Knee Health: Further Diagnostics, and Ways to Improve Knee Health through Asanas
More ways to diagnose health of knees, and using asanas to strengthen knees while preventing knee pain
This can be done as a stand-alone session, but we recommend attempting the session Knee Health: Simple Adjustments to in Asana Practice to Improve Knee Health before trying this session.
Level: Beginner, Experienced Beginner, Gentle
Duration: 60min
Props needed: a couple of yoga blocks, belt, a sturdy chair, access to a wall
Tag words: 60mins baddhakonasana favorite knee alignment knee health knee injury knees props samasthiti tadasana utthita hasta padangusthasana II virabhadrasana I virabhadrasana II
Often people commence an asana practice with the expectation that the condition of their knees will improve through asanas. While it is important to rest knees (or indeed any other part of the body) that has been through recent trauma, the healing work has to start with getting back on the legs and re-learning how to use the knees. Often knee pain comes back as soon as knees are bent – even in asana positions and there might be a sense of disappointment. Some basic understanding and diagnosis of ones own knee is essential to improve the health of the knee.
For more detailed work with the knees, look at the multi-part short course on Knees: From Healing to Challenging . This Short Course is available for various levels of practice. This session (and the linked session Knee Health: Simple Adjustments to in Asana Practice to Improve Knee Health), give a simplified explanation. Some asanas are repeated between the two sessions for reinforcement of the important concepts. This session builds upon the previous sessions to suggest some more adjustments that benefit the knee, and also improve the overall health of the legs.
It is suitable even for beginners as we continue to work only with a simple standing and supine Asanas – Tadasana, Virabhadrasana2, Virabhadrasana1, Supta padangusthasana1. Knee adjustments in seated Asanas is introduced.