As a yoga instructor, I recommend yoga to just about anyone I meet.
It does not matter how old you are, how much you weigh, or how flexible you are.
it’s possible for you to still benefit from a regular practice.
Fromimproved strength and flexibilityto a balanced metabolism and improved circulation, yoga just makes everything better.
Yoga improves our moods, eases anxiety, and may even keep youhealthier at work.
Yoga can also help you recover from an injury, providing you with stronger muscles to prevent future injuries.
But what if yoga is what caused the injury in the first place?
Like any physical practice, yoga moves our bodies in new ways, and this can lead to injury.
It’s important to be aware of how you’re feeling during a yoga class.
Some sensations of stretching and discomfort are to be expected, but pain should not be ignored.
Yoga injuries can range from mild strains and sprains to even being more at risk forfor stroke.
Here are some of the poses and injuries to watch out for.
Proper body alignment will really protect the neck during yoga class.
As an instructor, I love teaching about what muscles help with each pose.
Many students are surprised to hear that strong arms and core are essential to holding a headstand.
Most of the weight is actually supported by your triceps, keeping your neck safe.
Gudmestad recommends strengthening the neck and back muscles before ever attempting a more advanced pose like headstand.
Strengthen your wrists
Much of any yoga class is spent pressing into our hands and wrists.
If we have weak wrist muscles, this can cause pain and injury over time.
I’ve had personal experience with wrist injuries.
The entire class felt painful.
Luckily, I used yoga to strengthen my weak muscles and made a full return to yoga.
Yoga instructor Doug Keller toldYoga Internationalthat our hand placement on the mat can really protect our wrists.
“Despite challenges and misalignments, the hands are designed to bear weight,” he explains.
“But certain parts of the hand are more suited to this task than others.”
Any time you’re placing weight in your hands, focus on pushing through the mounds of your fingers.
Placing too much weight in the heels of our hands puts too much stress on the wrists.
This can come from sitting with legs crossed.
If your hips are tight, they will cause a pulling on your knees in this sitting position.
Release your back
Many people decide to try yoga to ease chronic back pain.
The irony is that low back pain is themost common yoga injuryreported.
“Our lower back is another part of our body that can get injured easily,” she explained.
confirm you continually check-in with your body throughout class.
Breathing through your mouth means that you’re really exerting yourself and may be approaching your threshold.
Start with the beginners
If you’re new to yoga, look for a beginner’s class.
You’ll have the opportunity to learn the poses and correct alignment in a more relaxed pace and environment.
Look for a small yoga studio instead of a gym for smaller classes and experienced instructors.
The researchers concluded that yoga is as safe as any other exercise.
She explained to theAmerican Osteopathic Associationthat anyone can attend a beginner’s yoga class and be safe.
“The idea is to explore your limits, not strive for some pretzel-like perfection,” she said.
“It is a great way to get in tune with your body and your inner self.”
