Knee pain is probably one of the top complaints we address at the yoga studio. Oh, the poor knee! It takes so much abuse! It’s one of the most unstable joints in the body because it’s so shallow. We have ligaments and muscles surrounding the knee to provide stability, but without proper alignment, these parts can’t do their job, and the result is discomfort, stress or pain.
When yoga is taught/performed improperly, it can actually cause knee pain. Don’t let that scare you away from your next (or first!) yoga class though. Proper alignment protects and even strengthens the knee joint. Here are a few tips for keeping your knees healthy!
- When lunging, as in Parsvakonasana or Warrior II, always keep your knee directly over the ankle. If the knee extends past the toes or starts to drift in, the inner ligaments are stressed, causing pain and weakness of the joint. So if your knee is forward of the toes, walk your foot out farther so the knee stays over the ankle. Also make sure the knee is pointing in between the second and third toes. A quick glance down to check your alignment can save a lot of stress!
- When stretching hamstrings, as in Parsvottanasana or Supta Padanguthasana, never lock out the knee joint. This hyper-extends the knee, meaning the joint is flexing over 180 degrees. Not healthy! The key is to always engage the quadricep muscles, lifting the skin above the kneecaps. If you have trouble connecting your brain to your quads, just imagine that you’re lifting you leg (but don’t actually lift it). This should engage the quads, protecting your knee. This same principle applies in balancing poses, such as Vrksasana or Ardha Chandrasana. Keep a strong standing leg by lifting the skin above the kneecap.
- In poses where one leg is forward and the other is back, such as Warrior I or Parsvottanasana, pay attention to the angle of your back leg. This includes your toes, knee and hip — they should all be facing the same general direction. For example, in Parsvottanasana, the back hip should be down, squaring towards the floor. However, if your back toes are angles out, it’s impossible to get that hip down. So when you try to force it, the knee joint torques, causing pain or even injury. To prevent this, always check your alignment and readjust as necessary. Remember, it’s always better to protect the knee joint rather than force the hips into a position that is painful.
Many of us are already dealing with knee pain, so practicing proper alignment isn’t enough to rehabilitate the pain. Here are a few suggestions to try if you have serious knee pain. Some of these poses are inversions. Inversions are part of a more advanced practice, so if you don’t currently practice them, try the other poses and consult a yoga instructor. Of course, if you have acute, chronic knee pain, you should ask your doctor what is the best course of action for you.
Sirsasana (Headstand)
Sarvangasana (Shoulderstand) — If practicing both Sirsasana and Sarvangasana, always practice Sirsasana first due to the positions of the neck.
Ardha Halasana (Half Plow Pose) — The link shows Halasana. To make this Ardha Halasana, rest the legs on a chair.
Virasana (Hero’s Pose) — If this pose is very uncomfortable, sit up on a folded blanket, brick, bolster or whatever gives you comfort.
Good luck yogis, and here’s to happy knees!
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