yourself!
Keep your knees and toes pointing in the same direction
Healthy knees can be moved in four directions: extension (kicking), flexion (bending), medial rotation (turning inward and outward), and lateral rotating (turning slightly inward and outward from the body). Avoid unnecessary twisting to avoid aggravating tendons. Keep the knee pointing in the same direction as your toes to avoid this.
Keep your knee pointed towards the front toe in Lord Of The Dance Pose.
Use props to check yourself
It can be difficult to break bad habits at first. Don’t be afraid to ask for help! Line up your back to the wall in Half Moon Pose. Grab a block and “raise” your floor. As you enter the pose, engage your thighs and lift the arch of your foot. Let the wall support you. Observe your body and the areas that you can improve. Test your balance by moving away from the wall.
The knees are amazing. They allow us to perform many yoga poses. By taking the necessary precautions, you can protect your knees while strengthening your yoga practice. Use props to help you stay focused and mindful in standing balance poses. You’ll thank your knees and your yoga practice!
